Where to Eat on the Pennine Way

When planning a long-distance hike such as the Pennine Way, figuring out where you can stop to eat or buy some food is of the utmost importance.

Sure, you should always have a few snacks in your backpack for the day’s hike, but you shouldn’t carry any more weight than you need to. Every ounce counts, especially when you are hiking 15 miles every day.

To help you plan meals for your adventure, here is a list of some of the best pubs, restaurants, and shops you can find along the Pennine Way.

Edale

Old Nags Head Edale

Every great hike begins with a visit to a pub. If the Pennine Way were to have an official starting point, that would undoubtedly be the Old Nags Head at Edale.

The pub offers a decent selection of hand-pulled pints, and hikers, pets, and muddy hiking shoes are all welcome here.

There’s only one small shop in the village. It may be a good idea to stock up on some snacks while you are here because you won’t see another shop before you reach Crowden.

If you decide to spend a night in Edale before you begin your big adventure, the Rambler Country House Hotel comes highly recommended.

This charming country inn serves hot and cold food in all of its four dining areas. On top of the chef’s daily specials, there is a large variety of other dishes available.

Crowden

There is only one small shop located within the Crowden Campsite. It doesn’t have much to offer, so don’t rely on it for food for supper or breakfast. But it might do you for grabbing a can of soft drink or a chocolate bar.

Glossop

Flock of Sheep in Glossop

Since accommodation in Crowden is scarce, many hikers opt to spend a night in Glossop. This quaint market town is just a 10-minute ride from Crowden. You can reach it by train or taxi.

The Windy Harbour Farm Hotel is one of the best places to eat in Glossop. Hare, you can expect a warm welcome and delicious home-cooked food. The family-owned hotel serves lunches and evening meals in its restaurant.

However, you must place your order by 6:45 PM if you want to have a place at the dinner table. You can also get a packed lunch at the Windy Harbour Farm Hotel, just make sure to request it in advance.

Hebden Bridge

Many hikers prefer to stay the night in Hebden Bridge, even though it’s slightly off the main route. There are a few shops here. The local co-op is open from 7 AM to 10 PM from Monday to Saturday and from 11 AM to 5 PM on Sundays.

If you are looking for a place to grab a bite in the morning, there’s a new vegan place in town called the Humblest of Pleasures. It offers cakes, pancakes, main meals, as well as full English breakfasts.

Colden

Colden Valley

Colden is just a tiny little hamlet, so you won’t find any fancy eateries there. But you will find everything you need for your overnight stay at the Aladdin’s Cave farm shop.

Located just 300 feet from the Pennine Way, it is a very popular stop for hikers. It offers a great choice of food.

The farm shop sells sandwiches, pies, coffee, tea, ice cream, fresh milk, and fresh fruit and veggies. There’s a lovely picnic table in front of the shop if you want to eat right away.

Aladdin’s Cave farm shop is also a great place to stock up on non-food items, such as batteries and blister plasters.

Haworth

street in Haworth

Haworth’s main street is home to a handful of independent shops, tearooms, and pubs that serve specialty foods.

If you are looking for a place where you can both sample delicious meals and stay overnight, chances are you will like the Old White Lion Hotel and Restaurant. The place caters to all diets and uses fresh, local produce.

Gargrave

Halfway between Earby and Malham, you’ll stumble upon the White Tea Room. This 17th-century cottage tearoom serves delicious homemade pies and cakes. Make sure to try the local favorite—the Yorkshire curd tart.

Austwick

At around day six, you’ll get to enjoy a bit of luxury. Many hikers say that the Traddock Hotel is the high point of the Pennine Way experience, and it’s hard to disagree.

The Hotel’s restaurant serves dishes inspired by the slow and local food movement: Yorkshire cheeses, moorland rabbit, and Dales lamb.

Horton in Ribblesdale

Pen Y Ghent Cafe

In this small village in Ribblesdale, you’ll find a cafe that is just as old as the Pennine Way. Back in 1965, Joyce and Peter Bayes, one of the first people to walk the trail, turned the village’s old grocery store into a quaint cafe.

The Pen-y-ghent Cafe serves warming soups, chili bowls, all-day breakfasts, and big mugs of tea—just the fuel you need for the journey ahead.

Hardraw

Hardraw is home to one of the best walkers’ pubs in these parts of the UK, the Green Dragon. Flagstone floors, a crackling fire, the gleam of brass, and gnarly, ancient wood paneling—it is everything a pub should be. England’s highest single-drop waterfall, Hardraw Force, is just a short walk from the pub.

Muker

Muker Swaledale

When passing through Muker, be sure to visit the Farmers Arms. It’s a straightforward, no-nonsense pub that welcomes every walker. You won’t feel out of place with the muddy boots; the bar is quite convivial.

In summer, it’s a delight to sit out front, order a pub lunch, and have a pint of Black Sheep. There are plenty of camping options nearby, as well as one holiday apartment.

Tan Hill

It would be a shame not to make a stop at the highest pub in Britain, the Tan Hill Inn. Ungentrified and remote, the Tan Hill Inn is a bit of a legend.

The Inn serves great food and even better hand-pulled beer. If you want to spend the night here, there’s a bunkhouse, a campsite, and a few simple rooms.

Bellingham

Bellingham Bridge

There are no shops between Bellingham and Kirk Yetholm (the end of the Pennine Way) so it’s a good idea to stock up at the local co-op shop.

And, while you are here, you may want to book a table at the Their Les Routiers Gold Plate award-winning restaurant at the Riverdale Hall Hotel.

Here, you can treat yourself to locally reared pheasant, Kielder version, Northumbrian lamb, regional cheeses, and trout and salmon caught on the hotel’s own stretch of the River Tyne.

The restaurant’s team of chefs uses only seasonal, local produce of the finest quality and changes the menu on a daily basis.

Byrness

Byrness is the last stop before Kirk Yetholm. Here, you’ll find another Pennine Way Classic—the Forest View Walkers Inn. This small, family-run inn has a sun lounge, bar lounge, and a restaurant, all of which are open to everyone, and not just residents.

The owners, Colin and Joyce, prepare some of the best home-cooked food you can find on the Pennine Way. They also serve hand-pulled locally brewed craft ales.

If you decide to stay overnight, you can expect a hearty breakfast in the morning. The hosts will also be more than happy to pack you a few sandwiches for the last leg of your journey.

Related:

1 thought on “Where to Eat on the Pennine Way”

  1. Sadly the Pen-y-Ghent cafe is now closed. Thanks for all the helpful information, though! I’m planning to do the Pennine Way in June this year.

    Reply

Leave a Comment