Earby

Earby makes a low-key, well-placed base for exploring both the southern Yorkshire Dales and Pendle's witch-trial country, without the crowds or prices of Skipton and the more famous Dales villages. Accommodation in the town itself is limited to a small number of pub rooms and B&Bs, so most visitors looking for a self-catering stay base themselves in the surrounding villages of Kelbrook, Thornton-in-Craven or further into Pendle, where converted barns and stone cottages are common. These tend to suit walking groups and couples wanting a quiet week exploring on foot or by car, rather than families looking for resort-style facilities.

The appeal here is the location: within a short drive you can be up on Pendle Hill, following the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath towards Barnoldswick, or heading north into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales around Malham and Settle. Skipton, with its castle, market and rail connections, is under half an hour away, making Earby a sensible base for anyone who wants Dales scenery without Dales-village prices. Expect straightforward, comfortable accommodation rather than boutique luxury — this is walking-country lodging, chosen for its position rather than its extras, with pubs like the Red Lion providing the social hub in the evenings.

Earby is a small town, so its appeal is mostly about what surrounds it rather than a long list of attractions in the centre itself. That said, there is enough within a short drive or walk to fill a few days.

• Sough Bridge and Earby Beck — the old mill site here, once home to Nathan Smallpage and Son and later the Kelbrook Mill Company, marks the heart of Earby's weaving history; the beck and surrounding lanes make for an easy short walk from the town centre.
• Pendle Hill — the distinctive 557m hill made famous by the 1612 Pendle witch trials rises a few miles south-east of Earby and offers one of Lancashire's best-known summit walks, with views stretching to the Yorkshire Dales and beyond on a clear day.
• Thornton-in-Craven and Booth Bridge — this neighbouring village retains its old bobbin-mill site at Booth Bridge, once powered by a waterwheel, and makes a pleasant target for a countryside walk from Earby.
• Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Salterforth and Barnoldswick — the canal's summit level runs close to Earby, with a flat, well-maintained towpath ideal for walking or cycling towards the historic mill town of Barnoldswick.
• Sharp Haw — part of the Dales High Way, this 1,171-foot hill north of Earby is a popular shorter climb with wide views over the southern Dales.
• Wycoller Country Park — the ruined 16th-century manor house at Wycoller, along with its collection of old clapper bridges, lies within easy reach to the south and is a favourite spot for walkers.
• Dales Countryside Museum, Hawes — Earby once had its own mining museum, the Yorkshire Dales Lead Mining Museum, but when it closed its collection of tools, wagons and lead-mining artefacts was transferred to the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes, where it now forms part of the "A Rich Seam" exhibition on lead mining and textile heritage.

The Red Lion Inn on Red Lion Street is the town's best-known pub, a CAMRA-listed, dog-friendly local known for its real ale selection and regular live music sessions. A handful of other pubs and takeaways serve the town centre, while a short drive brings you to the wider choice of cafes, restaurants and traditional Yorkshire pubs in Barnoldswick and Skipton, both well used to feeding walkers coming off the surrounding hills.

The countryside around Earby, where the last folds of Lancashire's mill towns meet the southern fringe of the Yorkshire Dales, is well suited to campers who want quiet, unfussy sites within reach of good walking. As everywhere in England, wild camping on open moorland or farmland here is illegal without the landowner's explicit permission, so stick to established campsites and the handful of farms in the area that permit camping by arrangement — a quick call ahead is always worth it given how much of this land is working farmland or grouse moor.

The terrain is gentler than the high Dales further north: rolling sheep pasture, drystone-walled lanes and the broad shoulders of hills like Pendle and Sharp Haw rather than dramatic limestone scenery, which makes it comfortable ground for family camping and shorter walks as well as more serious hill days. Sites tend to be small and farm-based rather than large holiday parks, often with basic facilities and a friendly, unpretentious feel that suits the area's character. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath nearby also makes for level, easy cycling and walking straight from a tent door, which is handy for campers who want a rest day between hill walks.

Late spring through early autumn is the best window, when the moorland tracks are driest and the evenings long enough to enjoy the views from a pitch looking towards Pendle Hill. Midges and boggy ground can be an issue after wet spells, so waterproof groundsheets and decent boots are worth packing whatever the forecast. For those who prefer a roof over their heads without giving up the outdoor feel, glamping options such as shepherd's huts and safari tents are increasingly common on farms in the wider Pendle and Craven area, offering a comfortable alternative that still puts you within a short walk of open countryside.