Skipton

Skipton is a town in Northern England that lies along the River Aire and Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It forms part of the Craven district of the non-metropolitan county of North Yorkshire, but is within the historic boundaries of the West Riding of Yorkshire. An open-air market is held four times a week on the high street (Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday). The town slogan is Gateway to the Dales (meaning the Yorkshire Dales). Skipton is twinned with the Bavarian town of Simbach am Inn. Skipton Castle is one of the best preserved medieval castles in England dating back to the 11th century. During the English Civil War, the castle was the longest held Royalist stronghold in North England until its honourable surrender in December 1645 after a three years siege.

As well as Aireville School secondary modern school (ages 11-16), there are two single-sex selective grammar schools - Ermysted's Grammar School for boys, and Skipton Girls' High School (this specialises in engineering). Both schools have comparable A-level scores. There is a further education college - Craven College.

Skipton is on the Settle-Carlisle railway. There are regular services to Leeds and Bradford on the electrified Airedale Line. Nearby towns and villages include Bradley, Kildwick, Stirton, Carleton, Gargrave, Embsay, Cononley, Lothersdale and Farnhill. The north section (A65 & A59) of the £16.4m Skipton Bypass opened in December 1981. The rest of the six-mile bypass (A629) opened in October 1982, to much reduction in journey times to the Dales.

Skipton is served by Airedale NHS Trust. The local paper is the Craven Herald. The train station is next door to a Tesco and a Morrisons. There is a Little Chef and a Travelodge at the roundabout where the A59, A65 and A629 meet.

Fresh Radio, the local radio station for the Yorkshire Dales, broadcasts programmes from studios based in Skipton. Fresh Radio launched on the 4th of May 1997 as Yorkshire Dales Radio, with the strapline "May the fourth be with you". The station was re-launched in 1999 as Fresh Radio.

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