People travel far and wide to the wonderful market town of Skipton. Known as the gateway to the historic and beautiful Yorkshire Dales, Skipton isn’t just a place for visiting, but a place for settling down and living too. Here’s ten reasons why you should consider buying a new home in Skipton…
 

A location that’s second to none

As mentioned, Skipton is known as the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, so it has a unique location to say the least. There are also other, similar picturesque villages such as Grassington and Burnsall nearby, so there is quite a lively community both in Skipton itself and the surrounding areas. Transport-wise, Skipton is also very well connected, so you get the best of a beautiful rural location, yet with easy access to key cosmopolitan centres like Harrogate and Leeds. The A59 will take you east to Harrogate or west into Lancashire, there are also regular train services into these areas too, with Leeds just over 40 minutes away by rail and even London is accessible in a little over 3 hours! 
 

Everywhere is walking distance

Most housing developments are only a short walk away to the middle of town, making this a very green friendly town for its inhabitants, without the reliance on cars. That and, as a town it is very straightforward and easy to get around on foot. The icing on the cake when it comes to walking, is down to its countryside and Yorkshire Dales, setting, so if you’re an avid walker, a Sunday stroll through Skipton’s backdrop is quite a treat. Skipton is very sustainable when it comes to its transportation, with a relatively low-car population. Walking, cycling, and public transport is highly encouraged, especially when the town is so well connected, making getting about the town very easy.
 

Shopping 

What’s fantastic about Skipton is its shopping scene. What sets this apart is it’s large array of independent shops offering all kinds of goods you wouldn’t find on a typical high-street. The Geek Side is just one of them, offering all sorts of pop culture merchandise, and then there is From The Source, which sells a variety of fair trade and ethical clothing, accessories, and gifts. Craven Court Shopping Centre is another highlight of Skipton’s shopping scene and this does include the likes of well-known stores such as Fatface and H.Samuel. 
 
Of course, we must remind you that Skipton is a market town and gets that title from having such an exciting and engaging market. It is well known for the auction mart, one of the largest in the country, where it holds weekly livestock and equine sales. 
 

Food and Drink

The only thing you may have to worry about when it comes to Skipton’s eating and drinking scene is the choice of where to go. Here are some of our top picks: Alexander's Bar & Kitchen is situated at the top of Skipton’s high-street. What makes this so unique is not just it’s great food, but it’s heated terraces and scenic views over the canal and hills. If you’re looking for a delicious pint, The Woolly Sheep Inn is a local bar that deserves your time. If you’re looking for something truly unique however, The Sound Bar is a popular destination for vinyl lovers and collectors, a popular bar that sells all things vintage vinyl as well as drinks, and even hosts live band sessions every Sunday. And just to finish off, if you do decide to call Skipton home, you’ll be glad to know you’ll have a plethora of cafes that you’ll be able to call your new favourite, or favourites.
 

A picturesque town 

Skipton is a marvel to look at. The town’s historic High Street is lined with charming medieval buildings on either side, a lot of them having been restored. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
 
St. Stephen's Church is situated just a few minutes away. from the market square. If you love gothic and medieval architecture, this building is definitely for you! The interior is even filled with various artifacts, including a rare medieval brass font – perfect for history fans. 
 
Leading on from that, Craven Museum and Gallery is located at the Town Hall. If you’re looking for the story of Skipton, you’ll find a selection of amazing artifacts and pictures here to tell you just that.
 
Another quaint and wonderful site to see in Skipton is the Rows, which are a series of narrow alleys lined with old stone cottages and merchants' houses. If you fancy getting lost in these, you’ll only be able to fall in love with them, being that they’re one of the town’s most unique hidden gems. 
 
As mentioned earlier, Skipton Woods is another great piece of Skipton’s gorgeous aesthetic. If you’re feeling a picnic and a walk, the woods cover over 200 acres, so you’ll have plenty of ground to walk, as well as a great place to admire the local wildlife. 
 

Skipton Castle

One of Skipton’s highlights and one of the things that bring so many to the town other than the market is its impressive and historical castle. It was built in 1090 by Robert de Romille, a Norman baron, and has been preserved for over 931 years. As well as adding to Skipton’s picturesque backdrop, it’s a wonderful place to explore and bring the family for a day out. Plus, not everyone can say they live next to a castle, can they?
 

The Canal

Skipton boasts a beautiful canal, which connects the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and is famous for its many locks, which are an interesting feature for visitors. There are plenty of boat trips you can take on the canal as well, including special themed ones that include an afternoon tea trip and a Friday fish and chip cruise – meaning this isn’t just a standard canal boat trip, but something truly special.
 
 

Green living and conservation

Skipton has several well conserved parks and nature reserves. These include Skipton Woods, a 200-acre woodland where you’ll find plenty of beautiful wildlife. Skipton’s town council and local volunteer groups are always working hard to maintain these wonderful areas. 
 
Skipton also prides itself on sustainable waste management. For instance, it has implemented an efficient waste collection system to reduce landfill waste, as well as introducing recycling schemes to further aid this. 
 
It also goes without saying that Skipton has a strong community at its heart, and with that, many of the groups that make it up organise events such as community gardening and recycling programs to promote green messages and sustainability. 
 
 

Award winning

If these reasons weren’t enough incentive to move to Skipton, it’s worth noting that the town has won a whole host of awards. In 2014, The Sunday Times named Skipton Britain's “best place to live” among 101 other places, in their annual best places to live supplement. In 2016, Skipton was also awarded a trophy by the National Campaign for Courtesy, who named it Britain’s most courteous town. And finally, an ONS survey investigating the state of the nation’s well-being found that people in Craven, the North Yorkshire district that includes Skipton, scored 8.3 out of 10, making it the happiest place in the UK. 
 
 

Housing

Our Ellerwood development is based not too far from the town centre of Skipton, with luxurious homes priced from £91,000, and 2-5 bedrooms to fit your family requirements whatever they may be. These homes are extra special for their generous space; perfect for growing families. Many of these homes include quartz worktops, walk-in wardrobes, and multiple double bedrooms. The Broughton is one of our favourites, hosting all of these features plus a generous four bedrooms that cater for the whole family, or even recreation in the form of a home gym or office space. If Skipton takes your fancy, and it really should, then take a look at what we have to offer on our website, and enquire today to be part of this historic market town.