Skipton Town Guide 2009 - Days Out Leaflets

town guide 2009 

Winner of the Best High Street 

in the UK 2009 

The Academy of Urbanism Awards 

Presented by 

SKIPTON CHAMBER OF TRADE & COMMERCE 

Est. 1897 

www.skiptononline.co.uk

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Page | Skipton Town Guide

Welcome to Skipton 

Situated on the edge of the beautiful Yorkshire Dales 

National Park, Skipton has long been known as the 

‘Gateway to the Dales’ and provided a popular place for 

tourists to visit and start their exploration of the Dales. 

Skipton’s unique appeal lies in its happy marriage of olde-worlde 

charm and the hustle and bustle of a living market town which has 

evolved naturally over the centuries and consequently retained its 

many historic features. So while planners were knocking the heart 

out of many other provincial towns, Skipton remained intact and 

now provides a refreshing counterpoint to the artificially themed 

shopping malls offered elsewhere. 

With its market, medieval castle, canal and thriving shops, pubs and 

cafes, Skipton provides something for the whole family. Wander 

down the many alleyways, or ‘ginnels’, to savour the town’s history 

and character; explore the side streets where you will find interesting 

shops, cafes and restaurants; visit the canal area with its boats, 

footpaths, and picnic areas; then you’ll discover why Skipton is one 

of the most popular destinations for visitors in the north. 

SKIPTON CHAMBER OF TRADE & COMMERCE 

Skipton Chamber of Trade & Commerce was formed in 1897 and was 

know as Skipton Trade Association. It has been in existence for over 

110 years supporting the business community. 

The Chamber was very pleased that Skipton won ‘The Best High 

Street 2009’ awarded by The Academy of Urbanism Awards. We were 

short-listed along with Portobello Road and Kensington High Street 

in London which made winning even more exciting. 

The Chamber will continue to give the visitor the very best of 

shopping, alongside other attractions such as Skipton Castle, Canal 

Trips, and lots of beautiful countryside. 

We hope you too will enjoy our lovely town. 

Joan Evans President 

Skipton Chamber of Trade & Commerce 

Tel: 01756 798257 e-mail: chamber@skiptononline.co.uk 

Contents 

03 Introduction 

05 Festivals & Markets 

07 History Trails 

09 Dining Out 

11 Shopping in Skipton 

14/15 Map of Skipton 

17 How to get Around 

19 Local Attractions 

21 Gateway to the Dales 

23 Where to Stay 

26 Useful Information 

Skipton Town Guide | Page

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Festivals & Markets 

Festivals and galas are an important part of Skipton’s 

social calendar. Activities throughout the year attract 

large crowds with visitors pencilling events into their 

diaries as soon as the dates become known. 

Even through the Winter, the town is a hive of activity four days every week as 

market traders pitch their stalls on the High Street and draw enthusiastic crowds 

in search of a fun day out. 

The first event of the season is the Waterway Festival on May bank holiday 

weekend. Based around the canal basin off Coach Street, dozens of brightly 

painted narrow boats descend on the town to provide a feast of colour. Street 

entertainers, plays performed by local school children and open-air exhibitions 

make this a day to remember. 

Skipton lets its hair down at the annual Gala each June. This has always been an 

integral part of the summer with decorated floats parading through the town. 

In June High Street plays host to the Skipton Festival Of Transport. 

Skipton Sheep Day follows in July and sees the streets packed with anything 

resembling a sheep, whether the real thing or home-made, which vie for 

competition prizes. 

July also see the ClogFest in full swing on High Street and around the Canal 

Basin. 

During the summer on the 1st Sunday of each month the Farmer’s Markets are 

held in the Canal Basin. 

Support those lost in combat with the Remembrance Day Parade in November. 

The Chamber has organised over the last 13 years Skipton Medieval Festival 

which takes place on the first two Sunday’s in December and has proved to be 

a very popular event bring thousands of visitors from all over the country and 

giving them a unique shopping experience. However, from 2009 Skipton Town 

Council will take over the organisation of this event. 

For a full list of up coming events in the Skipton area contact the 

Tourist Information Centre 792809 or log onto the events page on 

www.skiptononline.co.uk 

Tourist information map ref. B2 

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SKIPTON TOWN 

COUNCIL 

Allotments... Art Culture & Festivals 

Bus Shelters... Christmas Lights.. 

Closed Burial Grounds... Crime 

Reduction... Dog Waste Bins... 

