Hawes and Gayle offer a concentrated set of genuinely interesting things to do for a small settlement. The Wensleydale Creamery, the Dales Countryside Museum, Gayle Mill, and Outhwaite's ropemakers are all within a short walk of the town centre, and Hardraw Force — the highest single-drop waterfall in England — is less than two kilometres north. The Pennine Way passes through Hawes, making the town a natural waypoint for long-distance walkers.