SKIPTON
GATEWAY TO THE DALES

Population: 14313 Grid Reference: SD993516 53° 58' North, 2°, 1' West

The Canal, Skipton

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Skipton

Skipton is a modest sized town situated near the southern tip of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Here, at the most northly point of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and with good road and rail links, not to mention it is not far from Leeds-Bradford Airport, Skipton is indeed the Gateway to the Dales.
Shopping in Skipton Like any other town of it's size, Skipton as a good range of shops and supermarkets as well as a sizable market which takes place on Saturdays.
Craven Court is a Victorian shopping arcade and Rackhams has a branch in Skipton. Morrisons and Tesco have supermarkets in the town. There are also a good number of outdoor shops.

Shopping in Skipton
Named after the Anglo Saxon Word for sheep, Skipton probably started life as a sheep farming community and only began to grow with the arrival of the Normans. Situated in the Craven Gap, an area of lowland between the Yorkshire Dales and the Southern Pennines, Skipton became a stragetically important town and supported the Lancastrians during the Wars of the Roses and the Royalists during the English Civil War.
The arrival of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in the late 18th century brought great prosperity to the town at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and today Skipton is a thriving town of 16,000 that has retained much of it's character and cobbled streets. For more about the Leeds and Liverpool Canal click here.
Springs Branch, Skipton

Springs Branch, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

 Skipton Castle

Skipton Castle from the Springs Branch
Skipton Castle dates mostly from the 14th century although parts are Norman in origin. It was a Royalist stronghold during the English Civil War during which it endured a three year siege before eventually falling to the Parliamentarian Roundheads. The roofs were removed on Oliver Cromwell's orders after it's surrender in 1645.
The cliffs to the rear of the castle are a sheer drop down to Eller Beck where it flows into the Springs Branch of the Leed and Liverpool Canal. Boat trips along the branch and under the castle walls can be taken.
Skipton Castle is open daily (except Christmas Day) and can be visited on it's website at:

www.skiptoncastle.co.uk
Bizzie Lizzies Chip Shop, Skipton There are a number of fast food shops and takeaways including Indian and Chinese as well as the more traditional fish and chip shops. Busy Lizzies is an award winning chip shop on Swadford Street where you can eat in as well as take away and it is open all day. It even runs a childrens' club and organises events around Skipton. Often mentioned on Fresh A.M. Radio.
Telephone: 01756 793189

Busy Lizzie's
Skipton Tourist Information Centre
Craven Court,
High Street,
SKIPTON,
North Yorkshire,
BD23 1JH.

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TELEPHONE: +44 (0) 1756 792809
FACSIMILE: +44 (0) 1756 797528

www.skiptonweb.co.uk

Fly Fishing In The Yorkshire Dales

A complete flyfishing package in Wharfedale, Nidderdale, Wensleydale and Swaledale.
Everything from courses for beginners to fishing holidays.

Yorkshire Dales Flyfishing
Springfield
Skipton Road
Bradley
Skipton
North Yorkshire
BD20 9EF

E-MAIL: stuart.minnikin@btopenworld.com
WEBSITE: www.yorkshire-dales-flyfishing.com

PUBS IN SKIPTON
Black Horse, Skipton

BLACK HORSE

High Street
15th century pub, now a grade II listed building on the High Street. Traditional interior with oak beams and horse brasses. Popular at the weekends. Bed and breakfast and lunchtime and evening meals available.
10:00 - 23:00 Monday to Wednesday,
10:00 - Midnight Thursday,
10:00 - 00:30 Friday and Saturday,
12:00 - 10:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 792145 FAX: 01756 798450
The Castle, Skipton

CASTLE

2, Mill Street
Inn dating back to the 1790's next to the medieval church and castle. One bar serving three drinking areas. Disabled access and outdoor seating area. Bar meals served lunchtimes. No juke box or T.V.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 791795
Chew's Bar, Skipton

BREEZE BAR (FORMALLY CHEWS BAR)

Swadford Street
Trendy bar in Skipton town centre, popular with the younger set enjoying the nightime circuit. Beers, lagers and ciders including Tetley's, Grolsch, John Smiths, Worthingtons, Bulmers, Boddingtons, Stella Artois and Guinness.
TELEPHONE: 07792 956780
Cock and Bottle, Skipton

COCK AND BOTTLE

30 Swadford Street
One of the Whitbread chain of Hogshead Ale Houses, this 18th century coaching inn now offers a good range of guest beers as well as brews from Whitbread, Boddingtons and Castle Eden. Many original features retained in accordance with the Hogshead tradition. Real cider and open fire. Meals served lunchtimes. Outdoor seating.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 794734
The Commercial, Skipton

THE COMMERCIAL

Water Street
Pub near the main street quarter of a mile from the town centre. Accommodation and lunchtime meals.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 792847
Devonshire Hotel, Skipton

DEVONSHIRE HOTEL

Newmarket Street
Town centre pub and hotel with imposing frontage in regency style. Two lounge style rooms with central bar and open fires. Bar meals served during lunchtimes and in the evenings.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 793078
Fleece Inn, Skipton

FLEECE INN

Keighley Road
Modernised saloon style bar with long narrow bar, pool table at one end. Popular pub adjacent to bus station. Outdoor seating.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 792898
Red Lion Hotel, Skipton

RED LION HOTEL

27 High Street
Town centre pub. Parts of the original 13th century building are preserved in a glass case. Today this popular pub comprised of two main rooms with large central fireplace. No smoking during meals. Evening meals in summer only. Children welcome. Lunchtime bar meals and accommodation.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 790718
Royal Oak, Skipton

ROYAL OAK

2 Water Street
Pub and hotel near Skipton town centre. No real ale.
TELEPHONE: 01756 792105
Royal Shpherd, Skipton

ROYAL SHEPHERD

Canal Street
Canalside pub in town centre. This canal-themed pub contains many photos of old Skipton and stained glass window. Award winning beer garden. No piped music or juke box. Open fire.
11:00 - 23:00 Monday to Saturday,
12:00 - 22:30 Sunday.
TELEPHONE: 01756 793178
Woolly Sheep Inn, Skipton

WOOLLY SHEEP INN

38 Sheep Street
A new addition to the many pubs in this small Yorkshire town, gateway to the Dales. The Wooly Sheep Inn offers nine en-suite rooms from single to family rooms. Beers from Timothy Taylor.
Open all day.
TELEPHONE: 01756 700996 FAX: 01756 794815

Other pubs worth mentioning are the Albion, a three-roomed pub with big screen T.V. (TEL: 793761), Craven Hotel, on Craven Street, a large modernised Victorian hotel with disabled access (TEL 792595), Cross Keys, a large pub a little way out from the town centre where children are welcome, accommodation available (TEL: 792913), Herriot's Hotel, with disabled access, meals and accommodation (TEL: 792781), Horse Close Hotel, (TEL: 793653), Railway, disabled access (TEL: 793186) and the Rose and Crown where meals are served lunchtimes and evenings. Disabled access and parking (TEL: 792654). Don't forget to put the 01756 in front of the number if you are dialing from outside Skipton and +44 1756 if you are ringing from outside the United Kingdom.

Most of the pubs mentioned above are within easy reach of the railway and bus stations in Skipton. A recent comer in Skipton is the Copper Dragon Brewery which now sells beers to many pubs in the Southern Dales.

S.T.A.N.D. (Skipton Town Against Nightime Disorder) is an organisation made up of the police, local magistrates and licencees who wish to maintain Skipton's good reputation as a safe place to enjoy a night out and aim to eradicate anti-social and violent behaviour.

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