Pints, Puddings, and Power Walks: A Pub Crawl Around Skipton (The Senior Edition)

12th September 2024

As a sprightly 60-year-old couple who’s still got it (if by “it” you mean comfortable walking shoes and a deep appreciation for craft beer), we thought, why not spend our well-earned holiday in Skipton doing a pub crawl? After all, who says pub crawls are for the youth? We may not drink like we did in our 20s, but we can certainly outpace them in life advice and slow, steady walking.

1. The Royal Shepherd Inn – Where the Adventure Begins
We arrive at The Royal Shepherd, a cosy little spot that practically begs you to sit down for a drink. The barman asks if we want a pint. Do we want a pint? Of course, we do! We may be 60, but we’re not dead! Besides, that fresh country air has given us a thirst we haven’t felt since the ‘80s. One pint of Skipton ale down, we debate the merits of a second.
“Remember, pace yourself,” my partner says, as if I’ve forgotten who’s boss.

2. The Cock and Bottle – Where the Gossip Flows
Next, we shuffle over to The Cock and Bottle, just five-minute walk away. And by “five minutes,” I mean we took our time, because life’s too short to rush through a pub crawl.
Here, we order something fancy, maybe a gin and tonic—because we’re cultured, you know.
As we sip our drinks, we eavesdrop on the younger patrons at the next table. Ah, their problems seem so trivial. “Do they even know the stress of trying to find matching socks after 40 years of marriage?” my partner whispers.
No, they do not.

3. The Woolly Sheep – Where We Embrace the Challenge
At this point, we’re feeling bold. After two drinks, we’re ready for the great challenge of the day: the walk to The Woolly Sheep. It’s a whopping six-minute stroll, or as we call it, a power walk.
The minor incline of the pavement doesn’t scare us. We’ve trained for this with years of walking the dog and moving garden furniture. We arrive slightly out of breath, but as they say, the journey is the reward.
At The Woolly Sheep, we order food, because a pub crawl at our age without food is asking for trouble. We sit outside in the sunshine, where I reminisce about the days when we’d do pub crawls without the need for rest breaks, orthopaedic insoles, or checking our step count.

4. The Black Horse – Where Pudding is King
As the evening progresses, we decide to hit The Black Horset. Not because we’re particularly thirsty anymore, but because they have sticky toffee pudding, and we are not ones to miss dessert.
The pub is lovely, with canal-side views that bring out our sentimental side. My partner asks, “Remember when we took that canal boat holiday 30 years ago?”
“Yes,” I reply, “and you got seasick on a canal.”
Ah, memories.
We dig into our pudding with more enthusiasm than a retiree opening their post-pension letter. And oh, is it worth it. Sticky, sweet, and the perfect fuel for the final leg of our pub crawl.

5. The Castle – Where We Finish Strong (or at Least Upright)
The final stop: The Castle, a Skipton institution. We sit at the bar, feeling like seasoned pub crawl veterans. We’ve done it. We’ve made it through five pubs, three miles of walking, and countless anecdotes about our younger days.
At The Castle, we order a half pint each, because let’s face it—we’ve got a cosy stone cottage to go back to, and someone will need to be sober enough to remember the way.
As we sit there, sipping our drinks, we feel a deep sense of accomplishment. Sure, it wasn’t the raucous pub crawl of our youth, but it was a solid, steady, and frankly, delightful experience. Plus, we got pudding!

Reflections from the Crawl:
• Pace is key: You can’t sprint a pub crawl at our age. It’s more of a slow meander with frequent pauses for reflection… and bathroom breaks.
• Bring snacks: Pubs may have crisps, but they’re not as filling as the emergency snacks we brought.
• Never say no to pudding. Trust us, you’ll regret it later.

As we leave The Castle, arm in arm, we chuckle. Maybe we’re not 20 anymore, but Skipton has reminded us that we’re not quite ready to trade in pub crawls for retirement homes just yet.

Cheers to a successful pub crawl, senior style!