“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

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