Library and Customer Services Centre and the Community Office

The Library and Customer Services Centre sits right in Hawes, a proper Wensleydale village where you can grab a coffee and sort out council business all under one roof. It's not your dusty Victorian library with creaking shelves - this is a modern, functional space that locals actually use. You'll find the usual book collection, computers with internet access, and a quiet reading area that works well if you've had enough of the Pennine wind for one afternoon.

It's honestly more useful than thrilling. Walkers passing through Hawes might pop in to check the weather forecast or charge their phones. Families with young kids could spend twenty minutes browsing the children's section, but you're not here for a day out - you're here because you need something specific. The Community Office handles local services, so it's handy if you're camping at Hawes Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite just down the road and need help booking activities or sorting information about the Dale.

Free to enter, obviously. Allow half an hour maximum unless you're settling in for serious research. The real draw of Hawes is walking country - the Pennine Way runs nearby, and Hardraw Force waterfall is within striking distance. If you're based at one of the local campsites, this spot serves its purpose well enough on a rainy morning. It's not worth planning around, but it's handy to know it's there.