Tan Hill Inn

Swaledale mini break 3

Wherever you go in Pennine Yorkshire you're liable to stumble across The Pennine Way, Britain's oldest and perhaps most iconic long-distance footpath, all 268 miles of it. To walk it takes 16-19 days. It begins in Edale in Derbyshire and weaves its way north through some of our bleakest yet loveliest scenery: Stoodley Pike, the Calder valley near Hebden Bridge, Brontë country around Haworth, Malham, Pen Y Ghent and Ribblesdale, Hawes in Wensleydale and then over to Swaledale by Great Shunner Fell. Almost half way and you arrive here (above). Looking at the broad track here, coming from the south, you could be forgiven for thinking it might be an easy walk but that is deceptive. Even in the more 'civilised' stretches the path isn't always clear or easy underfoot. You only have to look in the other direction, northwards, to see how empty these moorlands are, although the A66 cross-country road is hiding in the far distance. 

The bonus of this leg is that you can, if you choose, spend the night here, in Britain's highest pub: The Tan Hill Inn. I didn't stay the night but I did have dinner, a hearty pub meal of gammon, eggs and chips. It was my first visit to this place of legend and I wasn't disappointed. It's a cosy and welcoming hostelry. 

It may be the only pub in the country to have a snowplough and two snowmobiles parked in the car park! That's because it quite frequently gets snowed in in winter.  Indeed, last December, 61 guests enjoying an Oasis tribute band gig became stuck here for three days and nights, stranded by Storm Arwen. Read about it HERE. I think they actually had a great time and it got loads of publicity.  The landlady said: 'I think it was a happy story and that was why it snowballed as it did.' Very punny!

The pub dates back to the 17th century and in the 18th century it was surrounded by coal mine workings and miners' cottages, so it wasn't nearly as isolated as it is now. The last mine closed in 1929 but the pub stayed open, frequented by local farmers and then by the increasing number of tourists as the motor car became more popular. It must be quite a challenge to own and run the inn but even when I was there it was doing a brisk trade. Another tick off my bucket list, anyway. I've always wanted to see it. 

By the way, if you were following the Pennine Way, there is at least another eight days walking to the end point at Kirk Yetholm in the Cheviots. Some amazing adventurers actually run The Pennine Way, non-stop, in the ultramarathon Montane Spine Race, held twice every year in summer and in mid-winter. They carry GPS trackers so it's rather fun to watch the runners' progress on the tracker.  The course record has just been broken this year, with Tiaan Erwee, a runner from Guernsey, blasting through in a remarkable 70hrs 46 mins, with just 20 minutes sleep en route!