Arrive at this tall-gabled, Yorkshire-gritstone pub in the middle of a farming village on the eastern side of the Pennines – with views to Ilkley Moor – and you expect cheery fires, horse brasses, copper-topped tables and hunting prints on the walls. Step inside The Penny Bun, however, and golly – it’s very spare, very sleek and very brown. There are fat white candles glowing in the fireplaces, acres of polished floorboards, elegant bar stools, and some very cool jazz playing.
A well-known hostelry for some 150 years, the Penny Bun is a smooth new interpretation of a British country inn, offering good food and good comfort in relaxed surrounds but in a consciously sustainable way. Think reclaimed oak flooring, cork-cladding, no fires or log-burners – and with bags of design elan: Ercol chairs in the restaurant and snug, clay plaster walls. The ground floor’s open-plan series of spaces, set with unfussy tables, suggests more eating than drinking is done here. And the menu makes good use of produce from nearby Denton Reserve which owns the pub. As with the five bedrooms upstairs, there’s a Quaker-like sobriety mixed with an elegant modern craftsmanship. A sophisticated retreat after a red-cheeked moorland hike in the Nidderdale National Landscape, an exploration of lovely Wharfedale, or a browse of Ilkley’s smart shops.
Highs
- Views south across the Wharfe valley to moorland – including the famous Ilkley Moor – are mesmerising; especially over breakfast on a bright morning
- A sleek uncluttered style that’s both calming and luxurious
- Creative but not fancy menus with genuine local sourcing
- Home-made flapjacks in bedrooms plus a help-yourself cupboard of goodies including popcorn and old-fashioned sweets
- A careful use of candles that proves very effective
Lows
- Bedrooms can feel plain – no art, perhaps a vase of dried leaves – some with only one armchair
- Lighting levels in bedrooms can be challenging
- No cooked dishes on the breakfast menu may not suit folks who are after a good Yorkshire ‘full grill’
- No food served from Sundays 4.30pm until to noon on Wednesdays
- No twin beds
Best time to go
This is North Yorkshire, so a degree or three cooler than southern Britain but not as damp as neighbours on the western side of the Pennines. Spring can be lovely – especially the bluebells in Middleton woods in Ilkley – and the summer gorgeous with the moorland heather in bloom but possibly autumn has the edge with game on the menu and trees ablaze with colour. Ilkley Literature Festival (October) usually has a pretty glittery line-up, too.
Our top tips
Ilkley has a gem of an art deco lido (May to mid-October) with magnificent views of the moors and plenty of grassy lawns. And if you're really into wild swimming there's a popular spot in the River Wharfe, with a small beach, about 10 minutes’ walk from the pool. So, pack your swimmers. It's also worth packing some decent walking boots as both moorland and riverside walks can turn muddy.
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 1 independent review from i-escape guests