Skipton between Castle, Museum and Canal

Skipton appeals to travellers who want to combine cultural and historical interests with a range of activities. Skipton Castle, the Craven Museum, Holy Trinity, the Aire Valley towpath route, Skipton Boat Trips and Skipton Castle Woods each offer something different. If you’re looking for a hotel in Skipton, it may help to decide what you want to focus on during your trip: are you particularly interested in castle history, museum objects, a canal cruise or woodland scenery? The options range from historic sites and collections to a route, a boat trip and a woodland area.

Skipton Castle and its history

Skipton Castle is over 900 years old and is one of the best-preserved and most complete medieval castles in England. Its history also has a precisely dated connection to the English Civil War: until its honourable surrender on 20 December 1645, the castle was the last remaining Royalist stronghold in northern England. It had been under siege for three years.

The castle’s age opens up a long historical perspective, while the date and duration of the siege anchor a later chapter in a specific event. This makes the castle of interest to travellers keen on medieval architecture as well as anyone interested in the history of the Civil War.

Craven Museum: collections and special insights

The Craven Museum preserves around 60,000 objects relating to the history of Craven, which spans millions of years. The museum is also home to the First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays, printed in 1623. The collection offers a broad view of the region’s history, while the First Folio provides a specific, precisely dated point of reference. Visitors who prefer to focus on a single exhibit will find a different way in than through the collection’s broad span of time.

The museum offers bookable behind-the-scenes tours of its collections as well as bookable research visits. When planning your visit, you can choose between a tour with a behind-the-scenes look and a research visit. Both formats can be booked and complement the exhibits with additional ways to explore the collections.

Route and canal cruise

Visitors can take the Aire Valley towpath route from Skipton. Another option is a one-hour canal cruise with Skipton Boat Trips, featuring a recorded commentary by comedian Dave Spikey. The route and the cruise differ in format: one centres on a route starting from Skipton, while the other is a boat trip with a specified duration and commentary.

Skipton Boat Trips also offers various tours and dining experiences throughout the year. Availability and booking details may change. If a particular trip is important to your plans, check the latest information before making it a firm part of your itinerary.

Woodland scenery and Holy Trinity

Skipton Castle Woods offers a scenic change of pace: the woodland is beside the water and can be reached via a picturesque path between the stream and the canal. Travellers looking to include woodland scenery alongside the area’s historical attractions will find a different focus here than at the castle or museum.

Holy Trinity is another cultural attraction in Skipton. The church is visited each year by thousands of people from around the world. Taken together, the different sites and activities show that a trip to Skipton can appeal to a wide range of interests: medieval architecture, museum objects, a specific historical event, a canal cruise or woodland scenery.

If you’re planning to take the one-hour canal cruise, bear in mind that availability and booking details may change.

Discover more destinations: Scalby, Flaxton, Coxwold, Spofforth, Selby, Settle, Crathorne, Brompton.

For the broader travel overview: North Yorkshire.