Yorkshire Film Locations:
James Herriot, Harry Potter & Heartbeat
Yorkshire film locations attract visitors from around the world. From All Creatures Great and Small and James Herriot to Harry Potter, Heartbeat, Wuthering Heights and the Brontë sisters, Yorkshire is home to some of Britain’s most famous film, television and literary locations.
Visitors can explore real villages, market towns, heritage railways and dramatic landscapes that have inspired writers, filmmakers and television producers for generations. These are not purpose-built sets. Grassington, Goathland, Goathland Station, Whitby and Haworth are genuine Yorkshire places with the character, scenery and atmosphere that made them famous on screen.
As local guides at Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours, we’ve spent more than 16 years showing visitors the best of the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and Brontë Country. Many of these locations can be visited on our Yorkshire day tours from York, combining famous filming locations with local stories, hidden viewpoints and some of England’s finest countryside.
Yorkshire’s Most Famous Film, TV and Literary Locations
From Darrowby and Aidensfield to Hogsmeade Station and Brontë Country, Yorkshire offers an unusually rich mix of screen and literary heritage. The most popular locations include Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, Goathland and Goathland Station in the North York Moors, Whitby on the Yorkshire coast, and Haworth, the historic home of the Brontë sisters.
All Creatures Great and Small & James Herriot Country
Grassington doubles as Darrowby in the Channel 5 adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small.
One of the most common questions visitors ask is: “Where is All Creatures Great and Small filmed?”
Many scenes from the current Channel 5 and PBS adaptation are filmed in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, with Grassington doubling as the fictional market town of Darrowby. Walking through the village today, fans may recognise familiar streets and buildings, although some locations are surprisingly easy to miss without a guide because the production team transforms parts of the village during filming.
For example, the exterior of The Devonshire Hotel becomes The Drovers Arms in All Creatures Great and Small. Visitors can enjoy lunch or a drink there while exploring the village.
The stories of James Herriot were inspired by local veterinary surgeon Alf Wight, who wrote under the pen name James Herriot and lived and worked in North Yorkshire for much of his career. The rolling valleys, dry stone walls, grazing sheep and stone-built villages of the Yorkshire Dales remain central to the appeal of both the books and television adaptations.
Visitors who want a full Herriot experience can join our Private All Creatures Great and Small Yorkshire Dales Tour, which can include the World of James Herriot Museum, Grassington, filming locations from the current adaptation and scenery associated with the original 1978 BBC series. Our small-group Herriot and Yorkshire Dales Day Trip from York is ideal for visitors who want an introduction to James Herriot country alongside beautiful Dales villages, market towns and landscapes.
Heartbeat Country: Goathland and Aidensfield
Goathland became famous as Aidensfield in the long-running television series Heartbeat.
The North York Moors reveal a wilder side of Yorkshire. For millions of viewers, the village of Goathland will always be Aidensfield from Heartbeat.
Although the series ended in 2010, visitors still travel from Britain, North America, Australia and beyond to see one of television’s best-loved villages. The village green, Scripps Garage and familiar shopfronts continue to attract fans, while the surrounding moorland explains why producers chose Goathland in the first place.
Harry Potter Yorkshire Film Location:
Goathland Station
Goathland Station appeared as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Goathland Station appeared as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, making it one of Yorkshire’s most popular film locations. Opened in 1865 and now part of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, the station retains its Victorian charm and is especially atmospheric when a heritage steam or diesel train arrives.
Guests joining our North York Moors, Whitby & Steam Railway Tour can travel on the famous North Yorkshire Moors Railway through spectacular moorland scenery, with discounted railway tickets available through our partnership with the railway.
Whitby: Yorkshire’s Gothic Coast
Many visitors combine Goathland with Whitby, creating one of Yorkshire’s most memorable days out. Whitby is famous for its dramatic abbey, connections to Captain Cook and its role in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Its historic streets, harbour, independent shops and coastal views offer a striking contrast to the open moorland nearby.
Our Whitby & The North York Moors Day Trip from York includes approximately three hours of free time in Whitby. Guests choosing the Moors, Whitby & The Yorkshire Steam Railway Day Trip from York enjoy around two hours in Whitby before travelling on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Both routes are also available as Private Tours for visitors who prefer a more flexible itinerary.
Brontë Country and Haworth
Haworth’s historic Main Street attracts visitors from around the world inspired by the Bronte sisters and Wuthering Heights.
Haworth, where the Brontë sisters lived and wrote, is one of England’s most important literary destinations. Visitors can walk the steep cobbled Main Street, visit the Brontë Parsonage Museum and explore the moorland landscapes associated with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.