Community Grants... Street Lighting 

Parks & Open Spaces... Play Areas... 

Planning Recommendations... 

Public Seats... Tourism...Town 

Twinning... Town Mayor... Youth Council 

Tel: 01756 794357 

www.skiptontowncouncil.gov.uk 


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On the trail of History 

Skipton is not just a pretty town, it also possesses 

some pretty interesting history. Take any trail or 

guided tour and you will be surprised by the rich blend 

of events that have occurred in Craven’s fair capital over 

a thousand years and more. 

Skipton Castle, fully roofed and listed as one of the finest examples 

of its kind in the north, was once home to the Cliffords - powerful 

warlords influential at the courts of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. 

King Henry decreed that the son of his life long friend Henry Clifford, 

Earl of Cumberland, should marry the King’s niece, Lady Eleanor 

Brandon. Eleanor lived with her husband, the second earl, at Skipton 

Castle, when, at the age of 26, she died in his arms. Had there been a 

son, he would have become the next monarch after Elizabeth I. 

Next door to the castle is the 14th Century Holy Trinity Church 

where rests the illustrious Eleanor Brandon, along with five earls of 

Cumberland, two further countesses and four children. The memorial 

of third earl George Clifford is particularly striking, designed by the 

greatest of all of the Cliffords, Lady Anne, self-styled `Queen of the 

North’. 

Join the Springs Branch canal behind the castle for a leafy walk 

through Skipton Woods, once a Victorian promenade, which takes 

you on a circular walk round some beautiful scenery under the 

spectacular cliff on top of which sits Skipton Castle. You return via 

Chapel Hill, where, on the corner of Raikes Road, John Wesley gave 

a powerful sermon on the doorstep of what is now the Wright Wine 

Company. 

In 2000 Skipton opened its Millennium Walk which takes you past not 

only the main sights of the town but also a little off the beaten track 

to some lesser known but fascinating nooks and crannies of Skipton. 

This is a two hour walk and a book detailing the historical aspects of 

this route or a leaflet setting out the footpath and the main points of 

interest can be bought from the Tourist Information Centre. 

For more details of walks around the town visit the Tourist Information 

Centre on Coach Street, map ref. B2 or tel. 01756 792809. 


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Dining out in Skipton 

Skipton has countless eating places to suit every 

taste and pocket. 

There are plenty of welcoming pubs around the town which offer 

good food and drink - try the Narrow Boat off Victoria Square or 

the Royal Shepherd on Canal Street, both of which supply Skipton 

brewed Copper Dragon Ales or visit Copper Dragon Brewery on 

Snaygill Industrial Estate. 

Also to be found within a couple of minutes walk of the High Street 

are a vast array of cafes, restaurants, bistros and fast food takeaways. 

If you take a walk through Victoria Square, down Swadford Street, 

Otley Street, Coach Street or Craven Court, you will be spoilt for 

choice for coffee shops and sandwich bars. 

You will also come across Bizzie Lizzies, past winner of “the best fish 

and chips in the country” by the Sea Fish Industry Authority. 

For those wanting an evening out , there are plenty of restaurants 

offering a good selection of international cuisine to cater for every 

taste. There are quality Mexican, Indian, Italian, Greek and French 

restaurants as well as plenty of pubs serving more traditional fayre. 

A little further afield is the recently refurbished Herriots opposite the 

railway station and the Rendezvous Hotel on Keighley Road which 

welcomes non-residents. On the outskirts of town on the Grassington 

Road is the Craven Heifer, a renowned pub which is definitely worth 

a visit. 

Should you prefer a quite evening in, Skipton also has a wide selection 

of takeaways which will deliver direct to your door. 


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Page 10 | Skipton Town Guide

Shopping in Skipton 

Skipton’s wide High Street, recently named the best 

in the UK 2009, has always been the focal point for 

shopping in the town but why not follow our shopping 

trail which leads you past some of the most interesting 

independent retailers in the country not to mention 

tempting eating houses and coffee shops to refresh mind 

and body? 

It starts at the southerly end of the High Street (heading towards the 

church). At the bottom of the High Street the road divides to create Sheep 

Street, a little cobbled street with lots of small interesting shops. The old 

town hall was here and, underneath, Skipton’s old prison. Don’t forget to 

turn off into Victoria Square or you’ll miss some delightful shops. 

Return to the High Street and continue up towards the church and castle. 

