Experienced Skipton estate agent Mark Kane joined Dacres in 2012 as Branch Manager for our Baildon office and moved across to our busy Skipton office in 2019.

He heads up an enthusiastic and friendly Skipton team which includes Sales Valuer Ben Hollings, Senior Sales Negotiator Emma Brooksbank, Sales Negotiator Kyley Cookson, Accompanied Viewer Sarah Whatmough and Apprentice Sales Negotiator Sophie Martin.

Skipton has been named as one of the UK’s ‘Best Places to Live’ in The Sunday Times influential guide and in 2024 Skipton was recognised as one of happiest place to live, by property portal Rightmove. The town came in the top six in the league table, eclipsed locally by nearby Harrogate.

Thomas Spencer, the co-founder of Marks & Spencer, was born in Skipton in 1858 and England and Yorkshire cricket legend, Fred Trueman lived in Skipton and has a bronze statue in Skipton’s Canal Basin.

Skipton is also famous for its medieval castle, which is fairly well-known having stood at the top of the High Street since 1090!

Lots of visitors to Skipton miss the Woodland Trust’s Skipton Castle Woods, which is a rare ancient woodland habitat straight off the high street, behind Skipton Castle. It’s a beautiful and tranquil spot that’s full or surprises and feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the town centre.

When it comes to homes for sale in Skipton, there’s a huge choice of property types and styles on offer. Within a mile of the town centre, you can find modern town centre apartments, traditional terraces and character cottages, through to homes built throughout the 20th century alongside a range of high-quality new build developments.

As you head further out into Skipton’s surrounding villages and for anyone looking for properties for sale in the Yorkshire Dales, there’s an array of fabulous country homes, rural retreats, barn conversions and farms to choose from.

Skipton is surrounded by the smaller towns of Silsden, Barnoldswick and Earby, and a number of villages that boast the picturesque qualities and charm that are synonymous with the Craven district. These include Gargrave, a particularly pretty and sought-after village, and Embsay, which is also well-known thanks to the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.

Other popular villages close to Skipton include Cononley, Draughton, Carleton and Bradley.

Unsurprisingly, the Yorkshire Dales is packed full of picture-perfect places, with Grassington being at the heart. Beyond that and throughout Upper Wharfedale, Littondale and Malhamdale, there are some of the most sought-after villages to live in the North of England such as Burnsall, Litton, Malham, Airton, Kettlewell, Arncliffe and Appletreewick.

Skipton is top of the class when it comes to schools! Both Ermysted’s Boys Grammar School and Skipton Girls’ High School are two of the best performing state schools in the region.

The Skipton Academy is also a popular choice with many families with their dedication to offering a comprehensive education to the community of Skipton.

Brooklands is a community special school providing high quality education for pupils with a wide range of complex needs aged between four and nineteen.

Skipton has a variety of primary schools, including Skipton Parish Church C of E, Water Street Community, St. Stephen’s Catholic and Greatwood Community, offering strong academic programs and a focus on community involvement. These schools provide a well-rounded education, many having ‘Good’ ofsted reports.

There’s also Craven College, which offers a vast range of further and higher education courses.

For parents wanting a private education Westville, Moorfield and Ghyll Royd are located in nearby Ilkley. For boarding facilities both Giggleswick and Sedbergh are within easy reach of Skipton.

Entry in to any school is subject to the Local Authority’s or private school governor’s current admissions policies.

Skipton is well served by it’s railway station, which provides direct links to the business centres of both Leeds and Bradford, as well as London. Days out to the North West can be easily enjoyed with links to Carlisle, Lancaster and Morecambe. Lots of surrounding towns and villages can also be accessed, such Settle, Bingley Five Rise Locks and the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Saltaire.

For road travel, the A65 connects Skipton to the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales, while the nearby A59 offers routes to Harrogate and York to the East and Preston and the M6 to the West.

A comprehensive network of bus services also operate, connecting Skipton with surrounding villages and towns.

Skipton is a fabulous shopping destination! The town centre is full of independent shops and well-known chains such as Next, H Samuel, Crew Clothing and Cotswold Outdoor.

Craven Court plays a key role in Skipton’s charm with it’s elegant, glass-roofed shopping arcade, it is home to a variety of independent boutiques and cafes.

There’s a fantastic market on Skipton’s High Street up to four days a week where you can buy everything from clothes, cheese and meats through to locally made pickles and Yorkshire made blankets, as well as a separate artisan food market on the first Sunday of each month in Skipton’s Canal Basin through March to December.  There’s also Morrisons, Tesco, Aldi and an M&S Foodhall.

There’s no shortage of proper pubs in Skipton that sit comfortably alongside a mix of quirky and independent bars, tearooms and cafes. Skipton boasts a vibrant real ale scene, with several pubs and microbreweries offering a wide selection of locally brewed ales, often accompanied by live music events that showcase local talent and create a lively, community-focused atmosphere.

Skipton boasts a wide choice of international cuisines, from several Italians through to Turkish and Indian. There’s also a growing selection of contemporary restaurants including Le Bistro des Amis, Alexander’s and Le Caveau.

Pork pie lovers are spoilt for choice, and you’ll see queues at both Stanforth Butchers and Drake & Macefield, which have both been selling award winning pies for several generations.

The local Skipton company, Bizzie Lizzie’s, offers fresh high quality fish and chips in two town centre sites with Swadford Street site offering fabulous views over the Canal Basin.

However, for that special occasion, The Angel at Hetton, complete with its Michelin Star, is the place to go!

Whether you want to enjoy cycling or walking along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, which runs through the town centre, or disappear off into the Yorkshire Dales, there’s lots to do in Skipton for those that love the great outdoors.

For sports fans, there’s Skipton Golf Club, Skipton Town FC, Skipton Tennis Centre, Skipton Rugby Football Club, Craven Gymnastics Club, Skipton Cricket Club, Craven Sailing Club and Craven Leisure Centre which has a large public swimming pool and gym.

Aireville Park is just a few minutes walk from Skipton town centre along the canal towpath. It’s a huge open space and benefits from a fabulous wooden playground, skate park and pump track. Raven Tree Top Adventure and Pitch an Foot are also great leisure choices.

Alternatively, for something more relaxed, you can hire narrow boats in the town centre, hop on a steam train from Embsay to Bolton Abbey, play a game of ten-pin bowling at The Matrix or enjoy a film at the charming Plaza Cinema.