Visit the Wensleydale Creamery where the original Wensleydale cheese is made, the Dales Countryside Museum and much more.
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High Street, Hawes
Hawes is the main town of Upper Wensleydale and a major tourist attraction.
Visitors flock to the town to enjoy the bustling weekly market, the famous Wensleydale Creamery, makers of Wensleydale cheese, the Dales Countryside Museum and, of course, the beautiful walks in the fells around the town. The River Ure flows through the town and down along the length of Wensleydale.
In brief | A bit of history | Hawes today | Where to stay | Also of interest
Capital of Upper Wensleydale
Home of the famous Wensleydale Creamery
The Dales Countryside Museum located here
Bustling weekly market on Tuesday
Great range of speciality shops plus restaurants, cafes, hotels and guesthouses
Wonderful range of walks in the fells
Hardraw Force is only 4 miles away
You can never escape the Vikings in Yorkshire and Hawes is no exception. The original name, The Hawes, came from an Old Norse word 'hals' which means "pass between mountains".
Farming has long been an important part of the local economy of this lush valley, particularly dairy farming. Lead mining, rope making and the textile industry, with mills processing cotton, wool and flax, have also had a big impact at different times, with the river generating power for the various industries.
The church has also had an impact. First it was the Roman Catholic church – the original recipe for Wensleydale Cheese is said to come from French Cistercian monks who settled in the area in 1150 who first made the cheese. Infact, the powerful Jervaulx Abbey, home of the Cistercians in the north of England, originally owned half of Wensleydale. After the Reformation, and the subsequent dissolution of the monasteries in the 16th Century, the Abbey was destroyed and the wives of local farmers took up making the mild, crumbly cheese.
Hawes remained a village until 1699 when it was granted a market charter by King William III, and the town grew as it attracted farmers and other traders to the Market. A railway line to Hawes was opened in 1878 and helped the development of industry and tourism in the area, although the line closed in.
Hawes today
Hawes today is a bustling, busy market town thronging with visitors all through the year. There are reminders of the past everywhere you look in the town, from the cobbled main street, houses dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and pubs that were once staging posts and inns. Ropes are still made in the town, as is the famous Wensleydale cheese.
The town also boasts a wide range of shops, pubs, hotels, restaurants and cafes, together with craft workshops, antique and other speciality shops. In the Dales Countryside Museum, based in the old railway station in Hawes, you can discover much more about the Dales, its history and development over the centuries.
Hawes market
Market day is Tuesday and the town is transformed with large numbers of stalls and the hustle and bustle of both local people and visitors. There are both indoor and outdoor markets, and a farmer's livestock auction mart.
Wensleydale Creamery
Wensleydale Creamery, Hawes 1
The Creamery is where authentic Wensleydale cheese is made. The cheese was originally made by monks as far back as 1150, the secrets passed to local farmers' wives who continued making it long after the dissolution of the Monasteries. In 1895 manufacture began on an industrial scale although the business went through both peaks and troughs. The Creamery was eventually closed in 1992 but re-opened 6 months later after a management buy-out. The business now employs over 200 people across two dairies.
There's more to the creamery at Hawes than making cheeses, however. The site now includes a Visitor Centre, a gift shop, cafe and restaurant. There are special events through the year and you can even see the cheese being made in the dairy from a purpose-built viewing gallery.
The Visitor Centre and gift shop is open Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm.
For more information, visit the Wensleydale Creamery website .
The Dales Museum, Hawes 2
The Museum is based in the now converted Hawes Railway Station and is managed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority. There are galleries and interactive exhibits all telling the story and history of the Yorkshire Dales, through its people and the landscape. There are also a range of events, workshops and demonstrations.
The Museum is in Hawes, has on-site car parking, facilities for people with disabilities and educational groups, and a gift shop. It's open every day from 10am to 5pm from February onwards. Entry is £3.50 for adults and children get in free.
For more information, visit the Dales Countryside Museum website .
Outhwaite Ropemakers
Sited just 100 yards from the Dales Countryside Museum, Outhwaite Ropemakers has been making ropes since the 1700s. The business is still going strong, making a vast array of different ropes from shoe laces and candlewicks through dog leads, washing lines and skipping ropes to Bannister, barrier and bell ropes up to 25 metres long.
You can visit the factory, see ropes being made via a wheelchair friendly walkway, browse the shop and relax in the refreshments area. There's car parking that's shared with the Dales Countryside Museum. The factory & Shop is open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.30pm. The shop is also open on Saturdays from 10.00am to 5.30pm.
For more information, visit the Outhwaite Ropemakers website .
Hardraw Force
Hardraw Force waterfall 3
Hardraw Force is the longest unbroken above-ground waterfall in England tumbling 100 feet from the top of Hardraw Scaur (Gaping Gill on Ingleborough has a longer unbroken fall at 300 feet but is underground). The waterfall is in the village of Hardraw, a short distance from Hawes, and is in 15 acres of grounds owned by the Green Dragon Inn. Access is via the bar at the pub and costs £2 for adults, £1 for children.
For more information, visit the Green Dragon Inn website .
Where to stay in Hawes
Hawes is a great base from which to explore Upper Wensleydale and there are plenty of places to stay whether you are looking for hotels, pub accommodation or bed and breakfast guest houses. Here's a selection.
Pubs & hotels
Bulls Head Hotel
A family-run hotel in a Grade II listed building in the Market Place in Hawes. 5 bedrooms, either en-suite or with a shower room, 1 family room.
Bulls Head Hotel, Market Place, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3RD
www.bullsheadhotel.co.uk
Crockett's Hotel and Restaurant
In the middle of Hawes, Crockett's has 10 en-suite rooms
Cocketts, Market Place, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3RD
www.cocketts.co.uk
Traditional pub in the centre of the town with wooden beams, open fires and hand-pulled beers. 3 bedrooms (1 en-suite).
The Crown Hotel, Main Street, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3RD
crownhawes.co.uk
The Old Board Inn
Traditional, cosy country pub in the centre of the town. 5 bedrooms (4 en-suite).
The Old Board Inn, Market Place, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3RD
The Old Board Inn Facebook page
Ebor House
Close to the centre of the town, with 6 bedrooms (5 en-suite). Exclusively for adults. Visit England 4* with a Silver Award.
Ebor House, Burtersett Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3NT
www.eborhouse.co.uk
Fair View Guest House
An elegant Victorian house with original period features, 5 bedrooms, some en-suite. Visit England Silver Award.
Fair View House, Burtersett Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3NP
www.fairview-hawes.co.uk
Loxley House
Offers 6 individually designed bedrooms in the heart of the town.
Loxley House, The Holme, Hawes, North Yorkshire, DL8 3QR
www.bedandbreakfasthawes.co.uk
Old Station House
The old Station master's house now converted into a guest house, close to the town centre. 1 double, 1 twin and 1 family room. Visit England 4* award.
Old Station House, Hardraw Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire,
DL8 3NL
www.oldstationhousehawes.co.uk
Wensleydale House
A Victorian house right in the centre of the town. 2 en-suite bedrooms.
Wensleydale House, Burtersett Road, Hawes, North Yorkshire,
DL8 3NT
www.wensleydalehouse.co.uk
More information about Wensleydale
Find out about Swaledale
The Swaledale Corpse Way
1 © Copyright John Firth.
2 © Copyright Paul Shreeve.
3 © Copyright Paul Buckingham.
Photos licensed for reuse under the Creative Commons Licence.
The Forbidden Corner, Wensleydale