There’s a Rackham’s department store on your right and just before David 

Goldie’s Mens and Ladies Outdoor Country Clothing Shop on your left you 

will find the Archway to Mount Pleasant. At the top of the high street turn 

left over the canal bridge and you pass a Skipton institution Stanforth’s Pie 

Shop. Across the road is Chapel Hill, a beautiful little corner and the oldest 

part of the town. There are some high class shops here such as the Wright 

Wine Company, The Home Company and The Little Flowerpot Company. 

Back over the road from Chapel Hill and you are on Water Street with its 

fine bakery and chocolatier at the top and plenty of interesting shops 

to explore. Turn left again and you are on Coach Street. Take care over 

the hump-back canal bridge and then a whole range of shops suddenly 

appears before you. Canny Skiptonians know that this is the place to find 

that unusual gift at a bargain price. 

Turn left at the end and you are on busy Swadford Street where you 

will find Specsavers and a range of other shops. Here four busy trunk 

roads meet but a century ago the corner was even narrower, barely 20 

feet wide. Imagine the chaos that would cause today. This is where John 

Spencer was born. The name might mean little to you but his company 

will - Marks and Spencer. There is now a new Marks and Spencer Food 

Store located behind the Town hall. 

If you continue along the highway you enter Newmarket Street, the old 

Roman road to the east. Here Skipton Building Society was formed in 

one of the small shops on the left hand side. Take the first road left, up 

Court Lane and turn left at the top. You can make your way back to the 

High Street either through Craven Court, an award winning shopping 

centre based on the old back streets and alleyways, or by Otley Street. Or 

why not head back and do both streets? - They are both full of fascinating 

shops which will make your shopping trip to Skipton both memorable 

and worthwhile. 

Skipton Town Guide | Page 11

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To The Craven Heifer 

Key to advertisers 

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Advertisers Grid Reference (see adverts) 

To Copper Dragon Brewery 


To Bolton Abbey & 

Embsay Steam Railway 

To Yorkshire Net 


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How to get Around 

If you arrive in Skipton by car, your first priority will 

be parking. There are large pay and display car 

parks, but they can get very busy, especially in the 

summertime, and spaces can be at a premium so the 

best advice is to arrive early. 

The two biggest car parks are behind the Town Hall (accessed from 

the High Street) and on Coach Street. There’s a smaller car park on 

Cavendish Street and another small one next to the bus station on 

Keighley Road. Prices vary depending on how long you want to stay. 

On Saturdays throughout the year, on Bank Holidays and on certain 

Sundays when there are special events, the Skipton Rotary Club 

organises a charity car park using the offices of Skipton Building 

Society, who allow their headquarters on the Bailey, near the castle, 

to be used for car parking. All proceeds go to local charities. Taxi 

ranks can be found outside the railway station, outside the Westgate 

department store in Swadford Street and in the bus station. Taxis are 

a cheap way to get around the town or into the villages. 

A pleasant way of viewing Skipton from a different angle is by canal. 

You can take a boat trip from Pennine Boat Trips on Coach Street. 

For those wanting to explore further afield, there are Craven’s 

distinctive orange and black Pennine buses. They travel throughout 

the area from the bus station in Keighley Road. 

Railways offer easy access to Leeds and Bradford and, if time permits, 

a trip on the Settle-Carlisle line over Ribblehead Viaduct makes a 

memorable day out. 

For those feeling energetic, what better way to explore the beautiful 

countryside around Skipton than by bicycle. If you don’t want to 

bring your own, you can hire from one of two cycle shops in the 

town for a day, a week or whatever suits you. Car and minibus hire is 

available from Peter Watsons on Otley Road. 


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Local Attractions 

Skipton is surrounded by plenty of local attractions 

covering a wide range of interests. Children and 

adults alike will love Embsay Steam Railway where 

passengers can go back in time for a trip along the rails 

to Bolton Abbey in an historic train. 

The train runs on weekends throughout the year with more trips 

during the school holidays. Especially popular are the Thomas the 

Tank Engine days. Full times are available from the Tourist Information 

Centre, It’s well worth the effort to walk the half mile or so from Bolton 

Abbey Station and explore the Duke of Devonshire’s estate at Bolton 

Abbey itself. 

