I have booked my accommodation for The Pennine Way for August this year.Fifteen days at steady but still challenging pace for me. I am looking for the best places to eat in the following locations. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Diggle
Cowling
Malham
Horton in Ribblesdale
Hawes
Middleton in Teesdale
Alston
Bellingham
Byrness

I already know where I will be eating at the other overnight stops.

Here's my input from 2 years ago, Im off again in 5 weeks so will add anything else thats changed after;

diggle - didnt stop there

Cowling - there's a chinese take away here and a pub that doesnt do meals.

Malham - 2 pubs, both do good food, a couple of shops too.

Horton - 2 pubs plus a cafe, we had a meal in the crown which was good.

Hawes - spoilt for choice here, the chippy was good

Middleton - A bit dire when I was last there, had a chippy take out and a pint in the hotel opposite

Alston - again lots of choice here, had a decent meal in the Cumberland Hotel

Bellingham - I didnt rate any of the pubs here, ther'se a chiese take away

Byrness - Had a nice meal at the hostel, they now have real ales on draft too !

Hope that helps.
Les

Hawes I usually eat at the Black Bull. Reasonably priced and good quality. If arriving early there is a cafe at the western end of the market place and another good one just east of the market place as the road bends round the one way system. As Les says, the chippy does a decent eat-inside meal.

Horton Don't miss the pint mugs of tea in the cafe there.

Middleton. There is a rather nice cafe on a side street to the south of the main road. Shuts at 5 though.

Where's the Black Bull in Hawes? Couln't find it on my satnav or when I googled it?

Or did you mean the Bulls Head Hotel, just found that?

We are now Forest View Inn Byrness same chef, same ingredients, same prices but with a newly extended restaurant and lounge bar. We now have the bottled local and national ales but also 3 locally brewed hand pulled craft ales to wash down your curry or cottage pie or whatever.

Sorry forgot to say at Bellingham The Cheviot has been taken over and the new owners are upgrading the restaurant and I have been hearing good things lately from people who have just walked up from Bellingham. Joyce

Yes, looking forward to trying your ale after some food ... knowing it's then only 27 miles to go

I'm after some recommnedations ... maybe you could post where you think is good at the other stops?

The accommodation providers will advise you.
Relax! - you can't tell in advance what sort of place and meal you'll want on the day you're there.
Having said that, people used to rave about the Harlequin restaurant at Cowling, so it's worth asking the B&B host if it's open.

I stayed at most of the places mentioned and there are a lot of places to eat en-route.
At Diggle try the Diggle Hotel, they do fantastic chilli-con-carne's.
At Cowling I had a 12 inch pizza from the takeaway, but if you prefer to eat in, there's a good Thai restaurant there.
At Malham I ate in one of the 2 pubs there.
But,one of the best places I stayed and ate was the Victoria Inn, in Alston. It is part of a curry house and you can't go wrong, the B & B there is cheap, at £25 per night!
Have a great journey, I wish that I was doing it all over again!!

Maybe not, but recommendations (or not!) are always helpful

Wow, thank you! I didn't expect such a response! I will make a note of all of these to include in my itinerary. I set off on 4th August by train to Edale and walk to Crowden YHA on the same day, so no choice but to eat there!
Stopping places Crowden Yha - eat in!
Diggle don't know
Badgerfields - New delight at Jack's Bridge
Cowling - Harlequin? or Dog and Gun or chinese Takeaway
Malham - Lister Arms
Horton in Ribblesdale -staying at the Crown Will eat there
Hawes will try Bulls Head
Tan Hill - friends coming up for day , will eat in Reeth probably
Middleton in Teesdale staying at Teesdale Hotel will eat there
Dufton - the pub across the roadfrom the hostel
Alston - will try the Cumberland
Greenhead - staying at Greenhead Hotel will eat there
Bellingham will give The Cheviot a try
Byrness - can I book a table for one for 7.30 please Joyce
Thanks Everyone! Any other suggestions please send them through!

Curry house in Alston! Sounds wonderful too!

If anyone is making the trek this summer I start on Saturday Angust 4 and Finish in 15 days on Saturday August 18th I think! The only problem, there are no buses on a sunday to Kelso so I will have to walk the 7 miles or get a taxi!

The Crown in Horton is very good but be warned the portions are very big! You'll probably only want a main course, so don't bother with the black pudding and bacon salad (seriously!).

thanks Sentinel! I am staying at the Crown Hotel. I like big portions, I like black pudding too. I'll see how hungry I am when I get there! thanks!

Hi Author you won`t be lonely there are 10 other pennine wayers booked in on the same night as you all the rest are sane and are using the bus to split the killer section from Byrness to Kirk Yetholm.

Hi Joyce, I will see you on the 17th August, all being well! This is my seventh long distance walk and I always keep my promises!

See you then.

Just thought that whilst not an overnight stop (although I think that they allow camping) a worthwhile visit is to May’s shop at High Gate Farm which is a short distance after Hebden Bridge. A good cup of tea and just about everything you would need to buy including Mars Bars! I walked it in 2005 but I presume that it is still there, no doubt someone who has walked it more recently will know.

Just thought that whilst not an overnight stop (although I think that they allow camping) a worthwhile visit is to May’s shop at High Gate Farm which is a short distance after Hebden Bridge. A good cup of tea and just about everything you would need to buy including Mars Bars! I walked it in 2005 but I presume that it is still there, no doubt someone who has walked it more recently will know.

thanks Harland!I have found it on the map and it is still a shop as its in my guide book! As I'm staying out of the village! It will be a good place to get stocked up for the day! many thanks!

Hi Joyce, I booked my bed through the YHA for Forest View, I have only just put 2 and 2 together! Anyway, I 'm glad that I won't be the only one walking there that day and I'll be the first one to leave in the morning! Probably 6.30! I'm looking forward to getting there now!

I bet you won't be the first if you leave at 06.30 if some of those staying are going all the way to KY!

Yep, I'm planning to be away at 0630 ... but a tad earlier, on 15 June

Good Luck with your trip, Sussamb! Come back on afterwards and let us know how you went on!

Food summary - Diggle- Diggle Hotel - Average
Cowling - Dog and Gun - Very Good

Malham - The Buck - Thought I'd move down south when I saw the price of beer, but the food again was average
Horton in Ribblesdale - Crown Inn - Good
Middleton in Teesdale - Teesdale Hotel - very good
Dufton - The Stag Inn - Very Good
Alston - The Cumberland - Very Good
Greenhead - The Greenhead Hotel - my favourite - loved the place and the food - had chilli con carne with a few drops of the hottest chilli sauce I have tasted on top! Try it at your peril!
Byrness - Forest View - Very Good - How does Joyce manage cooking all those dishes for all those people ? and everyone was very complimentary about the food!
Kirk Yetholm - The Border Hotel - very good! I also loved the eyemouth kippers for breakfast!

Thank-you kind sir