Sceptone , or "Sheeptown", was a settlement long before the arrival of the battling Normans, whose Castle , located at the top of the High Street (March-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun noon-6pm; Oct-Feb Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm; A?4.40) provided the basis for the present fortress, among England's best preserved, thanks mainly to the efforts of Lady Anne Clifford, who rebuilt much of her family seat between 1650 and 1675 following the pillage of the Civil War. Little survives in the way of furniture or fittings, but starting with the proud battlements - emblazoned with the Clifford cry, DA©sormais ("Henceforth"!) - the castle very much looks the part. Lady Anne also displayed her restorative skills on the Church of the Holy Trinity , in front of the castle at the top of the High Street (summer daily 9am-4.30pm; winter daily 9am-dusk; A?1 donation requested), which has a fine bossed fifteenth-century roof, beautiful chancel screen (dating from 1533) and a twelfth-century font crowned with a towering wooden Jacobean cover. Down the High Street, on the first floor of the town hall, drop into the entertaining Craven Museum (April-Sept Mon & Wed-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 2-5pm; Oct-March Mon & Wed-Fri 1.30-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm; free), a brief introduction to the geology, flora, fauna, folk history and archeology of the region cradled between Wharfedale and the Lancashire border. The alleys on the western side of the High Street emerge onto the banks of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal , which runs right through the centre of Skipton. You can rent boats from the Canal Basin, off Coach Street: Pennine Boat Trips at Waterside Court (tel 01756/790829), next to the George Fisher outdoor store, runs daily canal cruises (April-Oct; A?3.50).

If you're heading for the Settle-Carlisle Railway, note that most trains from Skipton are direct - you shouldn't need to change at Settle unless you want to break your journey. The bus station is closer in, on Keighley Road, just before Devonshire Place at the bottom of the High Street. You can rent bikes for around A?12 a day from The Bicycle Shop on Water Street (tel 01756/794386), or from Dave Ferguson Cycles at Bowbridge Garage on Skipton Road (tel 01756/792526). The tourist office is on Coach Street (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11.30am-2pm & 3.30-5pm; tel 01756/792809, ). Accommodation is plentiful, with a host of central pubs offering rooms. Best choice is the Woolly Sheep Inn , 38 Sheep Street (tel 01756/700966; A?40-50), a restored seventeenth-century inn. B&Bs tend to lie on the outskirts, ten minutes or so out of the centre, on Gargrave (west) and Keighley (south) roads. Peace Villas , 69 Gargrave Rd (tel 01756/790672; no credit cards; under A?40), and the Skipton Park Guest 'Otel , virtually opposite at 2 Salisbury St (tel 01756/700640; no credit cards; A?40-50), are the best places on Gargrave Road; the Highfield Hotel , 58 Keighley Rd (tel 01756/793182; no credit cards; A?40-50) is one of a clutch on that road. As for eating , Bizzie Lizzies , on Swadford Street, is the award-winning fish-and-chip shop of the town, while Herbs , 10 High St (closed Tues & Sun), is a veggie place serving home-made soups and home-baked cakes, as well as a daily special for around a fiver. The Aagrah , on Devonshire Place, off Keighley Road, has a loyal local following for its fresh, tasty Indian dishes.