The lively market town of Hawes with its interesting mix of independent shops and businesses provides the perfect place to use as a holiday base. The name Hawes ('t' Haas' in local dialect) means 'a pass in the hills', the town was awarded a market charter in 1699 and on Tuesdays still hosts a bustling street market and local farmers sell their livestock
through the ring at the auction mart. Autumn brings buyers come from all over the country to purchase stock that was born on the fells in the spring, Swaledale sheep are the most traditional breed of sheep and high prices are reached for the best breeding rams.

The brilliant green of the early spring meadows change colour with the seasons and contrast with the high bare moorland of the surrounding hills to provide ever changing scenery on the many public footpaths, the Pennine Way National Trail comes right through the center of town.
Outdoor pursuits like mountain biking are catered for at the Kudu Bike Hire centre and there are many good hiking equipment outlets.

Visitors can learn about the history of the people and landscape of the area at the Dales Countryside Museum with it's changing programme of exhibitions and events throughout the year, a great place for families with lots of hands-on displays and interactives. The Wensleydale Creamery has small museum and viewing gallery where visitors can watch
milk being turned into the famous Wensleydale Cheese and a taste of the different varieties of cheese in the Creamery shop. A finalist in the BBC 'Restoration' programme Gayle Mill has restored the oldest water powered turbine in the world where visitors can see in action the
turbine and the Victorian woodworking machinery, guided tours run throughout the season.

The many craft workshops, antique and other speciality shops, hotels, pubs, restaurants and cafe's cater for every need and accommodation from campsites to family B&B's and high class hotels is available. Good public transport links to Leyburn and Northallerton run throughout the year and a local bus connects to the spectular scenic Settle Carlisle
Railway, through the summer a twice weekly bus service runs to Snaizeholme for passengers to visit the red squirrel reserve.

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