The Yorkshire Dales is a picturesque area in the north of England characterised by rolling hills, valleys, pretty villages and waterfalls. There are over 20 hills, known as dales, in the Yorkshire Dales and Wensleydale is probably the most famous. Thanks in no small part to Wallace and Gromit introducing the world to Wensleydale cheese.

Famous for its cheese, historic villages and beautiful countryside, here are my favourite things to do in Wensleydale.

The Wensleydale Creamery

The Wensleydale Creamery is an artisan cheesemaker known for its award-winning Wensleydale cheese. Situated in the attractive town of Hawes, the Creamery is open to visitors.

Don’t miss:

• Cheese-making demonstrations.
• Sample all the different Wensleydale cheeses in the cheese tasting room. Mango and ginger and the blue were my favourites.
• The cheese shop where you can purchase some of these delicious cheeses to take home.
• A large onsite shop selling gifts, homewares and Wallace and Gromit memorabilia.
• The onsite cafe serving the best ice cream and milkshakes.

Hawes

While you’re visiting the Wensleydale Creamery be sure to stop in the market town of Hawes itself, which is home to a number of antique shops, gift shops, sweet shops, pubs and has a waterfall running right through the town.

Aysgarth Falls

Aysgarth Falls is a triple flight of stepped waterfalls carved by the River Ure. These waterfalls were used as a filming location for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The waterfalls are surrounded by woodland and open countryside offering you the opportunity to extend your visit with a circular walk through the area. I would recommend the 3 mile Countryside walk which takes you through the woods, underneath an old railway bridge and into open fields with a distant view of Bolton Castle. The walk ends up on the trail of the waterfalls, where you can enjoy these at leisure.

Aysgarth Falls has an onsite visitor centre, small shop and cafe.

Bolton Castle

Bolton Castle is a well-preserved 14th century castle known for its luxurious design and for having been a prison for Mary Queen of Scots. As well as the castle itself there are a number of other attractions in the grounds such as falconry, archery and wild boar feeding.

Buttertubs Pass

A high moorland road between Wensleydale and Swaledale, Buttertubs Pass is a spectacular drive. Stop at the top for windswept but far-reaching views over the dales.

Countryside Walks

The Yorkshire Dales is a spectacular part of England, with open fields and rolling hills everywhere you look. Download the Ordinance Survey Map app and find a walk that suits you, there are many footpaths that criss cross Wensleydale. From the village of Askrigg you can walk out into the open fields with pretty views, the babbling River Ure and fields full of sheep and old cow barns.

Askrigg

Askrigg is a picturesque village in the heart of Wensleydale and would make for an excellent place to stay. There are holiday cottages, hotels, inns and B&Bs in the village. Askrigg is a compact village with a few gift shops, a tea room and a handful of pubs.

You may recognise Askrigg as the filming location for All Creatures Great and Small.

Best Pubs In Askrigg

Askrigg has a few pubs to choose from. My favourites are:

• The Middle House – an upmarket hotel and pub with an elevated Sunday lunch.
• The Kings Arms – for tasty food, a cosy atmosphere and good beer.

Where To Stay

Hawes and Askrigg are both good bases to explore Wensleydale. We stayed in Cringley Cottage in Askrigg which is a cosy stone cottage in the centre of the village, perfect for a family of 4. For a full list of accommodation options have a look here.

Getting Here

The Yorkshire Dales are located a 5 hour drive from London and 1.5 hours from the city of York.

You’ll need a car to explore this area.

Further Afield

There are many other dales you can explore. Just along from Wensleydale is Swaledale and the village of Reeth. Further afield but still in the Yorkshire Dales are the iconic landmarks of Malham Cove and the Ribblehead Viaduct.

To extend your trip even further, why not explore the neighbouring Lake District, a beautiful part of England. Read my full guide to the Lake District here. Or continue north to the abundance of castles and coastline in beautiful Northumberland. Read my full guide to Northumberland here.

We recently visited Wensleydale and the Yorkshire Dales as part of a month long road-trip around England. Read the full trip reports here.