Wensleydale Creamery

Short Introduction

Wensleydale Creamery is a cheese visitor centre in Hawes, in the Yorkshire Dales, North Yorkshire.

It is best known as the home of Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese, with a visitor centre, cheese experience, tasting areas, shop, café and restaurant. You can learn about the area’s long cheesemaking heritage, see how cheese is made, sample different varieties and buy local food gifts to take home.

The Creamery describes itself as home to its flagship Cheese Experience and Visitor Centre, with a cheesemaking heritage in the Yorkshire Dales going back around 1,000 years.

Location: Gayle Lane, Hawes, Wensleydale
Postcode: DL8 3RN
County: North Yorkshire

What You Can See and Do

Wensleydale Creamery is a good choice if you like food, local produce, factory-style visits and relaxed indoor attractions.

The main visitor feature is the Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese Experience, where you can learn about the history of cheesemaking in the Dales and find out how Yorkshire Wensleydale is produced. The visitor centre includes cheese-related displays, demonstrations, tasting opportunities and views into parts of the creamery where cheesemaking takes place. Visit North Yorkshire describes it as the UK’s flagship Cheese Experience, with live demonstrations, a tasting room and the chance to peek inside the Creamery to watch the cheesemakers at work.

You can also visit the cheese shop and gift shop, where you’ll find different cheeses, chutneys, hampers, local produce and gifts. If you enjoy food shopping, this can be one of the highlights of the visit.

This is not a high-adrenaline attraction. It is more of a gentle, tasty and educational stop, especially useful if you are exploring Hawes, Wensleydale or the Yorkshire Dales.

Making the Most of Your Visit

Wensleydale Creamery works well as part of a wider day in Hawes.

You could visit the Cheese Experience, have lunch or coffee, browse the shop, then explore Hawes itself or nearby Dales attractions. The Yorkshire Dales National Park describes Hawes as a magical little market town with plenty to do and lots of walks in the surrounding Wensleydale area.

If you particularly want to see cheesemaking or demonstrations, check before travelling because production and demonstrations may vary by day or season.

It is also a useful wet-weather option, because much of the visitor experience is indoors. If you are staying in the Dales, it can be a good way to add something different to a walking, sightseeing or countryside break.

Practical Information

Wensleydale Creamery is on Gayle Lane, Hawes, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire. The Yorkshire Dales National Park lists the address as Wensleydale Creamery, Gayle Lane, Hawes, Wensleydale, North Yorkshire.

There is a visitor centre, cheese shop, gift shop, coffee shop, restaurant and Cheese Experience. The Yorkshire Dales National Park listing gives separate opening information for the cheese shop, coffee shop, restaurant and Cheese Experience, but these details can change, so check the latest information before travelling.

Hawes is a small Dales town, so roads can be rural and parking can be busier during holidays, weekends and good-weather periods.

Opening times, ticket prices, demonstrations and food-service hours may vary, so check before making a special journey.

How Long to Allow

Most people should allow around 1.5 to 2 hours for Wensleydale Creamery.

That gives you time for the Cheese Experience, tasting, browsing the shop and having a drink or snack.

Allow longer if you plan to eat in the restaurant, explore Hawes, visit the Dales Countryside Museum, or combine the Creamery with a walk or nearby waterfall.

Budget Tips

The shop can be tempting, especially if you enjoy cheese, chutneys, hampers or food gifts, so it is worth deciding whether you are just visiting the attraction or also planning to buy things to take home.

Check whether you need tickets for the Cheese Experience and whether there are family tickets, children’s prices or online booking options. The official visitor information lists ticket options for the Cheese Experience, including family tickets, but prices can change.

If you are keeping costs down, you could combine the Creamery with free or low-cost time in Hawes, a short walk, or nearby scenic viewpoints.

Food, Drink and Nearby Facilities

Food and drink are a strong part of the visit.

The Creamery has a coffee shop and restaurant, and the cheese shop is a useful place to buy local food, gifts or something to enjoy later. The Yorkshire Dales National Park listing mentions the 1897 Coffee Shop and Calvert’s Restaurant as part of the visitor facilities.

Hawes also has cafés, pubs, small shops and other places to eat nearby, so you can easily make the Creamery part of a longer visit to the town.

If you are travelling with children or older visitors, check toilets, food times and accessibility details before setting off.

Nearby Attractions and Rainy-Day Alternatives

Wensleydale Creamery is a useful rainy-day attraction because much of it is indoors.

Nearby attractions and places to visit include:

Dales Countryside Museum
Hawes town centre
Hardraw Force
Aysgill Force
Bolton Castle
Aysgarth Falls
Wensleydale walks and viewpoints
Yorkshire Dales villages and scenic drives

If the weather is good, combine the Creamery with a short walk, waterfall visit or scenic drive through Wensleydale. If the weather is poor, the Creamery and Dales Countryside Museum make a useful indoor combination.