Film & TV

Last of the Summer Wine | Emmerdale | All Creatures Great and Small | Heartbeat

From the movie greats to the nation’s favourite TV soaps, Yorkshire provides the perfect backdrop.   For millions of viewers, the unmistakable images of Yorkshire, its places and its people, are almost as real as their own home and family.

Homely villages, historic houses, market towns and vibrant cities provide the ideal setting.  Character and tradition including the famous northern pub, stunning scenery and a range of attractions and film and literary locations keep even the most devoted book and TV addicts satisfied.

From London to Los Angeles, Yorkshire is a name these days in the film industry.   The region has been used as the location for a host of internationally renowned films turning it into one of Britain’s biggest film sets. 

Urban realism characterised ‘Brassed Off’ (Barnsley and Halifax); Oscar nominated ‘Little Voice’ (Scarborough), international smash ‘The Full Monty’ (Sheffield) and Golden Globe nominated ‘Calendar Girls’ (Skipton and Ilkley) are all examples of successful films shot in and around Yorkshire. 

Do you remember Kevin Costner taking a bath in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves?  Or the fight scene on the tops of the waterfall with Little John? This is where some scenes were shot in the beautiful surroundings of Aysgarth Falls.  More recently ‘Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone’ where the North Yorkshire Moors Railway which played a big part, with scenes filmed on both the train and at Pickering and Goathland stations. The Secret Garden was filmed in 1993 and is a delightful tale of three children and their discovery of a magical, secret place. Filmed in Allerton Park, Knaresborough and Fountains Abbey, the film really showcases some of North Yorkshire's finest locations.

Yorkshire has proved a sensational counterpoint to the rural screen images of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’; top rated ‘Heartbeat’ and television evergreen ‘Last of the Summer Wine’, that most quirky of Yorkshire’s screen personas.

‘Emmerdale’ made Lower Wharfedale familiar to millions. The fictional Yorkshire village of Emmerdale is now one of the most recognised and famous 'places' in the Yorkshire Dales. The soap is filmed on a purpose built set on the Harewood House estate, in between Leeds and Harrogate, and although not open to visitors, the area is so beautiful it is highly regarded as a popular day out. Many of the scenes in the title sequence are actually in Arncliffe and Littondale.

Yorkshire Television continues to film cult series ‘Heartbeat’ around the North York Moors, in particularly the village of Goathland.   Whitby starred as the location for Gwyneth Paltrow in AS Byatt’s novel ‘Possession’ and Castle Howard acted as the stunning setting for ‘Brideshead Revisited’.

Film reworks the genius of the Brontes time and again.   Juliet Binoche for example filmed for ‘Wuthering Heights’ in Wharfedale and at East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley.

Interested in a trip around some of the spotlights in Yorkshire?  Then read on for some great inspiration for your visit into the world of TV and film!

Day one

Morning  - Holmfirth, Huddersfield

Famous for one of TVs best loved shows, Last of the Summer Wine, Holmfirth is located in the stunning Holme Valley in Pennine Yorkshire.   When you arrive, enjoy morning coffee in the Wrinkled Stocking Tearoom before joining a local guide for a magical tour of the summer wine film locations.  Catch the vintage TV location bus which sets off outside the café.  This is a 10 mile trip of the Holme Valley taking in the famous steps of ‘Nora Batty’ and the studio where the filming of ‘Wesleys Garage’ and ‘Edies Cottage’ took place. 

Afternoon – National Media Museum, Bradford

Explore the exciting world of television in the National Media Museum’s revamped television gallery – Experience TV. Try your hand at reading the news, present the weather or star in your own TV show.    Take a trip down memory lane in TV Heaven – choose from over 900 TV programmes and then sit back and indulge yourself in one of the viewing spaces which seat 2-5 people.

 

Day Two

Morning – Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Haworth

First thing this morning, lets have a ride on a real steam train!  Travel to Haworth and catch the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway to Oxenhope where the Classic film The Railway Children was filmed.

Afternoon – Calendar Girls, Kettlewell

During the afternoon, enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you travel into the Yorkshire Dales.   Arrive in Kettlewell, the fictional village of Knapeley featured in the story of ‘Calendar Girls’. Explore the surroundings that were the settings for this famous film where the Yorkshire Dales has lots to offer including wonderful scenery and renowned Yorkshire hospitality. 

 

Day Three

Morning – Herriot Country and Castle Howard

This morning, travel over to the North York Moors passing through Herriot Country on the way. This area takes its name from one of the world’s best loved vets, James Herriot.  Stop and visit the World of James Herriot Museum and find out more about the TV series All Creatures Great and Small.

Then it’s on to Castle Howard where you can explore this unique film set.  Castle Howard has been used as a location for many film and television productions including Brideshead Revisited.

Afternoon – Goathland, Near Whitby

Down the road from Castle Howard you find the picturesque village of Pickering in the North York Moors. Climb aboard a train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and head for the village of Goathland (known to many as Aidensfield in Heartbeat).  While in Aidensfield, why not have a look around the village at some of the quaint shops and sample a pint in the Aidensfield Arms! The properties filmed in the programme include the Post Office, (Aidensfield Stores), the Goathland Hotel (Aidensfields Arms) and Glendale House (Dr Ferrenby’s surgery).