Yorkshire Dales Pubs with Rooms: Where to Sleep, Eat and Drink in 2026

Honest picks for Dales inns with beds, from Wensleydale to Wharfedale, plus drive times and booking advice.

Wensleydale and Swaledale: Classic Dales Inn Country

Wensleydale is where I would start. The A684 from Northallerton to Hawes runs 40 miles past the waterfalls at Aysgarth and the creamery in Hawes, where Wensleydale cheese is made and sold. Villages like West Witton, Bainbridge and Askrigg all have inns with rooms, and Askrigg's main street was used as Darrowby in the original All Creatures Great and Small. Expect £90–£160 a night for a double with breakfast. Book by phone or direct; most take dogs for £10–£15 extra. Swaledale, north-east of Hawes over the Buttertubs Pass, is quieter and better for walkers. Reeth is the hub, with Muker and Gunnerside close by. The pass closes in heavy snow; check conditions before driving it in winter.

Richmond, 15 miles east, works well as a base if you want a town with a castle, a theatre and a market square. You can sleep in Richmond and still reach Wensleydale in 35 minutes. Leyburn, halfway between Richmond and Hawes, has a Friday market and several pubs with rooms. Saturdays fill first because of weekend walkers and cyclists on the Tour de Yorkshire routes. If you are booking, I would choose Askrigg or Reeth over Hawes itself: Hawes is busier, parking is harder and the pubs are louder. The trade-off is fewer places to eat in Reeth on a Monday or Tuesday, when some kitchens close.

Wharfedale and Malhamdale: Closer to Leeds and Bradford

Wharfedale suits people arriving from Leeds or Bradford. Skipton, on the Leeds–Skipton line, is 45 minutes by train from Leeds and has good pubs, a market four days a week and the castle. From Skipton, the B6160 runs north through Grassington, Threshfield and Kettlewell to Buckden, roughly 18 miles. Grassington is the biggest village here and has several inns, plus a small National Park centre. Prices run £85–£150 a night. Burnsall, five miles north, has a riverside green that is one of the prettiest spots in the Dales, but parking on summer weekends is tight; arrive before 10am or after 4pm.

Malhamdale is a separate draw: Malham village has two inns and a youth hostel, and the walk to Malham Cove, Gordale Scar and Janet's Foss is about 3–4 miles. The village gets very busy from Easter to October, and the car park fills by 10.30am. If you want a quieter night, base in Kirkby Malham or Airton and drive in. I would book Grassington over Malham for a two-night stay, because there is more choice of food and a better chance of a table without booking. In winter, some Malham kitchens close midweek; check before you go.

Nidderdale, Ripon and Harrogate: The Eastern Edge

Nidderdale is often overlooked, which is why it is worth considering. Pateley Bridge, 12 miles west of Ripon, has a high street with a butcher, a bakery and a handful of pubs with rooms; doubles run £80–£140. From here you can reach Brimham Rocks in 15 minutes and How Stean Gorge in 20. Ripon, with its cathedral and racecourse, is 30 minutes by car from Pateley Bridge and 50 minutes from York. Harrogate, 20 minutes from Ripon, is a spa town with more hotels than inns; use it if you want a wider choice of restaurants and a direct train to Leeds or York. The eastern edge is the practical choice if you are mixing Dales days with a city night.

For a three-night trip I would split the stay: two nights in Wensleydale or Wharfedale, then one in Harrogate or Ripon to break the drive home. North Yorkshire is big; Hawes to Harrogate is about 50 miles and can take 90 minutes on slow roads. If you are coming by train, Skipton, Harrogate and Northallerton are the useful stations, though you will need a car or taxi for the last few miles. Book directly with the inn where you can: small places often hold back a room or two from the big sites, and you will get a better rate on a two-night stay.

Questions, answered

When is the best time to book a Dales pub with rooms?

Book 6–8 weeks ahead for May to September, and 3–4 months ahead for bank holidays and the August school break. Winter weekends are quieter, but some kitchens close Monday to Wednesday. Check opening days before booking.

Do I need a car to stay in the Yorkshire Dales?

Yes for most villages. Skipton, Harrogate and Northallerton have train links, but buses to places like Askrigg or Malham are infrequent. Taxis from Skipton or Hawes are possible but expensive after 6pm.

Which Dales area is best for a first visit?

Wensleydale for classic scenery and villages, or Wharfedale if arriving by train. Wensleydale is easier to reach from the A1 and has more pubs with rooms. Wharfedale is better for a short break from Leeds.

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