Skipton and district from the air is on offer from Airborne Adventures, 

the Rylstone based hot air balloon trips company, ideal for a special 

occasion or unusual treat. Hospitality and country pursuits abound 

at Coniston Hall where the award-winning hotel and restaurant is 

complemented with fishing on the scenic lake, four-wheel driving and 

a shooting ground. 

For those who like their sport, there is plenty on offer at Skipton. During 

the winter Skipton Rugby Club play at Sandylands, near Skipton railway 

station while Wharfedale, in National Division two, play at Threshfield, 

near Grassington. Fixtures are listed weekly in the Craven Herald. 

The swimming pool is situated at Aireville Park and is accessible on foot 

from the railway station over the canal bridge or by car from Gargrave 

Road. 

Aireville Park is also the centre for one of the finest pitch and putt 

courses in the country and you can also play tennis or use the gym. 

Craven Museum in the Town Hall, High Street, (closes Tuesdays) houses 

historical artefacts from the town and surrounding district. 

For those who like nightlife, Strata Nightclub, opposite the bus station 

provides a great venue while a modern ten pin bowling alley exists at 

the Matrix, off Carleton Road. 

For those keen on things thespian the Little Theatre on Cavendish 

Street has regular productions throughout the year. 

The cinema is situated on Sackville Street. 


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Gateway to the Dales 

Not for nothing does Skipton call itself the Gateway 

to the Dales. Within half an hour’s drive of the 

town is some of the most spectacular and beautiful 

scenery in the UK. 

Malham is nationally known for its breathtaking limestone 

surroundings. Malham Cove and Gordale Scar are easily accessible 

for walkers. 

There is a wheelchair-friendly path to the foot of the cove and a choice 

of pubs and cafes in the village for refreshment afterwards. Once 

there you can relax in some of the most spectacular surroundings 

in the country. 

In Wharfedale Kilnsey Crag is a well known landmark, towering over 

the famous Tennant Arms Hotel. A limestone cliff face juts out and 

overhangs the stream below making it a mecca for climbers. Kilnsey 

is also the venue for an annual classic fell race held at the Kilnsey 

Show, every August Bank Holiday Tuesday. 

Grassington, the largest village of the southern dales, is unspoilt from 

the Victorian era with pretty cottages and cobbled streets delighting 

visitors from around the world. 

Follow the Wharfe further down the dale and you reach Burnsall 

which is claimed to be the most photographed village in Britain. 

The best views, however, are when approached from the hills to the 

south. 

Bolton Abbey has been a favourite picnic destination since the 

railways of the Victorian era brought it into the reach of city dwellers. 

Just six miles from Skipton, the atmospheric Priory ruins nestle in a 

curve of the river on the Duke of Devonshire’s Bolton Abbey Estate. 

A circular walk takes hikers around four miles upstream via the 

Cavendish Pavilion to Barden Tower, an ancient hunting lodge. The 

walk back to Bolton Abbey through beautiful Strid Woods takes you 

past a spectacular narrowing of the Wharfe called The Strid. Please 

don’t try to jump across - few have fallen in and lived to tell the tale. 


The Craven Heifer 

Grassington Road, Skipton BD23 3LA 

Telephone: 01756 792521 Fax: 01756 794442 

email: john@eraven heifer.eo.uk Website: www.eravenheifer.eo.uk 

Proprietors: John & Angela 

ACountry Inn set amidst open fields beneath 

Sharphaw and Crook Rise hills at the Gateway to 

the Yorkshire Dales National Park 

We serve traditional ales and a wide 

choice of good home cooked food 

All Day and Everyday 

(except Xmas day, Lunch only) 

All en-suite rooms in our tastefully converted barn, boast: 

beverage trays, radio alarms, hairdryers and remote control TVs 

Family Rooms Available - No Smoking Rooms - Disabled Facilities 

Excellent Car Parking - All En-suite Rooms 

£49.95 Double, Twin or Single Occupancy 


Where to Stay 

Not every visitor to Skipton is paying a flying 

visit. There are those who want to spend 

a little longer enjoying its charms outlined in 

this guide and over the years the town has built 

up a wide range of accommodation to meet all 

requirements. 

There are quality hotels, coaching inns, bed and breakfast 

accommodation and self-catering cottages, all of which 

make an ideal base from which to explore the town and 

its surrounding countryside. 

The diverse accommodation can cater for everyone 

from businessmen to ramblers and from short overnight 

breaks to weeks at a time in a holiday cottage. 

