9 Motorhome-Friendly Pubs in the Yorkshire Dales

The Yorkshire Dales has some of the finest country pubs in England, but arriving in a motorhome adds a question that car drivers never have to think about: where do I actually park this thing? Finding motorhome friendly pubs in the Yorkshire Dales - places with car parks large enough to accommodate a seven-metre vehicle, or at least safe nearby parking - is the kind of insider knowledge that makes the difference between a relaxed lunch and a stressful three-point turn in a village that was built for horses. This guide highlights the best motorhome friendly pubs Yorkshire has to offer across the Dales.

Here are nine Dales pubs where parking a motorhome is realistic, the food and drink are worth the stop, and in some cases you can even stay overnight.

1. The Lister Arms, Malham

Malham is one of the most visited villages in the Dales, and for good reason - Malham Cove, Gordale Scar, and Janet's Foss are all within walking distance. The Lister Arms sits on the village green and is a handsome eighteenth-century inn: stone floors, real fires, and a menu that runs from their famous home-made pies to decent Sunday roasts. The beer garden catches the afternoon sun. Parking in Malham is notoriously tight, especially on busy weekends - the pub has a small car park but space is limited, so arrive early or use the National Park Centre car park at the south end of the village, which has space for larger vehicles.

Overnight parking: Not in the pub car park. The National Park car park is a short walk away and large enough for motorhomes, though check locally for any overnight restrictions.

Nearest campsite: Gordale Scar Campsite, about half a mile from the village. Basic facilities but a spectacular setting right beneath Gordale Scar.

2. The George Inn, Hubberholme

Hubberholme is a tiny hamlet in upper Wharfedale, and The George Inn is one of the most characterful pubs in the Dales. The building dates from the 1600s - it was originally the vicarage - and sits opposite St Michael and All Angels church across the River Wharfe, where J.B. Priestley's ashes rest in the churchyard. A candle burns on the bar whenever the pub is open, a tradition linked to the annual Hubberholme Parliament land-letting auction. The pub has a small car park that can fit a motorhome if you arrive before it gets busy - weekday lunchtimes are safest. The food is traditional, the ales are from local Dales breweries, and the atmosphere is the kind of quiet, unhurried warmth that you come to the Dales for. Note the pub is closed on Tuesdays.

Overnight parking: Ask at the pub - they have occasionally allowed motorhomes to stay in the car park overnight, but it is at their discretion.

Nearest campsite: Strans End Farm near Buckden, about two miles down the valley. A small Camping and Caravanning Club site with electric hook-ups.

3. The Green Dragon, Hardraw

The Green Dragon in Hardraw is a thirteenth-century inn famous for guarding the entrance to Hardraw Force, England's highest single-drop waterfall above ground at around 100 feet. The pub also hosts the annual Hardraw Brass Band Festival in its natural amphitheatre. There is a car park at the rear with space for motorhomes, though it serves both the pub and the waterfall visitors so can fill up, particularly at weekends. The walk to the falls takes five minutes through a wooded gorge and is worth the entry fee. The pub has flagged floors, open fires, and locally brewed real ales. Hardraw is a mile from Hawes, so you are well positioned for exploring upper Wensleydale.

Overnight parking: The pub has a small campsite in the grounds - motorhomes are welcome. It is one of the few pubs in the Dales that genuinely caters for overnight stays.

Nearest alternative campsite: Hawes is about a mile away and has several options - check locally as campsite provision in the area changes. For walking routes in the Dales, there is plenty to explore from here.

Motorhome Friendly Pubs Yorkshire Dales: Wensleydale and Swaledale

4. The Wensleydale Heifer, West Witton

If you want something a step up from a standard pub lunch, the Wensleydale Heifer in West Witton is a boutique hotel and restaurant with two AA rosettes, known far and wide for its seafood. It is a seventeenth-century inn that has been transformed into something quite special. There is a car park at the rear with space for a motorhome - arrive outside peak dining times for the best chance of a spot. The fish and chips are famous (they hold a Guinness world record for the largest serving), and the seafood platter is genuinely impressive for a pub in the heart of the Dales. West Witton sits on the A684 between Leyburn and Hawes, so it works well as a lunch stop on a Wensleydale touring day.

Overnight parking: Not in the car park, but the pub has thirteen boutique rooms if you fancy upgrading from the motorhome for a night.

Nearest campsite: Aysgarth Falls Caravan Park, about three miles west. Good facilities and a short walk from the famous Aysgarth Falls.

