diff --git a/pyfive/high_level.py b/pyfive/high_level.py
index fbc41344..bc52bf5d 100644
--- a/pyfive/high_level.py
+++ b/pyfive/high_level.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """ High-level classes for reading HDF5 files.  """
 
-from collections import Mapping, deque
+from collections import Mapping, deque, Sequence
 from io import open     # Python 2.7 requires for a Buffered Reader
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ def fillvalue(self):
     @property
     def dims(self):
         """ dims attribute. """
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        return DimensionManager(self)
 
     @property
     def attrs(self):
@@ -307,3 +307,39 @@ def attrs(self):
         if self._attrs is None:
             self._attrs = self._dataobjects.get_attributes()
         return self._attrs
+
+
+class DimensionManager(Sequence):
+    """ Represents a collection of dimensions associated with a dataset. """
+    def __init__(self, dset):
+        ndim = len(dset.shape)
+        dim_list = [[]]*ndim
+        if 'DIMENSION_LIST' in dset.attrs:
+            dim_list = dset.attrs['DIMENSION_LIST']
+        dim_labels = [b'']*ndim
+        if 'DIMENSION_LABELS' in dset.attrs:
+            dim_labels = dset.attrs['DIMENSION_LABELS']
+        self._dims = [
+            DimensionProxy(dset.file, label, refs) for
+            label, refs in zip(dim_labels, dim_list)]
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return len(self._dims)
+
+    def __getitem__(self, x):
+        return self._dims[x]
+
+
+class DimensionProxy(Sequence):
+    """ Represents a HDF5 "dimension". """
+
+    def __init__(self, dset_file, label, refs):
+        self.label = label.decode('utf-8')
+        self._refs = refs
+        self._file = dset_file
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return len(self._refs)
+
+    def __getitem__(self, x):
+        return self._file[self._refs[x]]
diff --git a/tests/dim_scales.hdf5 b/tests/dim_scales.hdf5
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fc775f37
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/dim_scales.hdf5 differ
diff --git a/tests/make_dim_scales.py b/tests/make_dim_scales.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25cccec2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/make_dim_scales.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env python
+""" Create a HDF5 file with dimension scales and labels . """
+import h5py
+import numpy as np
+
+f = h5py.File('dim_scales.hdf5', 'w')
+
+common_args = {
+    'track_times': False,
+    'dtype': 'i4',
+}
+
+# dataset with dimension labels and scales
+f.create_dataset('dset1', data=np.ones((4, 3, 2)), **common_args)
+
+# dimension labels
+f['dset1'].dims[0].label = 'z'
+f['dset1'].dims[1].label = 'y'
+f['dset1'].dims[2].label = 'x'
+
+# dimension scales
+f.create_dataset('x1', data=[1, 2], **common_args)
+f.create_dataset('y1', data=[3, 4, 5], **common_args)
+f.create_dataset('z1', data=[0, 10, 20, 30], **common_args)
+f.create_dataset('x2', data=[99, 98], **common_args)
+
+f['dset1'].dims.create_scale(f['x1'], 'x1_name')
+f['dset1'].dims.create_scale(f['y1'], 'y1_name')
+f['dset1'].dims.create_scale(f['z1'], 'z1_name')
+
+f['dset1'].dims[0].attach_scale(f['z1'])
+f['dset1'].dims[1].attach_scale(f['y1'])
+f['dset1'].dims[2].attach_scale(f['x1'])
+f['dset1'].dims[2].attach_scale(f['x2'])
+
+# dataset with no dimension entries
+f.create_dataset('dset2', data=np.ones((4, 3, 2)), **common_args)
+
+f.close()
diff --git a/tests/test_dim_scales.py b/tests/test_dim_scales.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ce97b4b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_dim_scales.py
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+""" Unit tests for pyfive dimension scales. """
+
+import os
+
+from numpy.testing import assert_array_equal
+
+import pyfive
+
+DIRNAME = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+DIM_SCALES_HDF5_FILE = os.path.join(DIRNAME, './dim_scales.hdf5')
+
+
+def test_dim_labels():
+
+    hfile = pyfive.File(DIM_SCALES_HDF5_FILE)
+
+    # dataset with dimension labels
+    dims = hfile['dset1'].dims
+    assert dims[0].label == 'z'
+    assert dims[1].label == 'y'
+    assert dims[2].label == 'x'
+
+    # dataset with no dimension labels
+    dims = hfile['dset2'].dims
+    assert dims[0].label == ''
+    assert dims[1].label == ''
+    assert dims[2].label == ''
+
+    hfile.close()
+
+
+def test_dim_scales():
+
+    hfile = pyfive.File(DIM_SCALES_HDF5_FILE)
+
+    # dataset with dimension scales
+    dims = hfile['dset1'].dims
+
+    assert len(dims) == 3
+
+    assert len(dims[0]) == 1
+    assert len(dims[1]) == 1
+    assert len(dims[2]) == 2
+
+    assert dims[0][0].name == '/z1'
+    assert dims[1][0].name == '/y1'
+    assert dims[2][0].name == '/x1'
+    assert dims[2][1].name == '/x2'
+
+    assert_array_equal(dims[0][0][:], [0, 10, 20, 30])
+    assert_array_equal(dims[1][0][:], [3, 4, 5])
+    assert_array_equal(dims[2][0][:], [1, 2])
+    assert_array_equal(dims[2][1][:], [99, 98])
+
+    # dataset with no dimension scales
+    dims = hfile['dset2'].dims
+
+    assert len(dims) == 3
+
+    assert len(dims[0]) == 0
+    assert len(dims[1]) == 0
+    assert len(dims[2]) == 0
+
+    hfile.close()