Walk this way to a warm country pub welcome

On the trail of Yorkshire’s country pubs where walkers are welcome, Mark Reid begins at the secluded village of Levisham.

The North York Moors are best explored on foot, for their secret corners and sweeping vistas do not reveal themselves to the car-bound.

Indeed, some people dismiss this area as drab; a lonely and uninspiring swathe of moorland to be glanced at whilst speeding along the road between Pickering and Whitby. This probably explains why you can walk all day across these lovely heather-clad heights and have the place completely to yourself.

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Ah yes, the delights of hill-walking, where you have time to stop and stare, where you can feel the wind on your face and smell the earthy scents of the heather moors. And, after a day of this there is nowhere better to rest and relax that a moors pub.

One of the most secluded is at Levisham on top of a spur of land surrounded on three sides by steep, wooded valleys. To the north of the village lies Levisham Moor, a beautiful expanse of heather hills that separate the Hole of Horcum from Newton Dale. I set off northwards along grassy tracks across the dark heather moors to reach the ruins of Skelton Tower perched on the edge of the escarpment overlooking Newton Dale, where an amazing view reveals itself across this dramatic valley.

Newton Dale is the finest example of a glacial meltwater channel in this country; this is Yorkshire’s Grand Canyon. From Skelton Tower, tracks lead eastwards across Levisham Moor to the natural amphitheatre of the Hole of Horcum comes into view. If you believe in folktales, this huge hollow was created many centuries ago by a giant called Wade who scooped out the earth whilst in one of his many rages and threw it at his wife.

As I finished my walk late afternoon back at the Horseshoe Inn, a sign beside the door said this was a Visit England “Walkers Welcome” establishment – it makes a nice change from the usual “no muddy boots” sign.

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First impressions are all about the subtle messages that our brains absorb as we quickly make a decision as to whether we are going to have an enjoyable experience. Outside, a handful of walkers were settling down to a post-walk drink on the tables beneath the maypole on the village green; inside the tables were dressed for dinner, and the smartly presented staff greeted me with a smile.

I ordered a pint of Black Sheep Best Bitter (£3), and decided to soak up the faltering rays of autumn sunshine outside.

As I sipped my well-kept beer looking across the village green towards the rows of honey-coloured stone houses that line the wide single street, I reflected on the pub’s flowers beside the door, the welcoming sign, the smile behind the bar, the appetising menu.

When there’s such attention, you know that the cellar, kitchen and toilets will be spotless. I was left with a comfortable and confident feeling that I would return for a meal and stay a night.

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Mark Reid, author of The Inn Way guidebooks, is running guided walks as Yorkshire Post Reader Offers. October 19, Hackfall Woods; October 26, Hardcastle Crags, Price, £39 per person, includes: tea and coffee in the morning, enjoyable and informative guided walk with Mark Reid, “cake break” on the hillside and a pub or café lunch. To book call 01423 871750.

HORSESHOE INN

Horseshoe Inn, Levisham, Pickering. Bar is open all day. Food served 12-2pm, 6-8:30pm. Extensive menu, generous portions, delicious food. Menu includes deep fried Whitby haddock with homemade chips and mushy peas £11:95; slow braised lamb shank on rosemary mash with minted gravy £13:95. Choice of two ales, including Cropton Brewery Yorkshire Moors and Black Sheep Best Bitter. Nine en-suite bedrooms, from £40 per person.

Walkers and dogs welcome, and they’ve an award to prove it. 01751 460240. www.horseshoelevisham.co.uk