please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
I managed this time to try the Old Peculier at £5.50 a pint (possibly to my detriment). Other offerings such as the Craven Bitter, Lamb Brewing's Bitter and Theakston Best were a pound cheaper. Not sure whether the food was as unusual as last year although the local Herdwick lamb chops were tasty (albeit £26.95).
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Super C16th pub with excellent food (cherry and duck leg confit doughnut followed by a pork belly cassoulet) and equally fine beer. I started with a pint of Dark Horse Hetton Pale Ale which was very good indeed. Further pints with unremembered names followed (might have been the same brewery's Craven Bitter and a Boltmaker). I was itching to try the Theakston Old Peculier (from the wood) but the better part of valour was discretion.
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Nice to stop here if out on a walk, ride, drive through the valley or staying at Masons Campsite just down the road as we were. It's a very interesting pub inside and out with lots of nooks and crannies and bits of interest. The front left bar is a cosy little room with old pub games - some playable and some not - with Ring the Bull and Bagatelle. We were here on a very nice early autumn day, sitting outside enjoying the last of the sun, but it would be nice to see the pub when the weather closes in and all the fires are lit. I'll bet it's nice then too.
The beers were all good, but at quite touristy prices and the Old Peculier kind of took the p*ss a bit bit at £4.40 a pint (although in very good nick). Yes I know it was "from the wood", blah, blah, blah, but I can get it from the wood in a pub local to me (200 miles away) at £3.60. Masham is only just down the road!!
Customer service from the young girl was a bit poor, with barely a hello and a smile and it did seem like a bit of a youth club at times with lots of young people, who weren't working, but probably did work there at differing times of the week.
That said - nice pub and will be back in the dale again soon.
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This was our first stop on a 10 pub crawl of North Yorkshire. It feels like a remote outpost, being situated in the Yorkshire Dales overlooking moorland. Amazingly, they had 8 ales and 3 ciders - Dark Horse Hetton Pale & Chuck Barn Bitter, Thwaites Original, Theakston Old Peculier, Wharfedale Blonde, Moorhouses Blond Witch & Black Witch & Saltaire Raspberry Blonde plus Ty Gwyn, Welsh Scrumpy (possibly Gwynt y Ddraig) & Cornish Orchards Pear Cider. The building itself has a number of different rooms to drink in. It's a cosy haven for walkers, cyclists and climbers. Food is obviously important. The only drawback here is the price. With its location and good drinks selection, this pub just about made our pub of the day. It was all downhill from here!
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Visited this pub at the weekend, what a fab pub !! Lovely location, serving great beer. There was Moorehouse Blonde Witch and Hetton IPA, plus at least 2 more... I sampled a pint of the Hetton IPA and it was really good !! There was a real fire and it was a dog friendly pub.... this is what a local country pub should be and makes you feel proud to be a Yorkshireman !!
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Even ignoring the Craven Arms� stunning location, it ranks as one of the most interesting pubs that I have ever visited.
The weather stone at the entrance puts a smile on your face before you even walk through the door � and when you do you are greeted by friendly staff and an impressive line-up of hand-pulls. I opted for Moorhouse�s Blonde Witch which was superb. There are several different public rooms decorated with everything from photographs and memorabilia relating to the pub to display cases containing birds� eggs to old coins and other metal objects dug up locally. Even the toilets are �interesting� �
I have to agree with Cravenite�s comments about the replica cruck barn built at the back of the pub in 2006/7. It is amazing.
I cannot comment about the food except to say that although we did not eat here, plenty of other customers were, which is always a good sign �
Full marks !!!
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Tip top ! Excellent beer - very often from Saltaire Brewery :-) but other stuff also quality. The food is expensive but worth it.
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This really is a very special pub. Beautifully decorated inside, with a gorgeous real fire, a large and sensitive cruck barn out back for large parties of diners. The ale selection is as good as you'll find round these parts. Look out for the 'Sue Ellen sat here' stool at the bar and photo of the actress who turned up some years back. Really nice and friendly locals and staff as well.
The food is not quite up to the higher prices demanded, but overall probably in my top 3 pubs of all time.
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'The Dales pub you always hoped you'd find' I think it describes itself as and with some justification - Dales pubs don't come much better than The Craven Arms. Very traditional interior filled with curios and corners - the pub as it is has been developed over the course of the last few years but it's done with a lot of attention to detail and with great sensitivity. A wide range of Real ales on offer as well as good food and blazing fires just about all-year-round. The replica mediaeval 'cruck barn' at the rear of the pub has to be seen to be believed. The views out front are great and to be sat out there when the weather's good with a pint and taking in the atmosphere of the area is my idea of heaven as well as lot of others - it can get very very busy though (too busy) particularly in summer and as a consequence service can be slow sometimes.
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What a great place. An extensive choice of beers to suit any taste. The food is pricy but tasty. Blazing fire, staff were friendly.. Why are more pubs not like this?
Jay28 - 26 Oct 2009 12:18 |
Lovely old pub, great selection of beers and a lovely view from the beer garden on a sunny spring day. Well worth the visit.
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What can I say. We turned up late last night and STILL got a good meal cooked for us. The beer is always excellent as are the service and the view from the tables and benches out front. If you go, do wander through to the cruck barn extension at the back. An astonishing sight!!
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Fantastic pub as you can pretty much expect in the dales. Food is excellant and better value than the price list would suggest but if dining in the evening in summer make sure you get there early to get a table. Local beer is lovely could help but keep drinking!
anonymous - 27 Jun 2006 14:25 |
