Tan Hill Inn: Britain’s Highest Haunted Pub

The Tan Hill Inn stands utterly alone at 1,732 feet above sea level, the highest pub in Britain. Miles from the nearest village, regularly cut off by snow, it occupies one of the bleakest and most atmospheric landscapes in England. Its isolation has attracted those who wanted to avoid attention—smugglers, thieves, and ghosts who have nowhere else to go.

The History

Coal Mining Origins

The inn began as a dwelling for workers at the nearby coal pits, becoming a proper pub in the 18th century. The coal mines are long closed, but the pub remains.

Smuggling Routes

Despite (or because of) its isolation, Tan Hill stood on smuggling routes between the coast and the Yorkshire Dales. The moors offered escape routes for those pursued by excisemen.

Modern Isolation

The pub can still be cut off for days during winter storms. Guests have been snowed in, and the experience is said to intensify the haunting.

The Hauntings

The Woman in Grey

A grey female figure is the main apparition:

• Seen in the upstairs rooms
• Walking the corridors
• Descending the stairs
• She has been captured on camera
• Her identity is unknown

The Miner’s Ghost

A figure in mining clothes appears:

• Covered in coal dust
• Walking toward the old mine sites
• He seems tired and cold
• May be a miner who died on the moor
• Most common in winter

The Smuggler

A man in 18th-century dress has been seen:

• On the moor near the pub
• Carrying packages
• He seems wary, always looking over his shoulder
• The smuggling past lingers

The Dog

A phantom black dog has been reported:

• On the road approaching the pub
• In the bar itself
• It disappears when approached
• Black dogs are common in Yorkshire folklore
• Its appearance may portend death

Poltergeist Activity

The isolation seems to concentrate energy:

• Objects move on their own
• Doors slam in the wind—when there is no wind
• Footsteps cross empty floors
• Voices are heard when no one is there

When Snowed In

The haunting reportedly intensifies during isolation:

• Guests have reported terrifying experiences
• The grey woman becomes more active
• The atmosphere becomes oppressive
• No escape is possible until the snow clears

Modern Activity

The Tan Hill Inn has been featured on television:

• Most Haunted filmed here
• Paranormal investigators regularly visit
• Staff have decades of stories
• Being the highest pub makes it a destination
• The haunting is part of its identity

Visiting

The Tan Hill Inn is accessible by road (weather permitting) and offers accommodation, food, and the unique experience of Britain’s highest pub. Being snowed in is a risk—and an adventure.

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The Tan Hill Inn stands alone on the Pennine moors, the highest pub in Britain. For nearly three centuries, it has sheltered travelers, miners, and smugglers. Some of them never left. When the snow closes in and escape is impossible, their ghosts emerge.