The Crown Inn, Leyburn

Official site of The Crown Inn - www.crowninnaskrigg.co.uk

Official site of The Crown Inn - www.crowninnaskrigg.co.uk

The Crown Inn is the furthest east of the 3 village pubs. However, they're all only a small stroll apart. You enter into the main bar area. 2 other customers were having lunch in the tiny snug to the left-hand side when we arrived, whilst there is a larger dining room off to the right. Theakston Best Bitter & Wensleydale Semer Water are the regular ales. Guests were Wensleydale Gamekeeper & Falconer, whilst there were also 3 Lilley's ciders available - Mulled, Passion Fruit Martini & Gladiator. Staff were friendly. It was a shame that when we moved on, we left an empty pub.

Almost 15 years since my last visit to Askrigg we are back for an extended weekend in this Wensleydale village and it was good to find all three of the hostelries still going. Of these the Crown continues to be the most traditional pub experience and the one favoured by the locals for a session. The pub has been modified slightly since my last visit and now has a larger dining room section to the right and plusher toilets to the back, but these changes have not altered the ambiance of the pub. The main bar in front of you as you enter is also now slightly larger and, alongside some typical Yorkshire humour on the top chalk board supports four hand pumps along the bar top. Theakston Best is a permanent fixture and the other three had brews from the Leyburn based Wensleydale Brewery for our visits, namely Falconer, Semer Water and Gamekeeper Best Bitter. All were in excellent condition and I had forgotten what an excellent pint Theakston Best is when it is kept this well. Traditional pub food is available and the home cooked Steak and Ale pie was a thing of beauty.

The drinkers pub of the town. Found the Yorkshire Dales Brewing Company for the first time and had both pints - remember one was Butter Tubs - unsure of the other. Decent pub - would be my local if I lived here! Photos at my walking blog - http://mappiman.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/120416-day-2-yorkshire-dales-inn-way.html