5. The CB Inn, Arkengarthdale

Arkengarthdale, running north from Reeth in Swaledale, is one of the quietest and most beautiful valleys in the Dales. The CB Inn - named after Charles Bathurst, who owned the local lead mines - is an eighteenth-century whitewashed inn near the village of Langthwaite. The car park is adequate for a motorhome, and the pub serves proper food - game from the local moors, lamb and beef from Dales farms, and a menu that changes daily. The interior has pine floorboards and open fires, and the welcome is genuinely warm. This is the Dales at its most unspoilt. Arkengarthdale and Langthwaite also featured in the original BBC series of All Creatures Great and Small.

Overnight parking: Ask at the pub. The car park is quiet enough that an overnight stay might be possible by arrangement.

Nearest campsite: Reeth is about three miles south and has a couple of small campsites, or try the Caravan and Motorhome Club site at Richmond.

6. The Falcon Inn, Arncliffe

Arncliffe in Littondale is the village where exterior scenes for Emmerdale Farm were originally filmed from 1972 to 1975, with The Falcon Inn serving as the fictional Woolpack. The Falcon overlooks the village green, and its car park - shared with the cricket ground - has plenty of space for motorhomes. The pub is wonderfully traditional: it is one of the few remaining pubs to draw beer straight from the cask into a jug, the way it was done for centuries before handpumps. Home-cooked food, stone walls, and no pretension. Littondale itself is one of the most peaceful valleys in the Dales, and the walk from Arncliffe to Malham over the tops is a classic.

Overnight parking: The village green area has informal parking, but check with the pub about overnight stays.

Nearest campsite: Kilnsey Park, about four miles south in Wharfedale. A fishing and activity centre with a small touring campsite.

7. The Buck Inn, Buckden

Buckden sits at the head of Wharfedale where the B6160 turns north towards Bishopdale, and The Buck Inn is the village pub - one of the most welcoming Yorkshire Dales pubs for motorhome visitors. It has a good-sized car park suitable for motorhomes, and the pub itself serves reliable food and well-kept ales. The position is ideal for walking - Buckden Pike rises directly behind the village, and the walk up via the war memorial and back along the ridge is one of the finest half-day outings in the Dales. The village also sits at the start of the road over into Langstrothdale, which leads to Hubberholme and The George Inn mentioned above.

Overnight parking: The National Park car park in Buckden is nearby and large enough for motorhomes. No overnight restriction at present.

Nearest campsite: Strans End Farm, at the edge of the village. Small and simple but perfectly positioned.

Two More That Specifically Welcome Motorhomes Overnight

8. The Station Inn, Ribblehead

Sitting right beside the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle Railway, The Station Inn offers free overnight motorhome parking in their car park on the condition that you eat in the pub - a fair deal, given the food is good and the setting is extraordinary. The car park is large and flat with easy access for motorhomes. The pub serves real ales and hearty food, and watching the trains cross the viaduct from the beer garden is one of the great Dales experiences. The Three Peaks walk starts nearby, and the surrounding moorland is wild and beautiful. No electric hook-up but the leisure battery will see you through a night.

Overnight parking: Yes - free if you eat at the pub. One of the most genuinely motorhome-friendly overnight stops in the Dales.

9. The Tan Hill Inn, Swaledale

The highest pub in Britain at 1,732 feet above sea level, sitting on the moors above Swaledale where the Pennine Way crosses the road. The Tan Hill Inn has a dedicated motorhome park with outside toilet and shower facilities available 24 hours. The pub is famous, atmospheric, and entirely unique - live music sessions, a roaring fire, and a genuinely remote location that feels like the edge of the world. The road up from Keld is narrow and exposed but manageable in a motorhome if you take it steady. The surrounding moorland is stark and beautiful, and the sunsets from the car park are worth the drive alone.

Overnight parking: Yes - dedicated motorhome park with facilities. One of the best overnight motorhome stops in Yorkshire.

General Tips

A few practical notes for pub stops by motorhome in the Dales. These motorhome friendly pubs in Yorkshire are best visited during quieter periods. Arrive for lunch rather than dinner if you want the best chance of car park space - many pubs fill up by 7pm on summer evenings. If you are travelling as a couple, a midweek pub crawl through the Dales is one of the great pleasures of motorhome travel - the roads are quieter, the pubs less busy, and the villages more peaceful. Always check opening hours before making a special trip, as some Dales pubs still close on certain days. For general advice on where to stop, check local Facebook groups and the Park4Night app for up-to-date information.

If you plan to drink, plan to stay. Either book a campsite nearby, ask the pub about overnight parking, or have a designated driver. The roads in the Dales are narrow, unlit, and populated by sheep with a death wish - they are not roads for impaired driving under any circumstances. If you are travelling with a dog, most of these pubs welcome dogs in the bar areas, though check before assuming access to the dining room.

Whether you are planning a full day of pub stops by motorhome or a relaxed overnight tour, the Dales delivers. Browse our fleet of motorhomes for hire and start planning your route. If you are new to motorhome travel, our guide on what to expect on your first night will help you feel prepared.