When searching for a new place to live, one of the things that has never been on my checklist is a waterfall flowing through the streets to provide a postcard-worthy setting. Until now. Meandering through beautiful Hawes – a small rural town in the centre of the Yorkshire Dales – Gayle Beck flows right between the town’s homes, creating a peaceful waterfall as it carries itself on a journey into the countryside from the River Ure.
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © G Laird – geograph.org.uk/p/5569622
It really is the stuff of dreams, and we must admit – we’re incredibly jealous of anyone who gets to open their curtains to this spectacular view. Cup of tea in hand, I think I could genuinely sit there all day listening to the subtle splash of the water as it passes by.
What has to be the easiest to see waterfall in the Yorkshire Dales, Hawes waterfall is located in the actual town with houses overlooking it. You can enjoy a pint in one of its nice pubs and then wander down to see the modest cascading falls.
The beck, which flows right through Hawes, breaks off of the River Ure just outside of the market town, before travelling towards the South of the Yorkshire Dales where it creates the beautiful Aysgill Force.
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © Peter McDermott – geograph.org.uk/p/6626731
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But it’s not just the beck that makes this town so special. In fact, Hawes is the home of the famous Wensleydale Cheese – which is still produced there to this day. You can even visit their HQ if you’d like, where you can, of course, eat your body weight in delicious cheeses as the team talks you through their history and how it’s all made.
Opening in 1897 – when the first creamery was built in Hawes – the Wensleydale Creamery has tons of history that dairy-lovers will be mesmerised by, and is to this day a key attraction in the area.
The tours provide a fantastic insight into life at the creamery, with a cheese and gift shop on-site so you can take the tasty experience home with you.
Positioned between the iconic Buttertubs and Fleet Moss, the name Hawes translates to a ‘pass between mountains’, so visitors won’t be disappointed by its location – who doesn’t love the rolling hills of the Dales, after all?
The traditional market town has long attracted explorative tourists for many, many years now, with its Tuesday markets still adding a certain bustle to the place. There, visitors can pick up local produce, as well as handmade gifts, bakes and more.
Hawes can be found in a central location within the Yorkshire Dales, with other highlights fairly close by including Aysgarth Falls, Hardraw Force and, of course, the River Ure.
[Featured image: Weir and Waterfall, Gayle Beck, Hawes
cc-by-sa/2.0 – © G Laird – geograph.org.uk/p/5569622]
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