A call to Arms makes the ideal end to an ideal walk

My first visit to the Farmers Arms at Muker was back in 1987 when I was 18. Inspired by the James Herriot TV series, I became fascinated with the Yorkshire Dales and wanted to visit as many of the places I had seen on the small screen as possible to see if the old way of life was still there.

One memorable midsummer’s evening in 1987, I was enjoying a drink in the bar when an old farmer came in and began talking to two other farmers. I can still recall his name – William Calvert. The only problem was I could not understand a word they were saying for they were conversing in the old Swaledale dialect.

A couple at the bar who were on a camping holiday asked where the farmers were from, thinking they were also visitors. This produced some knowing nods and smiles, and then the farmers began to talk with even more pronounced dialect, having a bit of fun with the campers.

The farmers weren’t just talking with a strong Yorkshire accent, they were speaking a different language that can be traced back to the Viking invaders who settled in this valley.

The names of the hills and ravines, streams and waterfalls, farms and villages echo their voices from a millennium ago. And here, in front of me, were three farmers speaking this same language that had been passed down through the generations since those early settlers, for the Swaledale dialect has its origins firmly in Old Norse. According to an old book I have about Swaledale by Ella Pontefract and Marie Hartley, the dialect in Swaledale was so strong up until the 16th century that a dalesman could make himself understood to a Norwegian.

The Farmers Arms is a classic example of an unpretentious Yorkshire Dales country pub, its imposing whitewashed facade contrasting starkly with the black lettering of its name above the door.

There are no complimentary olive trays here, no atmospheric candles and certainly no little “reserved for diners” signs on the tables.

What you get is a flagstone bar where boots and dripping waterproofs are welcome, a roaring fire, cosy snug and a range of real ales to make the most discerning beer aficionado drool. And then there’s the menu of keenly priced homemade pies and puddings to refuel the hardiest of walkers.

Darren and Emily took over the pub a year ago when they moved from neighbouring Thwaite all the way – some two miles – down the dale.

They were looking for a business opportunity and wanted to stay in their beloved Swaledale.

A week after moving in, a customer pleaded with them not to turn the pub into a wine bar. Darren and Emily understand what the pub is all about, and took it over because it is unique and unpretentious.

After walking almost 11,000 miles of paths throughout the North over the last decade, I’m often asked which is my favourite walk.

The answer is easy, as it has been since 1987 – the circuit through Upper Swaledale from Muker to Keld then back over Kisdon for a post-walk pint at the Farmers Arms.

The perfect end to a perfect walk.

Some tips for a top Dales pub

The Farmers Arms, Muker, Swaledale, DL11 6QG. Tel: 01748 886297. www.farmersarmsmuker.co.uk. Open all day, every day.

Hearty food, including Giant Yorkshire Puddings with choice of fillings (£6.95), Home baked Steak Pie (£7.95), noon–2.30pm and 6pm–8.30pm.

Ales include Black Sheep, Theakston’s and the Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co.

Self-catering apartment opposite pub sleeps two.

Mark Reid is author of The Inn Way guidebooks. www.innway.co.uk and runs map reading courses and outdoor adventures. Visit www.teamwalking.co.uk