Out & About in Wensleydale - local attractions

The market town of Hawes is a good starting point for any visit to Wensleydale and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Photographs of the Yorkshire Dales
Hawes	Aysgarth Falls
West Burton Force	Bolton Castle
Jervaulx Abbey, Wensleydale	River Ure just outside Hawes
A view down into Swaledale	Walkers in Swaledale
All the photographs above © Yorkshire Tourist Board

The Dales Countryside Museum and National Park Centre is situated in Hawes and is a wealth of information for any visitor.

Other web sites of interest

We also have tourist information available here but if you would like to plan your stay in advance there are numerous websites you could visit. (Please note that on this page we provide links to other websites [in no particular order] which you may find useful when planning your holiday or short break at Thorney Mire Barn in Wensleydale. We accept no responsibility for the content of these third-party web sites. Each link opens in a new browser window - just close that window to return to this page.)

Upper Wensleydale Business Association
We recommend starting with this site which provides links to dozens of attractions in the area.
Walking is a popular past time for many visitors to the area and there are numerous criss-crossing paths so that you can take a circular walk of varying distances from here, and even take in a pub or two on the way, without having to drive. We have details here for you to use during your stay, or to plan ahead, visit:
- The Inn Way
  Long distance circular walks via traditional pubs throughout England's North Country. The Inn Way... series of award-winning guidebooks by Mark Reid offer a new and unique approach to discovering the wonderful countryside of England's North Country, as well as its wealth of hidden and unspoilt pubs.
- Walk Yorkshire
  WalkYorkshire provides all of the information you need to come and explore the inspirational scenery that Yorkshire has to offer. You will find everything that you need to know including information on many walking routes, travel information, local weather and much more.
- Dales Walks
  Walks all over Yorkshire, including the Dales.
Eagle Intermedia's The Yorkshire Dales
Loads of information including history, photographs and more...
The Yorkshire Dales by Daelnet
Daelnet's "Internet Gateway to the Dales" - wonderful site packed full of news, views, photo gallery, information and more...
W R Outhwaite & Son, Hawes Ropemakers
Visit their workshop to see ropes being made the traditional way.
Wensleydale Creamery
Take the Creamery Tour to see Wensleydale Cheese being made, learn about the history of cheesemaking in Wensleydale, have lunch or a snack in their excellent café and, of course, buy some real Wensleydale Cheese (there are many varieties) to take home with you.
Yorkshire Country Wines
This fruit wine producer, based in Glasshouses in Nidderdale (officially designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), makes a great place to stop off for a couple of hours on a day out visiting some of our neighbouring dales.You can take a guided tour of their winery (check the times on their web site), see natural fruit wines being made and have lunch or a snack in their riverside tearooms or on the riverside terrace. You might even take home a bottle of wine (or several) to enjoy with the Wensleydale Cheese you bought at the Creamery! Also: antiques gallery.
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority
The official site of our National Park Authority.
Kettlewell aka Knapeley in the film Calendar Girls
This film of 2003, about the women who appeared in the "Alternative W.I. Calendar", was filmed in and around the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The real village of Kettlewell, in Wharfedale, was the location for Knapeley in the film.
Enjoy a train ride on the famous Settle-Carlisle or Wensleydale Railways.
Both the Settle-Carlisle and Wensleydale Railways provide invaluable links for the communities they pass through. The Settle-Carlisle is part of the National Rail Network, and the nearest station is at Garsdale. The Wensleydale line runs down the dale from Redmire to Leyburn, Bedale and Leeming Bar. Both sites offer a wealth of information about travel opportunities and local attractions.
Swaledale Woollens
If you go over the Buttertubs Pass into Swaledale, you may like to stop off at Muker and pop in to Swaledale Woollens. They have a superb range of high quality hand- and machine-knitted, natural wool garments produced in the area (some using local Swaledale and rare Wensleydale wools) - including great sweaters and socks for walkers!
Fly Fishing Tuition from Roger Beck of Beckfisher
For complete beginners or improvers - highly qualified expert fly-fishing tuition on local waters. Roger holds the Salmon & Trout Association National Instructor's Certificate (STANIC) and is a member of the Game Angling Instructors' Association (GAIA). One of only a dozen or so people in Britain to be invited to membership of the prestigious Hardy Greys Academy of fly-fishing instructors and guides, Roger also has Hardy and Greys equipment available for demonstration. Roger also specialises in Fly Fishing as a technique for stress management, and was featured on Luke Casey's Dales Diary on TV. (Due to the high level of demand, it is essential to contact Roger well in advance to book your tuition.)