“A classic Yorkshire Dales inn, close to the spectacular limestone Malham Cove, this dog-friendly country pub offers rustic-smart bedrooms, log fires and generous portions of excellent pub classic dishes. A warm and welcoming weekend hideaway.”

Hotel review

In the heart of classic Yorkshire limestone countryside, this is a classic Yorkshire Dales inn. And just the sort of welcoming pub you want after a blustery walk or muddy cycle ride or, heck, for a kickback weekend in the country.

The 18th-century inn, handsome in local limestone, has a plum position in the centre of Malham village, overlooking the green and with Malham Beck burbling behind. Inside it’s as welcoming and comfortably rustic as you could hope: flagstone floors, exposed-stone walls, beamed ceilings, a real fire in the inglenook and wood-burning stoves elsewhere. On the walls are vintage photographs of the village plus the striking local geological landmarks of Malham Cove and Gordale Scar. Wet dogs, muddy boots and dripping-wet walkers are made very welcome.

Bedrooms have a modern rustic look with chunky-wood furniture, colourful blankets and jolly prints of farmyard animals. Some rooms are beamed, others have low windows, and all are nicely uncluttered. Home-made biscuits, fresh milk plus White Company products in the modern bathrooms are nice touches. The eight rooms in the separate barn, a two-minute walk across the beck, are generally larger and share a large living space. But you need a good torch for the night-time walk to the pub for evening meals.

Ah, food. This is what the inn prides itself on; pub classics but cooked with flair (all made from scratch) such as pork belly with burnt apple, cheesy-mash-topped fish pie and their signature hand-made steak and ale pie. Save room for pudding, perhaps bread-and-butter with whisky marmalade, treacle tart and clotted cream or their enormous fruit crumbles. Fully justified on the basis of a 9.5-mile walk ...

Recommended for

  • Full of character

    • Expect wood-burning stoves, flagged stone floors, slopping ceilings, and exposed beams - a quintessential British getaway
  • Country Escape

    • Enjoy great ales and hearty cuisine at this postcard pretty inn situated in the National Trust's Malham village
  • Active Holiday

    • With the Yorkshire Dales on the doorstep, this is perfect for a cycling or rambling holiday
  • Historic

    • A 17th-century coaching inn that was once home to the first Lord of Ribblesdale
  • Great walks

    • Explore In the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park section of the National Trial, Pennine Way
  • Pet friendly

    • A genuinely dog friendly property, they even make their own doggy biscuits!
  • Mountain biking

    • Bikers will love the miles of tracks running through the National Park
  • Other Activities

    • Make a trip to Janet's Foss Waterfall - a truly lovely spot
  • Sights nearby

    • Guests should visit the pretty market town of Skipton
  • Restaurant

    • Pub classics with a twist in the restaurant
  • Child friendly

  • Traditional

  • Charming

  • Romantic

  • Village

  • Views

  • Quiet

  • Family Suites

  • Inn

Facilities

  • Rooms

    23 rooms in this hotel
  • Pet friendly

    A genuinely dog friendly property, they even make their own doggy biscuits!
  • Restaurant

    Pub classics with a twist in the restaurant
  • Parking

    Free parking
  • Wifi

  • Sitting Room

  • Family Suites

  • Bar

  • Outdoor dining

  • Child friendly

Activities

  • Great walks

    • Explore In the beautiful Yorkshire Dales National Park section of the National Trial, Pennine Way
  • Mountain biking

    • Bikers will love the miles of tracks running through the National Park
  • Other Activities

    • Make a trip to Janet's Foss Waterfall - a truly lovely spot
  • Sights nearby

    • Guests should visit the pretty market town of Skipton

Map & Location

Other reviews

The Lister Arms

The bar area is welcoming and cosy, while the restaurant area is a series of little nooks, with original fireplaces, wooden floors and beams.

Originally published by The Telegraph

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

No spam. Only sweet updates about the latest hotel openings and the best places to stay.