Quick Yorkshire-related question

[strange_complex]

Julius Caesar answers are on hold until Monday, I'm afraid. I've half-written them, but was too snowed under to post them on Thursday, and then Mum arrived for the weekend so I'm busy doing stuff with her now - shopping, house-hunting and the opera this evening.

Just time to post a quick question relating to her visit, though. She's come up in the car, so we thought it would be nice to drive out to a local village tomorrow for a pub lunch. Does anyone from this part of the world have any recommendations? For example, which direction out of Leeds would we be best advised to drive in if we want nice scenery and pretty villages-with-pubs? And does anyone know of any particularly good places for a nice pub lunch?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

Comments

[nigelmouse.livejournal.com]

I think I'll watch this thread for any answers you might get, as I'm curious about any recommendations for this too. I've lived here a while and always meant to look into this but never have.

As for direction to drive, you hit scenery pretty much any way you drive out of Leeds (one of the reasons I like it here). My gut feeling would be to drive north west though, as you've got Otley, Ilkey and Burley in Wharfdale which are all nice little villages/towns with lots of picturesque scenery around them.

[owlfish]

I can't speak for the driving, but I have second-hand pub endorsements.

Bay Horse on Main Street in Kirk Deighton.
The Fleece, 154 Main Street in Addingham.
Kaye Arms, 29 Wakefield Road, Grange Moor.

[big-daz.livejournal.com]

Not having a car, I've not managed to get out to any rural pubs in years. I believe there are a few nice ones on the road out to Harrogate (but avoid Square & Compass at North Rigton as its a bit snooty). Also, some of the villages up Wetherby Road have nice pubs- the Bingley Arms at Bardsey reckons to be the oldest Pub in the country.

A good one is the Stansfield Arms at Apperley Bridge- I went there with some posh Aussie relatives a few months back. I would imagine one would need to book on Sunday though. Theres also the Greyhound in Tong Village, which is west of Leeds- dunno what their nosh is like mind. And finally, the Swan Inn at Aberford is legendary- thier Sunday Carvery is amazing. Again, booking might be necessary though..

Hope you find somewhere nice anyway :-)

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

There are lots of picturesque and moneyed villages in the Wetherby area which is not too far away. The Scotts Arms in Sicklinghall used to be lovely but it's been a few years since I last went there.

[inbetween-girl.livejournal.com]

The Square and Compass used to do good food, but it is a bit green-welly tastic.

[gillywoo.livejournal.com]

Maybe a bit late, As a genral rule of thumb heading north out of leeds is goos. Try places in Ilkley, Otley and one of my favourites - the Woolly Sheep in Skipton. (Straight up the A65). There's a couple of really wonderful pubs I've been to in the middle of nowhere, But I'll have to find out where they were and what they were called because my friends took us there.

Edit - My friend rates the old glen house in shipley http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/23/23980/Old_Glen_House/Baildon

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tips on direction. We did drive north west in the end actually, and ended up in Burley in Wharfdale, sampling the very fine carvery in their Red Lion. Most tasty!

As for meaning to look into local villages and their pubs, I'd certainly be up for exploring a few more some time of them if you want to head off on some Sunday outings - and from his comments below, it sounds like big_daz would, too!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that's a really helpful list. We didn't make it any of those today, but I'm sure there will be plenty more Sunday outings to be had in future, so we can work our way through everyone's suggestions!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

We went out via Otley in the end, but didn't make it as far as Ilkley - the carvery at the Red Lion in Burley in Wharfedale called to us, and that was that! Extremely good, though.

Sounds like someone on that review site you linked to had had a pretty miserable experience at the Old Glen House, but maybe they were just unlucky!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

We went in a more westerly direction this time, but I could see from the map that there were lots of winding roads and interesting villages in that area - so we might well head that way next time. 'Sicklinghall' doesn't sound that appetising as a food venue, though! ;)

[cyberhen.livejournal.com]

Far too late I know, but, me and Sam used to go to the Star and Garter in Kirkby Overblow- just north of Harewood. The Sun Inn is nice too up near Swinsty (north of Otley). I miss Sunday trips to the countryside!

[strange-complex.livejournal.com]

No worries - there'll be plenty more Sunday jaunts, I hope. Once I've got all my house-moving stuff sorted out, I'm thinking quite seriously about buying a car, so hopefully I'll be able take us all off on a jolly from time to time. And until then, it sounds like we just need to lean on Nigel!