Where is a good place to base a country walk (1.5 hours ish) and a nice pub for lunch? Ideally somewhere between Leeds and Harrogate on the dales side or even in the dales.

Skipton, gateway to the Dales. Loads of places to eat there of even Grassington.

Ilkley, roundabout or/up the moor with or without a hat, Otley & the chevin.

Appletreewick is ace. Walks onto Simon’s Seat if you like hills or riverside and Bolton Abbey for more gentle. A couple of nice pubs too.

Bolton Abbey and the Devonshire Arms for lunch if you’re feeling flush.

Brimham rocks are pretty cool – not sure about a decent length walk or the pubs round there though.

Sun inn, Norwood & a nice walk at Swinsty reservoir

Heading towards the Dales, Fewston Reservoir (Blubberhouses) and Bolton Abbey both have nice 4-5 mile walks. Lunch at pub or tea room. +1 for the Chevin or Ilkley Moor. Cow and Calf is nice.

I’d go to Malham for the great walk up the cove.

the teaboy – Member
Appletreewick is ace… A couple of nice pubs too.

Feel the need to qualify this after this weekend! Went to the New Inn for Sunday lunch. The beer was good but the food was shockingly poor.

Lunch at the Smiths arms in beckwithshaw, drive/walk/ride up to the Sun inn at norwood, walk round fewston/swinsty res, then back to the sun for a nice pint. Poifick.

Harewood House/eccup res. is the obvious between Leeds and Harrogate. There almost certainly will be a decent pub in one of the villages round there.
or maybe walk round fewston res. and the square and compass for grub (or pub in Beckwithshaw or squinting cat)

squinting cat

For the love of all that’s holy, don’t go to the squinting cat! Hateful microwaved food from a pubco with crap service. IME obvs…

It’s changed then since I was last there, admittedly quite a while ago, it used to be very good.

squinting cat
For the love of all that’s holy, don’t go to the squinting cat! Hateful microwaved food from a pubco with crap service. IME obvs…

This much so.

B.A.Nana – Member
It’s changed then since I was last there, admittedly quite a while ago, it used to be very good.
POSTED 3 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST

It changed some 15 or 20 years ago – from an amazing local pub serving real food to a chain with a ball pool kiddies play area.

Unfortunately for me, it’s my local.

The Tiger Inn in Coneythorpe is good. About 5 mins from the York/Harrogate junction off the A1

Beamsley Beacon for the best views in lower wharfdale. Lunch, red lion Burnsal

It changed some 15 or 20 years ago – from an amazing local pub serving real food to a chain with a ball pool kiddies play area.
Unfortunately for me, it’s my local.

At this comment on the Squinting cat, I’m forced to call for a moments silence for the long missed Harrogate Arms, back in the day when Graham was running it with great beer and home cooked all day breakfasts 🙁

At this comment on the Squinting cat, I’m forced to call for a moments silence for the long missed Harrogate Arms

Agreed – amazing place once upon a time. Did you go to the Terrorvision gig they had there in the car park? A real highlight as they were a huge band at the time.

I was away that week – still gutted! 👿

Jesus the Arms was great – we were regulars as we worked at ‘that place up the road’ 😉 so of a weekend we’d regularly go straight there as a bunch for late breakfast and a liquid lunch and a load of the wives and kids would always turn up too, which created a really good vibe.

I think that the ‘minibus’ prosecution was one of the nails in the coffin – but I still bloody miss that place, it really was a bloody great pub back then!

Unfortunately for me, it’s my local.

They used to serve the best pint of Tetley and yes it’s probably 15-20 years ago. 😳

I was away that week – still gutted!

Great night.

Only spoiled by some idiot moving some roadwork signs on Otley Road and sending everyone in the wrong direction as they left the gig.

The idiot and his mates then hid in the bushes and watched everyone follow the new signs.

Yes, that idiot was me.

😀

They used to serve the best pint of Tetley

And amazing Wensleydale and Chutney sandwiches on proper doorstep bread. I remember wooing one particular girlfriend in the snug there back then…

I used to work at British Fuels Head Office at the top of Otley Road (where National Power used to be), so used to regularly be in there on business lunch. All the food used to be really good.

Missed the Terrovison gig also, damn it!

One of the lads did a record eight pints at lunch time in the Arms! 😯

Ohh and my best mate’s band supported them and organised the whole lot.