Food and facilities
This is just a personal selection of eating places and other facilities en route. Bike shops are few and far between, so stock up on those cycling essentials. There are cafes and pubs every few miles.
SKIPTON
This North Yorkshire market town (markets: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday) has a railway station with frequent trains from Leeds and less frequent from Lancaster and Carlisle. It has a good number of airbnb properties, B&B's and small hotels.
Skipton Travelodge: about 2 miles NW of the town centre
Skipton Hotel: on the Leeds-Liverpool canal, a mile S of the town centre
Herriots Hotel: opposite the railway station
One of my favourite cafes in the town is the one in Holy Trinity Church at the top of the High Street and a key Anne Clifford location. Other cafes (lots!) are available. If you want a more substantial meal I can recommend the Ovino Lounge and the Woolly Sheep Inn.
You'll find a very obliging bike shop at 3 Rope Walk (Dave Ferguson Cycles tel: 01756 795367) and if you suddenly remember you've nothing to read over the next few days, call in at the excellent Oxfam Bookshop (46 High Street).
Tourist Information: in the town's excellent Museum and Town Hall building in the High Street.
APPLETREEWICK
A delightful village with an excellent campsite and two pubs.
Mason's campsite: a beautiful site with glamping options
The Craven Arms: an atmospheric pub with its own very impressive cruck barn
HEBDEN
A small village just off the B6265 with an excellent tea shop with outside seating and possibly a chance to charge your bike.
The Old School Tearoom: lunch and cakes to keep you going for the rest of the day. Lovely outdoor seating too! Ask politely about the outside socket.
GRASSINGTON
A large village with small supermarket, a pharmacy and plenty of cafes and pubs and accommodation options. I have two eating favourites.
Plaza Uno: a bar and grill in the main square
The Devonshire: a traditional pub which features in All Creatures Great and Small
There is an ATM (the last one before Hawes) next to the Nisa Local and an information point at the Grassington Hub and Library. There is also a National Park Visitor Centre in Grassington.
There is ebike charging available at The Grassington Bike Shop, 51a Main Street Grassington, BD23 5AA (01756) 664231 Friday & Saturday 10:00 -12:00 and 14:00 -16:00
KETTLEWELL
Kettlewell offers three pubs, an independent hostel, a campsite and a Christian conference centre - and a cafe or two as well. I have tried and tested these and can thoroughly recommend:
The Bluebell Inn: Good food and outdoor seating
The Kettlewell Hostel: excellent accommodation, first class food and local beers
Scargill Christian Conference Centre: open to all and offering accommodation
ASKRIGG
This is a small village with three pubs an outstanding cafe, and a corner shop. I do have a couple of favourites.
The Bake-Well: a small cafe in the market place, opposite the original BBC All Creatures Great and Small vets' house (Skeldale). Delicious savouries and cakes, ready meals and outside seating. There is often a vintage motor outside Skeldale just to remind you what this house is famous for!
The King's Arms: Good food and atmosphere as well as All Creatures photos.
HAWES
A market town at the head of Wensleydale, with plenty of accommodation and eating options, two nearby campsites, a couple of food shops, a market on Tuesdays, a museum and an ATM. Again two favourites:
YHA Hawes: A great place to stay and a quick walk into the centre.
The White Hart Inn: Rooms and good food and bar
There is also an National Park Visitor Centre in Hawes.
KIRKBY STEPHEN
This Cumbrian market town lies in the upper Eden Valley, 6 miles from the source of the River Eden and on Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk. It is on the Settle-Carlisle railway line and has numerous cafes, a famous fish and chip shop, a tourist information centre and plenty of accommodation. There is an external ATM outside the Post Office.
Tourist Information Centre: an excellent place to find out more about the area and Anne Clifford's links with the town.
BROUGH
An old coaching town now adjacent to the busy A66 (which you will avoid) and dominated by its castle. There is a small convenience store with internal ATM, a couple of inns, and some airbnb possibilities. I can warmly recommend:
Brough Castle ice cream parlour and tearoom: superb ice cream and a great place for lunch or a sneaky afternoon piece of cake.
The Outfitters cafe bar: situated in Bridge House, on the Main Street. Quirky with delicious food.
APPLEBY
Home of the famous Appleby Horse Fair, held every June, and three significant Anne Clifford sites. Plenty of accommodation, a post office with ATM, pubs and cafes aplenty. There is a Saturday Market in Boroughgate.
The Appleby Hub: more than a lovely cafe in an old Methodist church. It now also houses work from local artisans and a well organised and stocked second hand bookshop. You could easily while away an hour or two.
Tourist Information Centre: in the Moot Hall.
The Bike Inn/HelmWind Cycles: Cycle repairs, Metal Shed, Station Yard.
PENRITH
The end of the trail and the largest town, positively cosmopolitan compared to what you have experienced so far. Penrith is just off the M6 and on the West Coast mainline with trains south as far as London and north to Carlisle and Scotland. There is plenty of accommodation, including a Premier Inn and Travelodge. Many eating places, a small (non AandE) hospital, three large supermarkets and more ATMs than you have seen so far on the whole journey. Market day is Tuesday.
The George Hotel: first opened its doors in 1597 and hard to imagine that Lady Anne didn't pop in for a quick visit while staying at nearby Brougham Castle. Well worth a quick visit today too.
Tourist Information: 42 Middlegate.
Aragon's Cycle Centre: 2 Brunswick Road. They sell a wide range of equipment including ebike chargers and are happy for you to charge your bike there for a while if you are a customer.
Halfords: Castle Retail Park, Cavendish Way
