Hubberholme is a small, and old village in the heart of Yorkshire Dales, sitting near Buckden and Litton. There is no public transportation directly in Hubberholme, but you can take a bus to Buckden which starts in the beautiful Spa town of Ilkley and also stops at Kettlewell and Grassington along the way. And more conveniently you can easily get Ilkley on the train from Leeds or Bradford, which make it a very accesible place to get to from anywhere in the UK.
Some things to be seen are the St. Michael and Angels Church, where the ashes of the well-known writer J. B. Priestley are buried who loved coming to Hubberholme, and Scar House, which is often passed by on the popular triangular walk from Buckden to Cray. You can also take a stroll along the River Wharfe, which passes directly through the village. In the 17th century the Quakers first took over the Scar House and also constructed a graveyard on these grounds.
St Michael and All Angels, Hubberholme, is one of the most historic and picturesque of all churches in Wharfedale. The farthest church up the dale, it was originally a Forest Chapel of the Norman hunting forest of Langstrothdale Chase, and dates from the 12th century, with its oak roof not been completed until 1558. It is situated on the site of an Anglo-Norse burial ground, and of the original Norman church the tower is still present. St Michael’s was originally dedicated to the Northumbrian St Oswald, and was given to the monks of Coverham Abbey in 1241. It was the craftsman Robert Thompson, also known as the “Mouseman”, who designed the oak church pews and left his trademark mouse in the woodwork.
On the opposite side of the church you can see the George Inn, which was originally the home of the vicar. When the pub is open, one can see a candle lit in the window just like the vicar used to do when he came home as a signal to his parishioners that he was available. Another tradition involving a candle that is still upheld is that every first Monday of the year an auction for 16 acres of church pastureland is held. The winner and highest bidder is determined when the candle goes out. The money raised is still being used for the benefit of the parish’s poor.
If you enjoy mountain biking and walking, you will find many opportunities to explore the area around the Moor End Fell or the Horse Head Moor, but you can also take many other walks, like the walk from Buckden to Yockenthwaite.