The Malt TravAle Podcast
Past Pilgrimages Part 1 -West from York
Here’s a list of the pubs we discussed and would recommend if you are heading this way.
Transport – using York or Leeds as you hub/base
TransPenine run Leeds/York to Thirsk (about 16 minutes from York)
Bus from York or Thirsk to Ripon/Masham
Northern Trains Wharfe line Leeds to Keighley and Leeds to Skipton
The Shires
Ripon
- The Unicorn – small Wetherspoons (though has 32 bedrooms) right on the Market Square
- One Eyed Rat in Allhallowgate (just off the Market Sq.) 30 yrs. in the GBG – 7 changing Ales Grade II listed building
- Bruce’s Food recommendation – a fine Yorkshire chippy the Jolly Fryer Allhallowgate – has takeaway and small restaurant
Thirsk (No current GBG listings) – the real home of James Herriot
- Three Tuns – large spoons, former C18 Dower house adapted toa Coaching Inn on the Great North Road, has 13 bedrooms right on the Market place.
- Golden Fleece Hotel – posh public bar – recently introduced a range of craft beers along side a couple of cask. Usually featuring some of nearby Hambleton Brewery. Just down from the Spoons on the Market place.
Masham
- Blacksheep Brewery – Brewery Bar and Kitchen within Brewery visitor centre (no fee to visit the bar)
- Theakston’s Brewery – The Black Bull in Paradise Visitor centre
- The Kings Head – in Masham Market place – Greene King Inns – C18th Georgian Inn with 27 ensuite rooms – food orientated but good range of beers
- Bruce’s Food recommendation – Joneva Chocolate, treats and Gourmet Provisions across the market place from the Kings – fine emporium of candy and fine Yorkshire produce.
Around the Wharfe – Ilkley & Otley
Ilkley
- Flying Duck (GBG listed) - Wharfedale Brewery Brew pub – Grade II listed one of Ilkley’s oldest buildings originally built as a farmhouse in 1709, the brewery housed in converted barn at the back of the pub.
- Bar T’at – Market Town Taverns opened in 1999 modern bar, a former china shop range of rooms over 2 floors – one music free – wide range of beers
- Lister Arms – Wetherspoons down the same street as Bar T’at, large open plan but with some interesting corners and some great photos and artwork reflecting Ilkley’s Spa history – always had a great range of local beers when we have been in.
- Bruce’s Food recommendation – Lishman’s of Ilkley, Award winning butchers and twice holders of the National Champion of Champion sausage.
Menston
- The Menston Arms – Sam Smiths 3 roomed with interesting House of parliament names – the internal thatched bar roof mentioned by Nick and Bruce in the podcast is now sadly gone
Shipley
- Fanny’s Ale & Cider House – we have spent a few wintry lunchtime here warming up by the open fires near the historic Salts Mill, a free house that was a pet shop and then beer shop before becoming the multi drinking parlour it now is – seems to swallow up another part of the terrace street it sits in every time we visited.
Saltaire
- Saltaire Brewery Tap Room canal side tap room inside the Saltaire Brewery also incorporates brewery shop
Otley
- Would suggest you just use the Otley Ale Trail http://www.otleypubclub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/web-copy.pdf - check their website for updates
- Current GBG listed are Old Cock, Black Horse (Kirkstall Brewery link)
The spoons we mentioned is the Bowling Green
Sheep Town – Skipton The Times; Happiest place to live in the UK
- Royal Shepherd – canal side with themed stained glass - claiming to be the only Royal Shepherd in the country Enterprise Inns Beer offer
- Narrow Boat (GBG) – Market Town Taverns – by the Canal basin proper drinkers spot huge range and as Nick mentioned a great beer board – some very nice stone columns outside to sit beside when the Yorkshire weather is favourable.
- Castle Inn Star-Heineken UK owned sandwiched between Church and Castle at the top of the Market place - regular now scare outlet for Theakston’s Old P.
- Woolly Sheep – Tim Taylors C18th pub at the bottom of the High Street – multi roomed with a very nice outside drinking area at the back real sun trap – usually have a blackboard telling how many pints of TT they have served over the week.
- Devonshire – Wetherspoons former townhouse of the Duke of the same name, Grade II listed four rooms – so find a space u like and larger seating area out front, always had a range of Yorky beers on good form when we finished – the Drovers route walk from Ilkley, over the moor, drops you here for a welcome pint (or 3) after the 9 mile walk. (the Early Doors Micro pub is literally next door)
God’s Country – Keighley and Haworth
Keighley – Home of the Landlord probably the worlds greats bitter beer
- Boltmakers Arms Timmy Taylors just down from Rail station – often referred to as the Brewery’s de facto Tap - lots of Brewery photos on the walls - 7 TT’s on cask plus a guest – Dominoes available from the bar ! You must have a pint of Golden Best the best mild you will ever taste!
- Cricketers Arms – ‘Cricks’ former TT house now Worth Inns – often featuring Ossett or Old Spot beers
Haworth - home of the Bronte’s and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (KWVR) the star of the 1970 Railway Children film
KWVR runs from Keighley Rail station 5 miles to Oxenhope – Haworth is penultimate stop so you do get a good ride – steam trains tend to run at weekends only and the Real ale Buffet car weekends on most of the summer months – Draught beer from tea urn!
There is a CAMRA Keighley & Worth Valley Ale Trail https://mediafiles.thedms.co.uk/Publication/YS-Brad/cms/pdf/Keighley%20Ale%20Trail%20FINAL.pdf
- Fleece Inn (GBG listed) Tim Taylors historic coaching inn halfway up the cobbles so a good place for a breather – its is a bloody steep hill
- Kings Arms Star-Heineken UK House a top the cobbled main street – C17th Manor House features Bridgehouse Brewery beers – look out for the Monday Cask Ale club
- If the weather is nice – Haworth Old Hall Inn – Marstons solid Yorkshire stone manor house with a large very pleasant beer garden where you can sing ‘its me Kathieee etc etc’ .