Check out the advertisers on these pages or contact the 

Tourist Information Centre on Coach Street (telephone 

01756 792809), who deal only with nationallyaccredited 

and inspected establishments, which means 

you can be sure of clean, well run and reasonably priced 

accommodation. 

The Tourist Information Centre will be able to discuss 

your requirements and send out a list of suitable 

accommodation. Whether you want to camp, caravan, stay 

in bed and breakfast or luxury four-star accommodation, 

Skipton and locality can cater for every taste. 

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Carlton House 

46 Keighley Road. Skipton. 

North Yorkshire BD23 2NB 

Telephone & Fax: 01756 700921 

Email: abharding@tiscali.co.uk 

Website: 

www.carltonhouse.rapidial.co.uk 

A warm friendly welcome 

awaits you at our elegant 

Victorian Town House. situated a few minutes walk from 

the town centre and all amenities. Our luxury rooms are 

en-suite or have a private bathroom, central heating, remote 

control colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities and an 

excellent standard of room service. An extensive breakfast 

menu is offered and made from high quality fresh local 

produce. Vegetarians and special diets 

are catered for. 

Sorry No Smoking 

B&B from £30.00 per person 

WiFi also available 

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Proprietors: 

Ann & David 

Harding 

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CRAVENDALE GUEST HOUSE 

57 Keighley Road, Skipton, 

North Yorkshire BD23 2LX 

Tel: 01756 795129 

En-suite rooms available 

5 minutes from town centre and all amenities 

Bed & Breakfast: Single £30, Double £50 

Family Rooms from £50 

A family run guest house 

Evening meals available on request 

Dogs by prior arrangement 

Proprietors: 

Moira and Howard Baker 

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YorkshireNet 

www.yorkshirenet.co.uk 

www.webstrategy.co.uk 

Explore local area web guides from 

Skipton’s leading Internet company 

Brook Street, Skipton BD23 1PP - 01756 794488 - infor@yorkshirenet.co.uk 


Useful Information 

Skipton Dialling code is 01756 

CHEMISTS: 

Craven Pharmacy, 

Caroline Square 792767 

Boots, High Street 792091 

Lloyds, Newmarket St 793532 

Tesco’s 08456 779615 

Fisher Medical Centre 797590 

CHURCHES: 

Anglican: Holy Trinity, High St; 

Christ Church, Keighley Road. 

Roman Catholic: St Stephen’s, 

Gargrave Road. 

Baptist: Otley Street. 

Methodist: Trinity Methodist, 

Westmorland Street; 

St Andrews, Newmarket Street. 

Mosque: Broughton Road. 

CINEMA: 

Plaza, Sackville Street 793417 

DENTISTS: 

Belle Vue 793558; Bates 793264; 

Bode 794328; Muirhead 792433; 

Pollard 792664. 

EMBSAY STEAM RAILWAY: 

Train Times 795189 

HEALTH: 

Surgeries at Fisher Medical 

Centre 799622 

Dyneley House 799311 

ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY: 

Airedale General Hospital, Steeton, 

about five miles towards Keighley 

01535 652511 

LIBRARY: 

High Street, Skipton 792926 

(closed Tuesdays) 

LOCAL NEWSPAPER: 

Craven Herald 794117 

LOCAL RADIO: 

Fresh Radio 1413AM 799991 

POST OFFICE: 

Situated in Westgate Department 

Store, Swadford Street 792724 

SPORT: 

Aireville Park, Gargrave Rd 792805 

(Swimming Pool, Tennis, Pitch and 

Putt, Playground, Floodlit multipurpose 

surface, Wheel park for 

inline skates and skateboards.) 

Sandylands Sports Centre 795181 

(Sports Hall, Squash, Gym, Skipton RUFC.) 

GOLF: 

Skipton Golf Club (18 holes) 793257 

SUPERMARKETS: 

Morrison’s, Broughton Rd 796070 

Westgate Department Store, 

Swadford Street 799472 

Tesco’s, Cavendish Street. 

08456 779615 

TOURIST INFORMATION: 

Skipton Tourist Information 

Centre, Coach Street 792809 

TRAINS: 

For details of all services to and from 

Skipton, phone 0845 7484950 

YORKSHIRE DALES 

NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY: 

Grassington Tourist 

Information Centre 752774 

VETS: 

Kingsway Veterinary, Otley Road 

793224 


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This guide has been produced by the Skipton Chamber of Trade 

& Commerce in association with the Tourist Information Centre. 

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