Quiet Dales Pub Crawls for Older Tastes: Where to Stay for Dinner and a Nightcap

Five unhurried North Yorkshire circuits where the walking is short, the beer is kept well and the last glass is poured within sight of your bed.

Settle and the Ribble Valley: Three Pubs, One Street, No Hills

Settle suits anyone who wants the pub crawl to double as a gentle evening stroll. The Golden Lion on Duke Street, the Talbot Arms opposite and the Shambles Bar a minute's walk away form a triangle you can complete in twenty minutes without meeting a single gradient. All three pour Black Sheep and Theakston's, keep fires going from October, and serve food until around 9pm in summer, 8.30pm in winter. Arrive on the Leeds–Skipton–Carlisle line — the station is at the top of Station Road, five minutes downhill to the market square.

Eat dinner at the Talbot Arms if you want a proper table and quiet; drink at the Golden Lion if you want to stand at the bar and talk to people. The Shambles is the late one, often open until 11pm at weekends. Book a room in Settle itself rather than driving back to Skipton — the B6479 over Stainforth is unlit and full of sheep after dark. Rooms in town run roughly £95–£150 midweek. I would base here for two nights and use it as a launchpad for the Settle–Carlisle line.

Hawes and Wensleydale: The Highest Market Town in England

Hawes sits at 850 feet and the pubs cluster within 200 yards of the market house. The Crown, the Fountain and the White Hart all serve Wensleydale ale and all accept dogs in the bar. The Fountain has the best-stocked whisky shelf; the Crown has the better kitchen. Dinner mains run £14–£22, and you can eat at 8pm without feeling rushed. The walk between them is flat and paved, which matters when the pavements are icy in January or February.

Stay at the Crown if you want to fall upstairs; stay at the Fountain if you want a quieter room at the back. Avoid driving the A684 to Leyburn after a long lunch — the Buttertubs Pass is spectacular but not a route for a second pint. Best months are May, June and September, when the dales are green but the coach parties have thinned. In July and August, Hawes gets busy with the Wensleydale Creamery crowd, so book a table by 6pm or eat at 8.30pm.

Masham: Black Sheep Brewery and a Square You Can Walk Round

Masham is the smallest town in Yorkshire — the market square takes four minutes to cross — but it has three pubs worth your time. The Black Sheep Brewery visitor centre sits on the edge of town and pours beers you will not find down south. The King's Head on the square and the White Bear opposite are both traditional, low-beamed and quiet on weeknights. The Bruce Arms at the top of the square is the food-led option and the one I would book for dinner.

The 36 bus from Ripon and Leeds stops at the square. If you are driving, park in the Market Place car park and leave the car there until morning. Rooms in Masham are limited — perhaps 30 lettable beds in total — so book four to six weeks ahead for weekends. Prices sit around £110–£160. The best month for a brewery visit is October, when the Black Sheep taproom is quieter and the fires are lit. Skip Masham on a Saturday in August unless you enjoy queueing for a table.

Kirkby Lonsdale and the Lune Valley: A Short Stroll, Good Cellars

Kirkby Lonsdale is technically Cumbria, but it is the natural western edge of a Yorkshire Dales trip and the pub crawl is the most civilised of the five. The Sun Inn on Market Street, the Red Dragon next door and the Snooty Fox at the bottom of Main Street are all within 150 yards. The Sun has the deepest wine list; the Red Dragon has the better local ales and a small courtyard. Dinner is served until 9pm most nights.

The town is 25 minutes by car from Ingleton and 40 minutes from Settle via the A65. Trains do not serve it — the nearest stations are Oxenholme and Carnforth, both about 20 minutes by taxi. Stay at the Sun Inn if you want character and slightly sloping floors; stay at a guesthouse on Jingling Lane if you want a quieter night. Rooms run £120–£180. Best months are April and October for a calm weekend; July and August bring the Kirkby Lonsdale motor show traffic. I would book two nights here and one in Hawes.

Questions, answered

Which of these five is best for someone who does not want to drive at all?

Settle, because it has a railway station on the Leeds–Carlisle line and all three pubs are within a five-minute walk of the platform. Masham has buses but fewer evening services. Hawes and Kirkby Lonsdale effectively require a car or taxi.

What is the quietest time of year for a Dales pub crawl?

Late April, early May, late September and October. The weather is still walkable, fires are lit in the evenings, and you will get a table without booking. Avoid August and bank holiday weekends if you want unhurried bars.

How far ahead should I book a hotel for a weekend in the Dales?

Four to six weeks for Masham and Kirkby Lonsdale, where bed stock is tiny. Settle and Hawes have more rooms, so two to three weeks is usually enough outside school holidays and the August peak.

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