England's highest market town, nine miles east of Garsdale in Wensleydale
Hawes is the main town of upper Wensleydale, about nine miles east of Garsdale along the A684 - fifteen to twenty minutes' drive, or reachable in combination with a walk via Hardraw Force. At 850 feet above sea level it is England's highest market town, and it well deserves a visit. There are many cafes, pubs and restaurants as well as craft and art shops, antiques and clothing, and a small market on Tuesday mornings with craft fairs in the indoor Market House.
Hawes is the home of Wensleydale Creamery - the only place in Wensleydale still making the traditional cheese, with a cheesemaking demonstration, tasting, cafe and shop.
The Dales Countryside Museum sits in the town's former railway station and tells the story of the Yorkshire Dales and the people who shaped it, with family events through the year. W.R. Outhwaite & Son, the traditional rope makers on the high street, are also well worth a visit.
For eating and drinking, the White Hart is a 16th-century former coaching inn on the cobbled main street and directly on the Pennine Way, the Board Inn also does meals and drinks, and The Chippie on Market Place is one of the better fish and chip shops in the Dales, with Caffe Curva next door for coffee and cake.
The White Hart, the Board Inn and Caffe Curva are all dog friendly, as is the Green Dragon at Hardraw just outside town, so Hawes is a straightforward place to bring the dog for the day.
SPAR Hawes covers groceries and has the town's reliable cash machine, and Dale Head Community Garage at Town Head is the petrol station - the first community-run filling station in the country, with fuel around the clock.
Hardraw Force, England's highest single-drop waterfall, is reached through the grounds of the Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw just outside town, with Cotter Force and Aysgill Force also on the waterfall walks from Hawes.
North of town the Buttertubs Pass climbs over to Swaledale, on the way to Muker, and Askrigg sits east along Wensleydale. There is a vet in town at Farm Gate Vets and a pharmacy at Central Dales Pharmacy on Market Place.
The top places we found online in and around Hawes.
The most-reviewed attraction in town, in the former railway station - see the Dales Countryside Museum.
England's highest single-drop waterfall, with well over a thousand reviews, just outside town at Hardraw - see Hardraw Force.
An easy, flat woodland walk to a broad waterfall on the road out of town - see Cotter Force.
A narrower, quieter fall reached through the gorge above Gayle - see Aysgill Force.
A genuine Dales experience at a farm just outside Hawes - sheepdogs working the fells as they would on any working farm in the dale.
The natural lake in Raydale over the tops, and a good pairing with a day in the town - see Semerwater.
Our three self-catering holiday cottages sit in Garsdale, about nine miles west of Hawes. Book direct with the owners for the best rates.
A three bedroom stone cottage dating back to 1675
A three bedroom property ideal for families
A cosy one-bedroom cottage perfect for couples and small families
