Hawes

HAWES

To the East of Sedbergh along the scenic A684 lies the Yorkshire Dales market town of Hawes. The journey takes you through glorious Dales countryside passing by Cautley Spout , iconic Yorkshire Dales field barns & isolated Methodist Chapels.

Just off the main road as you drive through Garsdale towards Hawes is Garsdale Head Station on the Settle to Carlisle Line. A remote yet beautiful place and no longer busy ‘Hawes Junction’ as it was known. See the touching tribute to faithful Border Collie Ruswarp, pronounced ‘russup’, whose bronze statue still waits for his master on the platform.

At the head of Wensleydale lies the pretty Yorkshire Dales town of Hawes. Famous for the Wensleydale Creamery cheese factory which is always popular with visitors, Hawes has much to offer in the way of a ‘Grand Day Out’.

The narrow streets of Hawes have a nice mixture of shops to look around, some for life’s essentials & others more for visitors.  Pop into Herdy, The Old Sweet Shop or The Rock & Gem Shop on Market Place. Market day in Hawes is traditionally on a Tuesday.

There are several cosy tearooms, welcoming pubs & a very good fish and chip shop, ‘The Chippie’, which serves deep-fried Wensleydale cheese!

Bikers like to meet in Hawes on Sundays when the weather is good. The town takes its name from the old Norse word meaning ‘the mountain pass’ & the twisty, hilly roads to Hawes are popular with those who like an interesting drive.

Learn about the people & places of the Yorkshire Dales at the Dales Countryside Museum in the Old Station Yard which is open daily from 10am until 5.00pm. Farming has always been intrinsic to Dales life & the hard-working Dales people are very proud of their heritage.

Within a short stroll of Hawes is the tiny hamlet of Gayle where you will find an old mill powered by the local beck. Gayle Mill is run by very enthusiastic volunteers who know all about the history of the mill and it workings. Book the guided tour to find out more about this fascinating piece of Dales history.

On leaving Hawes take the steep, winding road to Simonstone from Wensleydale along Buttertubs Pass through to Swaledale. The Buttertubs are actually potholes in the limestone thought to be used by farmers bringing their wares to the market in Hawes. On a hot day they would rest and lower their butter into the holes to keep it cool, so they say.