Skipton, Two Micropubs

The Boat House

The Boat House is a micropub on the Leeds Liverpool Canal, close to the centre of town.

I arrived at 11:45 expecting to wait for opening time. It was already open; it opens at eleven every morning.

It has large picture windows through which you can watch people walking along the canal and the narrow boats on it. Today was a hot day; one of the picture windows was open. In winter, there’s a stove to keep the pub and customers warm. Outside there are tables to sit at.

There are six handpumps on the bar, selling a variety of beers, usually including a dark beer. I had two pints of Tiller Pin from the Wishbone Brewery. A pale ale at 4.2%, for £4.30. Not bad at all. They also sell draught cider and a few cask-keg beers. It’s not in the Good Beer Guide, but the beer I had was of Good Beer Guide quality. It’s the local CAMRA branch’s pub of the season this summer.

There were half a dozen locals in the bar, talking to each other.

There’s a selection of board games.

The Bar of the Boat House

The Beer Engine

Just round the corner from the Boat House is the Beer Engine, another micropub. This is a multi-award-winning pub. Local CAMRA branch pub of the year in 2023, 2024 and 2025, and Yorkshire regional pub of the year in 2023 and 2025. It’s been in the Good Beer Guide for eleven years. It’s a must-visit pub that opens at noon every day.

Six hand pumps dispense a variety of beers. There is always a blonde or pale ale, a dark beer and a character beer. The casks are stored in a cooler behind the bar. There’s an electric winch to lift the barrels onto the stillage. I can’t remember the beers I drank. I forgot to make a note of them, but I know I had three, including a porter. The bitters cost me £4.40 a pint and the porter £4.80. They were all on form. They also sell craft-keg beers. There’s a fridge to the side of the bar containing a selection of canned and bottled beers.

There are two separate rooms, the bar and the lounge. In warm weather there is some outside seating. I stayed in the bar, first propping it up, and when a table became available, sitting. By the time I got there, after one, the bar was full of elderly people talking to each other. The barman was very friendly. I got the impression it’s a very friendly community pub.

The Bar of the Beer Engine