Hidden away in the picturesque North Yorkshire village of Cononley, is the New Inn, a small, whitewashed pub with low ceilings, wooden beams and a friendly atmosphere.

The pub belongs to Timothy Taylor, the Keighley-based brewery.  A true "local" for Cononley residents, the New Inn has built up a great reputation for its good food and real ales, with visitors coming from all over to enjoy both the food and the beer.

When Martin and Sue of Watson-Trant.com suggested we join them to try the New Inn's delicious food and a pint of Timothy Taylor's, we couldn't resist.   When Martin described another New Inn staple, the meat-and-potato pie as "cow pie", we set off for Cononley with visions of Desperate Dan's favourite meal in mind. 

And what we found was just dandy. 

The New Inn is small and cosy, with a well-stocked bar.  Real ales on offer, from the Timothy Taylor range, include Best Bitter, Landlord and Golden Best.

The menu is fairly extensive, with an additional "specials" board and selection of dishes served on a sizzler.  Having been pre-warned of the large-sized portions, we gave the starters a miss, and went straight for the main courses.

We'd reserved a table in the upstairs dining room, which was just as well, as the pub's downstairs dining area was pretty full.

Despite being busy and with six meals to prepare for us, our food was served very promptly.

Oh boy, are the portions big.

Two large steaks and a mountain of chips served on sizzlers for me and Martin; two plates piled high with meat-and-potato pie, with veg and chips for Sue and my husband, and no skimping on the tagliatelle and fish-and-chips served to Heidi and Sally, Sue and Martin's daughters, as their portions were just as enormous.  All round verdict?  Delicious.

The New Inn certainly keeps to true Yorkshire hospitality, ensuring nobody leaves hungry!

Opening Times:

The pub is open from 1200 to 1430 and 1730 to 2300 Monday to Friday, 1200 to 2300 on Saturdays, and between 1200 and 2230 on Sundays.

Food serving times:

Meals are available from 1200 to 1430 and 1730 to 2000 Monday to Saturday, and from 1200 to 1430 on Sundays.

Getting there:

Cononley has regular train connections from Leeds, Bradford and Skipton on the Airedale Line.  Bus services 67, 67A and 78A also call fairly frequently.

The New Inn is roughly half a mile from the station.  Coming from Leeds/Bradford, exit the station and turn left, continue straight up the main street.  From Skipton, exit the station and walk over the level crossing, continuing straight on as before.