The limestone geology of the Yorkshire Dales makes for excellent caving, climbing, abseiling and pot holing.
Kilnsey Crag and Malham Cove are both popular climbing venues and there are many notable caves close by including Gaping Gill, Alum Pot and Mossdale Caverns. Yorkshire Dales Guides based in the next dale, Ribblesdale, offer guided adventure days for all skill groups and also have a large indoor climbing wall and training centre.
The Queens Arms, Litton, Yorkshire Dales
As pub locations go, they don’t come better than the Queens Arms at Litton in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The five-mile detour off the busy main Grassington to Kettlewell Road is well worth it for the stunning scenery and heartening hospitality at the quaint 17th- century inn.
In 2012 the pub found itself under local ownership and an extensive but tasteful refurbishment took our beautiful white washed pub back to its former glory.
Since February 2019 Michelle and Matthew Birtley have carried on the Queens Arms tradition, serving only home cooked & locally sourced ingredients and award winning pies.
All our staff are friendly family or locals, including talented chef Matt. His outstanding home-cooked food offers all you could dream of on a pub menu, plus a little waft of the contemporary to keep things interesting.
Handmade Pies and Puddings, Fresh Haddock, Hand cut Chips and Sunday Roasts (with gravy made the traditional way) are proving extremely popular.
Our very own brewery sits behind the pub and is home to The Lamb Brewing Company, established in 2019, Local expert brewer Thomas Crapper produces many popular brews including Lamb Pale Ale, IPA and a traditional recipe Dark Mild.
Food is served in the bar area which you will share with the locals, farmers, their dogs and even possibly a visiting darts team. For larger party dining we have the cosy fire in the Littondale Bar to gather around, in here we can seat up to 28 comfortably.
For al fresco dining we boast a large beer garden which seats 60 covers on our well kept grass and hard standing areas.
Welcome to the peaceful, tranquil and charming valley of Littondale, tucked away in the very heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Littondale with its picturesque hamlets of Hawkswick, Arncliffe, Litton, Halton Gill and Foxup, is rich in Bronze and Iron Age settlements and has been a sheltered fertile valley for over 5000 years.
The land was granted to the monks of Fountains Abbey around the 13th Century and became used extensively for sheep farming, which is still an important and much loved part of dales life. As a side dale to the west of Wharfedale and with Malhamdale to its south, Littondale follows the River Skirfare which is famed for disappearing below ground for much of the year exposing a dry rocky bed – one of the more unusual features of this limestone landscape – and with its remarkable cave systems – it is a true delight for geologists to potholers!
Proudly boasting Pen-Y-Ghent, one of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks, at its head – the valley is famous for its flora and fauna amidst its wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands and abundant birdlife. Littondale has been the inspiration behind Kingsley’s Water Babies and the setting for a host of TV and film projects from Emmerdale Farm, Wuthering Heights, Woman in Black and a much anticipated new series of All Creatures Great & Small.
Today, Littondale is home to around 300 residents and is a vibrant dale with over 30 businesses ranging from accommodation providers to inns to artists and craftspeople. This community website was created in 2020 to highlight and promote the spirit and natural beauty of this incredible place. We hope very much you will come and experience the wonder of this hidden gem so please read on about what we have to offer and come visit – we look forward to welcoming you all!
