Tucked away in the Yorkshire Dales, amidst the dramatic, rolling hills, lies the bustling market town of Hawes.
Perched 260 metres above sea level, it is one of England's loftiest towns. That means you'll have to put your back into a visit there, but the effort of climbing up the hills is well worth it. The views from the top are simply magnificent. But it's not just vistas that have made Hawes' name.
Hawes is perhaps best known as the birthplace of the globally celebrated Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese, which is loved by the clay duo Wallace and Gromit.
Recently, Hawes secured a spot in CountryLiving's top 10 hidden gem towns and villages in the UK. The index looked at factors including weather, outdoor activities, pubs and price. In a testament to its charm and appeal, Hawes came in at number six.
The picturesque town is home to a lively Tuesday market, an array of pubs, and quaint cafes nestled within its winding streets. It also does a roaring trade in independent shops.
Starting on the outskirts of the village, grab yourself a coffee at the Alchemist's Cottage before wandering through the narrow, winding centre where you can buy a bouquet from the old grammar school turned florists, Feather and Fern, and pick up some hiking supplies from Three Peaks.
The highstreet is split in two by a bridge over the River Ure, the main river of Wensleydale that rises nearby and is known for its scenic beauty, brown trout fishing, and occasional flooding, with its tributaries including Gayle Beck and Widdale Beck. A popular activity is the River Ure Walk, a relatively flat trail that starts near Hawes, offering lovely countryside views.
Treasure hunters will spend most of their time on the other side of the village, which is packed with antique shops, including Sturmans and Cellar.
Despite being home to just 1,000 people, Hawes has plenty of pubs and places to stay for the night. The White Hart, Fountain Hotel, Dragon Green and The Board inns also serve up pints and beds for the night, for weary walkers needing a place to rest, or those who've indulged in one too many Theakston Old Peculier and Black Sheep Best Bitter.
Owing to its prime location, Hawes serves as an excellent base for delightful countryside walks through the Yorkshire Dales National Park or even rock climbing adventures. With a bit of luck, you might catch sight of a rare red squirrel. The Woodland Trust is currently developing new woodland habitats across 550 acres in the Yorkshire Dales.
There are also plans to create an accessible trail along a disused railway line that runs for six miles from Garsdale Station to Hawes.
Just a stone's throw from Hawes stands Gayle Mill, believed to be the oldest structurally unaltered cotton mill still standing.
It gained national attention in 2004 when it featured on BBC2's Restoration programme, although it was temporarily closed in 2018 for repairs.
If you plan a visit to Hawes, don't miss out on sampling deep-fried Wensleydale cheese at a local chippy - a regional speciality.
Those who have stopped off in Hawes have very positive things to say about it. One holidaymaker wrote on Tripadvisor: "What a lovely peaceful place to visit. We duly paid our £4 (each) and received a leaflet telling us of a lower-level and higher-level walk. We did the lower level to the waterfall, which had plenty of water coming over. Then we climbed up quite a few steep steps to the higher level, through the trees, to where the views of the hills opened up. Took about an hour to complete both."
A study by Holidaycottages, which placed the UK's loveliest locations under the microscope, assessed criteria such as spring walk suitability, coastal vistas, local pubs, and forest adventures, ranking Hawes fifth.
"Venture deep into the Yorkshire Dales and you'll find Hawes – a little market town so pretty, it's been hailed as 'magical'. Here, crags, caves and valleys meet waterfalls and woodlands, lakes and reservoirs that beg to be explored by foot," the study concluded.
