Hotel Review
The Tempest Arms is a newly refurbished 17th century country inn nestled in beautiful countryside on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales boasting a restaurant, 21 bedrooms and suites.
Location:
The inn is located in the small village of Elslack within a 15 minute drive of the picturesque market town of Skipton, North Yorkshire. The village lies 27 miles north west of Leeds and 53 miles from Manchester. Skipton railway station is situated to the west of the town with regular services to Leeds and Carlisle.
Arrival and check in:
It was approaching 4.00 p.m. when we arrived at the hotel, taking the A59 out of Skipton and then a short distance on the A56 towards Colne. The inn is about half a mile from the junction tucked down a country lane which is clearly signposted from the main road. There’s a large car park and after picking up our luggage from the car boot we entered the hotel through an attractive courtyard.
Large glass doors lead through to the entrance foyer and reception desk where we were greeted by Sharon who checked us in speedily and confirmed our dinner reservation that we’d made in advance. After handing us our room key we were invited to help ourselves to a slice of cake from one of the cake stands on the counter. I thought this was a lovely gesture for guests who’d just arrived, and after dropping off our luggage I popped back for slices of the irresistible chocolate fudge and raspberry cakes to enjoy with cups of tea in our room.
The room:
Rooms are located in the main hotel and across the courtyard in the newer Dales Head and Beckside buildings. We’d been booked into One Beckside, an absolutely beautiful ground floor suite.
The outside door led into an entrance porch with coat hooks and storage space, with a further door leading into the spacious suite itself. The inn has only recently re-opened following a major refurbishment programme with its sparkling newly restyled rooms and suites. With an oak floor and palette of neutral shades the room had a gorgeous Scandi uncluttered feel. Light and airy with windows to two sides and a pair of French windows opening out onto a secluded garden, it felt heavenly.
Regular readers will know of my love for free standing baths and I was delighted that our suite had a huge bath tub to one side of the bed. With its decadent gold taps and Odyssey black pepper and sandalwood luxury toiletries I looked forward to a long, relaxing soak.
The well proportioned en-suite bathroom boasted a large walk-in shower, Edwardian styled basin, WC, fluffy dressing gowns and towels. Being newly designed, it was pleasing to find a large shelf to accommodate my wash bag and make up as so often nowadays there’s nowhere to store things.
The king size bed was super comfortable, dressed in high quality Egyptian cotton bed linen and topped with a light as air down duvet enabling us to fall asleep as soon as our heads touched the pillows.
Other room features included two comfortable armchairs, a 55″ wall mounted television, desk/dressing table, wardrobe and a well stocked hospitality tray with both a Nespresso style coffee maker, kettle and fridge containing fresh milk.
Dining:
Meals are served in both the restaurant and bar with seating ranging from cosy booths to tables of differing sizes with either banquette seating or upholstered chairs. We’d made a reservation for 7.00 p.m. and on arrival were shown to a window table. There was a good choice of drinks from local ales to wine and spirits and whilst sipping our glasses of wine we perused the menu of reasonably priced pub classics alongside a daily specials board.
Our starters of crab crostini and onion bhajis with side salad were very flavoursome and nicely plated. My husband was going to have steak and ale pie for his main course but this was obviously very popular as it had already run out so instead he opted for a dish of sea bass and prawns which he enjoyed very much.
My Lancashire cheese and onion pie served with seasonal vegetables and new potatoes was very tasty and just to my liking. For once, we passed on desserts despite them looking very tempting as we couldn’t eat another thing.
Facilities:
Alongside the inn’s rooms, suites and restaurant there’s a charming public bar attracting both locals and hotel guests alike.
The hotel is dog friendly and whilst we were there, we spotted an adorable cockapoo poking its head out from under one of the tables. Furry friends are well catered for with complimentary doggy treats and water bowls.
The Pickhill Barn is a sought after wedding venue and this was being set up for a celebration on the day of our departure. Wi-Fi worked well throughout the building and with USB points beside the beds and on the desk there was no need to bring along bulky chargers.
Out and About:
There are lots of lovely things to see and do within a short drive of the hotel. Here are my suggestions.
Skipton – known as ‘The Gateway to the Dales” the town has much to offer.
Skipton Castle – Tours are self-guided with the aid of a laminated map leading visitors through the main rooms including the vast banqueting hall where Lord and Lady Clifford would have entertained.
Climb the winding stone steps up to the watchtower from where the stronghold would have been defended then descend to the dark and dismal dungeons in the very bottom of the castle.
The castle grounds are equally impressive with their manicured lawns, ruined chapel, picnic areas and tea rooms making the castle a delightful place to spend a couple of hours. Skipton Castle.
Craven Museum – Located in the Town Hall this free to visit museum documents Craven’s history with photos, costumes, art and furniture.
There’s an interesting section on Dewhurst’s cotton mill which opened in 1829 as a spinning and weaving operation producing bobbins of the well known Sylko sewing thread. The mill has long since gone but nostalgic memories remain as it provided a livelihood for many local residents.
Canal Boat Trip – Once underway, a recorded commentary begins with lots of information and fun facts about the Leeds Liverpool canal which is the longest in the country at 127 miles in length and which took 46 years to build. The canal carried coal, stone, wool, cotton and other goods throughout the 19th century and is now used for pleasure cruising.
Tours set off in the Leeds direction passing old Victorian mills that have now been repurposed into attractive waterside apartments. Leaving the mills behind, there are lovely views of the rolling countryside and lots of wildlife to be seen.
Shopping – a market takes place along both sides of the High Street each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with stall holders offering fresh vegetables, cheese, olives, household goods, textiles and plants.
The town has a good selection of shops with Craven Court, an attractive Victorian styled arcade being home to an eclectic mix of small shops and cafes.
Slightly further afield:
Embsay Steam Railway
The heritage railway was formed in 1979 and started operating two years later. Since then the line has been extended numerous times and now runs to Bolton Abbey, a distance of four miles. It takes around 20 minutes to travel along the line and enjoy the beautiful countryside landscape from the carriage windows. Embsay Steam Railway.
Stump Cross Caverns
Stump Cross is one of Britain’s premier showcaves and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its stunning limestone rock formations. Standard admission is £14 for a self-guided tour lasting about 45 minutes. The caves are illuminated with discreet lighting and visitors are also supplied with small ultra violet torches to show up the calcite formations on the rock face. Stump Cross Caverns.
Parcevall Hall Gardens
Located in the scenic beauty of Wharfedale are to be found 24 acres of delightful woodland and formal gardens. The woodland contains many specimen trees and shrubs collected from Western China and The Himalayas. The terraced gardens are beautifully maintained with deep, herbaceous borders and from these terraces a magnificent landscape panorama unfolds with views across the rolling countryside. Parcevall Hall Gardens.
Keelham Food Hall
This large food hall supports over 250 local suppliers by offering the freshest produce to its customers. With its aisles filled to the brim with beautifully arranged fruit, vegetables and flowers and its meat counters serving the finest quality meats, pies and sausages it’s no wonder that people come from far and wide to stock up on their provisions. Alongside fresh produce the food hall also offers a wide range of wines, spirits and local ales. Also on site are both a restaurant and cafe utilising the locally sourced fresh produce. Keelham Food Hall.
Overall:
Our stay at the Tempest Arms was very enjoyable with its stylish, comfortable guest rooms, good food and exemplary service making it an excellent choice when spending time in and around the Skipton area.
Details: The Tempest Arms, Elslack Lane, Elslack, Skipton, North Yorkshire.
We were guests of The Tempest Arms and as always, all views and opinions are entirely my own.
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