2-Hour Afternoon Tea Canal Cruise Skipton

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal

The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs for about 127 miles across the north of England, climbing over the Pennine hills between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Work started in 1770 and the full route only opened in 1816, which makes it the longest canal in Britain built as a single waterway. It was dug to carry wool, coal and limestone, and Skipton grew into one of its busiest stops.

Today the barges are gone and the canal is one of the quietest ways to see the countryside. On this Leeds and Liverpool Canal boat trip the boat moves at walking pace, so you see herons on the bank, ducks and swans, narrowboats moored along the towpath and the old stone bridges that cross the water. There is no rushing and no engine roar, just the slow rhythm of the canal.

Skipton, the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales

Skipton is a lively market town in North Yorkshire with a broad, cobbled-edged High Street where a street market has been held for centuries. At the top of the street stand the parish church and the gate of Skipton Castle, a medieval fortress first built around 1090 and still one of the most complete castles of its age in England. Narrow lanes and courtyards lead down from the High Street to the canal.

Many visitors make a full day of it: the castle or the market in the morning, the afternoon tea cruise at midday or in the afternoon, then a walk along the towpath or the woodland paths beside the castle. If you are wondering what to do in Skipton, this combination gives you the history, the shops and the water in one easy day.

An English afternoon tea on the water

Afternoon tea became a British habit in the 1840s, when a light meal of tea, bread and cakes bridged the long gap between lunch and a late dinner. On this cruise it is served the classic way at your table: a selection of finger sandwiches, fruit scones with strawberry jam and cream, and a choice of cakes and desserts, made locally.

Tea and coffee are unlimited, so you can sit back for the full two hours and refill as often as you like. The boat is covered and has large windows, so the tea is just as pleasant on a grey autumn afternoon as on a bright summer day. Other soft drinks can be bought on board. Let us know about allergies or diet needs when you book and we pass them to the crew.

The countryside around Skipton

Leaving the town wharf, the canal quickly opens into the green landscape of the Aire valley, with sheep fields divided by drystone walls, scattered stone farmhouses and the first hills of the Dales on the horizon. In spring the banks are full of fresh green and blossom; in autumn the trees along the water turn gold and copper.

The best time to take an afternoon tea cruise in Skipton depends on what you prefer: summer brings long light evenings and the busiest towpath, while spring and autumn are calmer and very photogenic. The boat runs in most weathers, and the slow speed makes it ideal for older travellers and young children who would find a long walk tiring.