The village has also gained renewed attention following Emerald Fennell’s 2026 film adaptation of Wuthering Heights, introducing a new generation to Emily Brontë’s novel and the Yorkshire landscapes that helped shape it. Our Haworth & Yorkshire Dales Private Tour can combine Brontë Country with Bolton Abbey, Bingley Five Rise Locks and traditional Yorkshire Dales villages.
Frequently Asked Questions
About Yorkshire Film and TV Locations
Where was All Creatures Great and Small filmed in Yorkshire?
Many scenes from the current Channel 5 adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small are filmed in Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, which doubles as the fictional market town of Darrowby. Filming also takes place across other parts of the Yorkshire Dales and wider Yorkshire.
Where is Aidensfield from Heartbeat?
Aidensfield, the fictional village in Heartbeat, is Goathland in the North York Moors National Park. The village’s streets, shops and station appeared throughout the series and remain popular with visitors today.
Was Harry Potter filmed in Yorkshire?
Yes. Goathland Station in the North York Moors appeared as Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. It remains one of Yorkshire’s most recognisable film locations.
What are the most famous Yorkshire film locations?
Yorkshire has featured in many films and television series, including All Creatures Great and Small, Heartbeat, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, The Railway Children, Downton Abbey, Peaky Blinders, Dad’s Army and The Secret Garden. Popular locations include Grassington, Goathland, Goathland Station, Whitby, Haworth, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
Discover Yorkshire Beyond the Screen
Film and television may first inspire visitors to explore Yorkshire, but the real places are what people remember. Whether you’re walking through Grassington, standing on the platform at Goathland Station, exploring Whitby or following the Brontë sisters through Haworth, Yorkshire offers scenery and stories that are every bit as memorable as their screen appearances.
Our Yorkshire tours combine famous filming locations with local knowledge, hidden gems and spectacular landscapes. Whichever story first brought you to Yorkshire, we’d be delighted to help you discover the real places behind the books, films and television programmes you love.
Mental Health Awareness Week with Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours
Yorkshire day tours from York offer the perfect opportunity to slow down, reconnect with nature and escape the pace of everyday life.
There is something about Yorkshire in spring that instantly helps people breathe a little deeper.
Lambs fill the fields. Waterfalls rush after the winter rain. The moors turn green again, and winding country roads lead to quiet villages, coastal views and open countryside.
After busy weeks and constant screen time, simply getting outdoors can make a huge difference to how we feel.
Yorkshire day tours from York
At Best of Britain – Yorkshire Day Tours, we are lucky to spend our days exploring some of England’s most beautiful landscapes — from the Yorkshire Dales National Park to the North York Moors and the Yorkshire coast.
But the scenery is only part of it.
Many guests arrive needing a break more than they realise.
Then something changes.
Perhaps it is standing beside a waterfall in the Dales. Watching spring lambs grazing near dry stone walls. Or hearing nothing but birdsong and the distant sound of a steam train crossing the moors.
There is a reason so many people fall in love with the landscapes that inspired James Herriot’s stories. The rolling hills, peaceful villages and slower pace of life still offer the same sense of comfort and escape today.
Nature Has a Way of Grounding Us
Research consistently shows that spending time outdoors can help reduce stress, improve mood, lower anxiety and help us feel more connected.
But honestly, you do not always need research to prove it.
You can feel it yourself standing on the edge of the moors with the wind in your face.
You notice it when the only sounds around you are birdsong, sheep in distant fields, or the gentle rumble of a steam train crossing the countryside.
Yorkshire has a wonderful way of helping people slow down and reconnect — not just with nature, but with themselves.
There is growing scientific evidence behind what many of us instinctively feel after a day outdoors. Spending time in nature has been linked to reduced stress, improved mood and better overall wellbeing, with the NHS increasingly supporting nature-based wellbeing initiatives across the United Kingdom.
Whether it is:
- Watching spring lambs in the Yorkshire Dales
- Walking beside waterfalls and rivers
- Exploring traditional market towns
- Enjoying sea air in Whitby
- Spotting heather-covered moorland
- Or simply taking in the view
…these simple moments stay with people long after the tour ends.
Yorkshire in Spring
Spring is one of the most uplifting times to explore Yorkshire.
- Wildflowers and blossom appearing along country lanes
- Waterfalls at their most dramatic
- Bright green landscapes returning after winter
- Longer evenings and golden sunsets
- Coastal walks coming back to life
It is the perfect season to experience the Yorkshire Dales, North York Moors and coastlines that make this region so special.
More Than Just Sightseeing
Our tours are about more than simply visiting beautiful places.
They are a chance to pause, reconnect and experience the restorative power of nature and the countryside.
Whether you join one of our Yorkshire Dales tours, North York Moors tours or private Yorkshire tours, we hope you leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and inspired by the landscapes around you.
Because sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is step outside and take in the view.