From Macarena to Monopoly: How punters are embracing snowy siege in Britain's highest pub

8 January 2025, 15:58 | Updated: 8 January 2025, 16:06

Yorkshire's Tan Hill Inn is no stranger to snow. At an elevation of 1,732 feet above sea level, it's the highest pub in Britain.

But what's it like to get snowed in at your local with 23 other guests? Huge Yorkshire puddings, roaring fires, and tender heads.

Becoming snowed-in at The Tan Hill Inn is a bucket list event for some fans.

For others, the Arctic conditions at the highest pub in Britain are nerve-wracking.

"Do you have an outdoor webcam - I'm coming down on the 25th Jan so it would be good to keep track of conditions" asks Dave, an anxious punter on their Instagram page.

Since a snowstorm on January 4, the pub has embraced weather-enforced isolation creating shelter for 23 guests unable to leave in one of their famous "snow-ins".

Read more: Amber weather warning for snow issued for parts of UK - as temperatures set to plummet to -16C

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"It’s the wind that causes the problem when it blows drifts onto the road." Andrew Hields, the owner of the Inn said: We are very exposed and it snows a lot in the winter months so we would be out of business if we shut the inn every time snow was forecast."

Even the rescue tractor has been caught in a snow drift.

The Inn is stocked with a month's worth of food, sits above a natural supply of water, and generates it's own electricity so can survive completely off-grid. But, a few days into the latest "snow-in", disaster struck: "We’ve run out of sausages, it’s atrocious. No pork sausages, no more English breakfast. Gutted" guest Paul Wright commiserated.

Despite the dwindling pork products, stranded guests have embraced being cut off from the world. Games are played by candlelight, tables are cleared for discos, and visitors from warmer climates are educated on the technique of building the perfect snowman.

Staff at The Tan Hill Inn refuse to take payment for the rooms of those trapped at the pub. Instead, they suggest donations to their local mountain rescue.

Due to the amber weather conditions, the pub has clarified that they are closed to the public for now.

"It’s residents only for the time being - we will keep you updated when we reopen". They reassured those stuck there that "there’s no rush to check out until conditions improve up here on the moors".

A heroic tractor has provided an escape for some of the trapped pub-goers, many of which left the cocoon of their time there reluctantly before disappearing down the mountain.

This is not the first time the "snow-in" has drawn the envy of the public. Back in 2021, the much-loved pub made global headlines after around 60 people were stranded there.

Yorkshire Mountain Rescue teams had told staff at the Tan Hill Inn they could not let anyone leave due to the treacherous conditions.

As further Yellow Weather Warnings for snow and ice are issued across parts of the UK other rural communities, particularly in upland areas, could become cut off in coming days.