Visit Hawes and Wensleydale with the Kids

Are you headed to Wensleydale for a holiday? Maybe you’re looking for a place for a family friendly day trip…

Hawes and the surrounding areas are packed with family friendly places to visit and you’ll find ALL the details right here!

Want to know what stuff there is to do in Hawes and Wensleydale for the Kids?

Yes? Well you are in the right place! We love a trip to Hawes, and there really is so much to do with the family on a day trip or even a staycation! Hawes is located at the top end of Wensleydale and is a pretty and bustling market town. With cobbled streets, waterfalls and views out to some of the highest peaks of the Yorkshire Dales, you need to get yourself to Hawes!

What’s great for the kids to do whilst you are there?

Well take a scroll down, we’ll tell you all about it!

Mill Gill Force in Wensleydale

Our best Hawes Walks

Hawes is a hub for family friendly walks and is located RIGHT in the midst of some of the BEST waterfalls the Yorkshire Dales has to offer! We have loads of walks in the Wensleydale area, but here are a few of our favourites!

Do you want to find a waterfall? Well, I’ll be honest, you’re spoiled for choice! Try walking to Aysgill Force from the centre of Hawes, or take a short drive to Hardraw Force. A more challenging waterfall walk is Mill Gill and Whitfield Gill Force down the road in Askrigg, or who can ignore the classic Aysgarth Falls?! You can try walking it from West Burton to bag an extra waterfall too! Looking for pushchair friendly? Head to Cotter Force!

Looking for a woodland walk? Check out Freeholders Wood next to Aysgarth Falls

Want to walk around one of the only lakes in the Yorkshire Dales? Head to Semerwater!

Paddleboarding on Semerwater

Outdoor Activities for Kids near Hawes

You will NOT be surprised to hear that there is a whole LOAD of outdoorsy activities around Hawes that are great for the kids!

Ever heard of the Forbidden Corner? A day here will take you on a journey through a bizarre and outrageous labyrinth, you will witness crazy follies, get absolutely soaking and also there is an adventure playground. Which is precisely why it’s my two’s absolute favourite places to go in the whole of the Yorkshire Dales! Lucky for you, the Forbidden Corner is just down the road from Hawes, near Leyburn. The attraction is seasonal and operates roughly between April and October.

Fancy a trip to a castle? Bolton Castle is located in Wensleydale and opens roughly between March and October. You can take a tour of the castle and often during school holidays you will find seasonal trails or activities on.

Are water sports your thing? You can head up to Semerwater and launch from the beach there. The land is privately owned and the farmer requires payment. Simply head from the car park on the shore up to his farmhouse and you’ll either find him, or the parking tickets there. You will require Insurance to launch on Semerwater so make sure that’s sorted before going.

Do you want to go cycling? Head to Stage 1 Cycles at the Yorkshire Dales Countryside Museum for bike and equipment hire.

The doors into the Labyrinth of Forbidden Corner
The Wensleydale Creamery wallace and gromit

Rainy day stuff to do in Hawes

Come on guys… it’s Yorkshire. The likelihood is, you’ll be dealing with rain at some point! But NEVER FEAR! For we have some IDEAS (see what I did there? Poet and I don’t know it and all that….)

Where does it not rain (much!) in a CAVE! White Scar cave in Ingleton is just down the road (20-30 mins drive)

The Wensleydale Creamery is also located in Hawes and has a visitor centre with loads of family friendly stuff to do there! Plus it’s all about cheese. And when in Wensleydale, you almost CERTAINLY have to do something related to CHEESE!

The Dales Countryside Museum is located right in the middle of the town and is a great place to stop off on a rainy day. There are plenty of interactive elements for the kids to check out and often there are seasonal activities too in the school holidays there are also nature trails around the area and the car park is a dark skies reserve! Check out the Dales Countryside Museum for more info.

On a rainy day what you need is…. ICE CREAM! Located on the road between Leyburn and Hawes is the Wensleydale Ice Cream Parlour & Coffee Shop serving ice cream as well as hot drinks and light bites.

On the swings at Hawes play park

Where’s the play park in Hawes?

This is OBVIOUSLY essential information when visiting anywhere with kids!

So, I’ll TELL you where the park is at Hawes!

It’s almost directly opposite the Dales Countryside Museum on Burtersett Road. It is a decent sized play area, perhaps a little rough round the edges, but when you’re a kid, that doesn’t really matter does it! Plenty to keep my two occupied for a half hour or so!

What 3 Words: musically.toasted.apron

There is a further play area down the road in Bainbridge, outside the pub! If you want to find out more about the Yorkshire Dales Play Parks, head to our A-Z guide!

A Day Out in Hawes must do Itinerary

Ok. You only have a day in Hawes, what would we recommend you do?!

Grab a breakfast and a brew from Cafe Curva.

Take a walk to Aysgill Force waterfall (pictured)

Grab a tasty lunch from the Wensleydale Creamery Cafe.

Take a tour of the Wensleydale Cheese Factory and watch it being made.

Go to the park!

Squeeze in a tour of the Dale Countryside Museum if you can.

Head to The White Hart for a cheeky tasty family friendly pub tea!

Scroll using the arrows for all our Family Friendly Walks

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