The inn, which is located in a remote area of the Yorkshire Dales, has withstood the elements for centuries but is now facing a new challenge: rising energy costs.
While cautiously reversing, my vehicle made an unsettling grinding sound as its four-wheel drive struggled for traction. I was on thin ice. The main roads and towns were clear, but when I turned off onto jagged moorland tracks for the final 30 minutes of my drive, the conditions deteriorated mile by mile. These are the pleasures of a December visit to Tan Hill Inn.
Tan Hill Inn is a remote inn in the Yorkshire Dales, a desolate expanse of moors, valleys, and hills in northern England. When William the Conqueror’s surveyors ventured here in 1085, they promptly left after jotting down a single word to describe the surrounding area’s setting: “wasteland”.
The weathered, 17th-century stone structure has long attracted locals and hardy wanderers as the highest pub in Britain (located 1,732ft above sea level), but its remote setting means visiting is not for the fainthearted. Those who make the trip, however, are rewarded with a cosy bar next to a roaring fire, traditional British treats like giant Yorkshire puddings, and guest rooms upstairs if they choose to stay the night. With a whiteout on the horizon, sheet ice underfoot, and bleak moorland as far as the eye could see, some rural hospitality was much needed..
It’s mind-boggling how the inn has survived for hundreds of years in such harsh conditions. Tan Hill is frequently pounded by ice storms, snow drifts, and strong winds. After the 2022 British energy crisis, the inn’s electricity bills increased by £100,000, making survival even more difficult. Despite this, thousands of ambitious cyclists, hikers, sightseers, road-trippers, and stargazers visit Tan Hill each year – Tan Hill’s high elevation and lack of light pollution make the inn one of the few places in England that occasionally sees the Northern Lights.
Tan Hill has always existed on the outskirts of British history. Its name is derived from the Celtic phrase “Tan Heol” (Hill of Fire), and Celts have gathered here since the 6th century for fires, rituals, and sacrifices. Tan Hill was also narrowly bypassed by a Roman road, and a legendary battle took place nearby in the parish of Stainmore between the Viking Eric Bloodaxe and the Earl of the Kingdom of Northumbria. There’s also local folklore, such as Mary Queen of Scots and 18th-century highwayman Dick Turpin paying visits.
However, I doubt that any of these historical visitors would visit Tan Hill in the winter. “I’ve only seen a gritter [a vehicle that spreads grit on icy roads] on that road twice in my life,” Hayley, the bartender, laughed as I entered. The bar was a flurry of kitschy memorabilia and felt like a Route 66 saloon in Yorkshire. Draft beers were poured from gleaming gold tap handles, beer mats were pinned like stickers across the exposed ceiling beams, and a stand next to the bar sold calendars of the inn. I went with the safe option and ordered a cappuccino. It would take a clear mind to navigate those moorland tracks home.
I sat down by the fire, and a fellow visitor from across the room cheerfully asked if I’d seen a blue van along the road leading up to the inn. When I replied yes, her face lit up, and she sighed with relief: “Good, it’s still there”. She’d hit a bad curve in the road just before a steep hill, and the van couldn’t generate enough acceleration to get over the ice. The two women and their children were stranded – happily so – and planning to retrace their steps back to the main road. Of course, after an English breakfast. Hayley reappeared with the cappuccino, inviting me to explore the inn. She led me through the rooms with low wood-beamed ceilings and stone floors, and out the back into a converted barn with strobe lights and a concert stage. Before opening the adjoining door, she pointed to an igloo-like transparent dome outside – “our stargazing pod, beautiful in summer”. If you could brave the cold, it would arguably be even more exciting in winter under the Northern Lights.
The pod was intended to be a bedroom where guests could sleep under the stars. However, for the time being, the transparent dome is open for stargazing dining experiences. Inside, a fancy white cloth covers a table, and guests are served meals under some of the UK’s darkest skies. The polycarbonate material is transparent for stargazing while being over 200 times stronger than glass – an important precaution given Tan Hill’s extreme weather.
Those hoping to see the Northern Lights should keep an eye on the Northern Lights forecast and apps. The best time to see the Northern Lights is from November to February. The Dark Skies Festival (held 10-26 February this year) hosts annual telescope events throughout the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Every year, Tan Hill Inn hosts an event. It’s worth noting, especially since the park was designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve in 2022.
Clear skies are required to see the Northern Lights, but Tan Hill has recently made headlines for its unusually snowy skies. During Storm Arwen in November 2021, 3ft of snow fell outside the Tan Hill Inn, stranding those enjoying an Oasis tribute act for three days. The story went viral, and a reunion of the stranded guests is planned for this year. The inn is experienced in dealing with such disasters, and stranded staff and guests simply spend the night in the inn’s guestrooms upstairs. It does, however, create some logistical and staffing issues, and the team must think quickly and creatively to cope in bad weather. Hayley did on one of those nights. Clear skies are required to see the Northern Lights, but Tan Hill has recently made headlines for its exceptionally snowy skies. During Storm Arwen in November 2021, 3 feet of snow fell outside the Tan Hill Inn, stranding those enjoying an Oasis tribute act for three days. The story went viral, and a reunion of the snowed-in guests is planned for this year. The inn is used to dealing with such disasters, and stranded staff and guests simply spend the night in the inn’s guestrooms upstairs. However, it causes some logistical and staffing issues, and the team must think quickly and creatively to cope in bad weather. Hayley did it on one of those nights.
Clear skies are required to see the Northern Lights, but Tan Hill has recently made headlines for its exceptionally snowy skies. During Storm Arwen in November 2021, 3 feet of snow fell outside the Tan Hill Inn, stranding those enjoying an Oasis tribute act for three days. The story went viral, and a reunion of the snowed-in guests is planned for this year. The inn is used to dealing with such disasters, and stranded staff and guests simply spend the night in the inn’s guestrooms upstairs. However, it causes some logistical and staffing issues, and the team must think quickly and creatively to cope in bad weather. Hayley did it on one of those nights.