On our way back from the Dales last night we were reflecting on the strange situation of having two near identical businesses next to each other. So who can tell me - who was there first, was it Bernies Cafe or Inglesport?

It's a long convoluted story worthy of the Norse sagas, but Bernies (under the proprietorship of Bernard and Alice and a different name) was there in the 1960s, primarily as a cafe.

Inglesport was established in the early 1980s, primarily as an equipment supplier.

Bernie's, by a long way. It was run for many years by Alice and Bernard Robertshaw and it was the nerve centre of northern caving for a long time. It was mainly a cafe but Bernard sold a few caving items; it was one of the few places you could actually obtain things like carbide and copies of Pennine Underground. Alice's breakfasts were legendary and they had the milk shake machine from heaven - and really good pinball machines. When I was a child just starting out caving, a visit to Bernie's was very exciting because you got to meet famous people you'd read about in caving journals! If you're interested in what it looked like in the late 70s there's a bit of footage shot in Bernie's in "The Underground Eiger" (the TV film about the Keld Head to Kingsdale Master Cave diving connection). From memory this footage includes a brief glimpse of Bernard behind the counter.

Inglesport came in the early 1980s I think. I often used to hitch up to the Dales around then and Alan Steele would often kindly pick me up. He drove an old mini van at the time. Inglesport is located in what was once a very fine fish and chip shop up until Alan bought the premises.

There was actually a third caving shop for a while run by Brendan Brew (near the Co-op) but that ceased to exist quite a while ago.

We're lucky to be so well served by two fine caving establishments.

P.S. the old Bernie's was officially called the "Lonsdale Snack Bar" but all cavers knew it as Bernie's Cafe. When Steve Round took it on he maintained the link with history by giving the business the unofficial cavers' name.

"Breakfast with beans".

Happy days.

Alice's poached eggs were to die for...

They were a fantastic couple, and are sadly missed. If I remember rightly, they used to run the Ingleton Youth Hostel before buying the cafe.

There was also the Fountains cafe even further down the road opposite the church.

paul said:

There was also the Fountains cafe even further down the road opposite the church.

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That was always an "experience"...

I often refer to it as Bernards Buttery a little in jest, which I think is what it was called in the past having read the info on the table menus.

It is superb that both shops are available but I spend my cash in Bernies.

Though I think the Cave & Crag owner said that the price matching between the two stores made it difficult for them to compete in Settle which is a shame.

langcliffe said:

Alice's poached eggs were to die for...

They were a fantastic couple, and are sadly missed. If I remember rightly, they used to run the Ingleton Youth Hostel before buying the cafe.

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Ah, yes - I remember; the poached eggs really were outstanding.
I think you're right about the YH.

Incidentally their grandson Dave was a member of the NPC circa 1990 until he went working overseas; he was involved in carrying gear when we were working on the Keld Head to King Pot connection. His father was the late Mick Ormerod (I think Alice & Bernard's son in law) who was well known as a northern cave diver in the 1960s. The family has many caving connections.

I've got lots of fond memories of visits to Bernie's from when I was very young.

ianball11 said:

Though I think the Cave & Crag owner said that the price matching between the two stores made it difficult for them to compete in Settle which is a shame.

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Settle Water Sports was a great shop but if memory serves me it closed not that long after the price war kicked in (although I don't know if this was a factor)

I seem to remember a cartoon in Descent about the cost of rope / spaghetti in the two establishments.

Jim Eyres cartoon book has a cartoon about the different shops, always makes me laugh that book, a different cartoon each time but very funny.

'They must locals'