Reeth is the main village of Swaledale, with stone houses, pubs and tearooms around a big, sloping green, and the fells rising on every side. It grew rich on lead mining, and the old workings and smelt mills still scar the hills around it.
It is a base for walking in the upper dale. Paths run along the river to Grinton, up the side valley of Arkengarthdale, and to the hay meadows of Muker and Keld, which are full of wildflowers in June. The Coast to Coast path passes through. The small Swaledale Museum covers lead mining and farming in the dale.