For many, - in fact, probably for most - travelers, getting snowed in your lodgings or hotel is, at the very least, less than ideal. But recently, when a group of over 60 tourists, (including a whole band!) got trapped for more than three days inside the famous Tan Hill Inn in Yorkshire, England, they came out of it with unexpectedly positive experiences - and when we get to know what Tan Hill Inn is like, that makes perfect sense.
Tan Hill Inn is a world-famous inn whose history dates back to the 17th century. Its charming build and décor are laden with history, and its remote location, stone walls, and inviting fireplace make for a cozy backdrop that makes one think: if there was ever anywhere to get snowed-in in, it would be the Tan Hill Inn. (And it rhymes too!)
The tallest inn in Britain
The history of Tan Hill Inn dates back to the 17th century when the Inn served as a hostelry for coal miners and was surrounded by miner cottages. After the last coal mine in Tan Hill was shut down in 1929, Tan Hill Inn survived thanks to farmers and any movement motor cars brought in.
In 1965, British wanderer culture and a lot of movement brought on the inauguration of Pennine Way, England’s first long-distance footpath. The walking road put Tan Hill Inn back on the map, so to speak, and for a new type of visitor that still makes today the brunt of the Inn’s public: adventurers, wanderers, and nature enthusiasts (and the odd celebrity or two).
Tan Hill Inn doesn’t seem like a place that would thrive in today's busy and competitive world: its location is remote and isolated, a lonely stonework house cottage in the middle of the eponymous Tan Hill, and it doesn’t have easy access from any point. At 528 meters (about 1,700 feet) above sea level, it is the highest inn in all of the British isles, and the nearest town is 18km away. There are sheep everywhere, including inside the Inn, and the former landlady acquired a national reputation as the rudest landlady in Britain, because of all the swearing - good-humored swearing, according to guests and staff.
The Inn was sold in 2018, and has since been through moderate expansions and renovations; since that year, campers can rent an area on the hotel land for a night fee and a music and entertainment venue has been installed. Tan Hill is pet-friendly: local sheep, dogs, pigs, and ducks have all shared stays at the hotel. Privacy screens and glass pods allow for guests to have perfect views of the night sky even in the colder weather.
Tan Hill’s quirky and cozy atmosphere is what makes the experience of staying there so unique - and it’s particularly loved as a winter destination. The views from atop the hill, surrounded by snowy hilltops and sky from all sides, are as breathtaking as the trek up to the inn. The stonework and fireplaces make it inviting even when snow piles high outside, and the adjacent barn makes for a perfect event, party, music session, or impromptu football match location.
Over the years, Tan Hill Inn acquired world fame for all of its quirks: it's been featured in advertisements, served as celebrity hiding spots for the likes of The Arctic Monkeys and Mark Ronson, and a law entanglement with KFC one time, which was eventually dropped by the multinational.
Snowed Inn
In November, about 60 people trekked up the hill in the cold weather to enjoy the Tan Hill installations while enjoying a performance by Oasis cover band Noasis on a Friday - and left only on Monday, due to Storm Arwen, a blizzard that blocked all roads surrounding Tan Hill for 3 days.
According to the staff at Tan Hill, food was rationed and evenly distributed but lasted well, and drinks kept on flowing all weekend long. Acoustic performances by Noasis - renamed by impromptu guests as Snowasis - made for handy entertainment, as well as movies, trivia and board games, and karaoke nights. Guests, staff, and four dogs shared rooms or slept on couches or mattresses on the lounges.
When they could finally leave, guests were no less satisfied - some described the experience as “brilliant”, with plans for a reunion and even a movie based on the event.
This is not the first time snow has brought clients and good fortunes to Tan Hill Inn - in fact, it’s far from the first time guests are snowed in either: in 2012, when a photo of the Inn illuminated by northern lights made its way around the internet, visitors rushed to book nights at the pub, hoping for snow. In 2009 another group of 61 guests was snowed in, and in 2013 guests were trapped inside for 5 days as a result of snowdrifts.
Former owner Louise Peace (that same one with all the swearing) told the Guardian that there are guests that go up hoping for snow - what a brilliant way to avoid work in the morning! - and well. With a stay-in like this, it is pretty hard to disagree with them.