Yorkshire Moors

Things to Do

North York Moors film & TV locations

The moors have been a film set for decades, a wizard's railway station, a 1960s village policeman's beat, a vampire's landing point and a duke's stately pile. Here is where to walk in the footsteps of the screen.

Stone cottages lining a quiet North York Moors village street with moorland hills beyond, the kind of village used as a screen location

Goathland: Aidensfield and Hogsmeade

The pretty moorland village of Goathland does double duty. For a generation it was Aidensfield in the long-running ITV series Heartbeat, the Aidensfield Arms (the Goathland Hotel) and Scripps Garage are still there. Goathland Station starred as Hogsmeade in the first Harry Potter film.

The steam railway on screen

The North York Moors Railway itself has form: as well as the Harry Potter connection, Levisham station stood in for the Austrian Alps in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (filmed here in 2021), Grosmont station appeared in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and Pickering Station was transformed into King's Cross for the 2019 Downton Abbey film. Ride it and spot the scenes.

Whitby and Dracula

The atmospheric clifftop town of Whitby, with its abbey ruins and 199 steps, was a key setting in Bram Stoker's Dracula, still the backdrop to the town's famous Goth Weekends.

Castle Howard: Brideshead and Bridgerton

On the moors' southern doorstep near Malton, the magnificent Castle Howard is one of Britain's most filmed houses: the definitive Brideshead Revisited (both the 1981 series and the 2008 film), the Duke of Hastings' estate in Netflix's Bridgerton and Queen Charlotte, Kensington Palace in Victoria, and more. Its house and grounds are a grand day out in their own right.

Make a film-fan day of it

Pickering makes a good base for the railway and the locations; combine a steam-train ride to Goathland with the village's Heartbeat and Harry Potter sights, then the coast for Whitby's Dracula connections. See where to stay.

Frequently asked questions

Where was Heartbeat filmed?
The village of Goathland in the North York Moors played Aidensfield; the Aidensfield Arms (the Goathland Hotel) and Scripps Garage can still be visited.
Which Harry Potter scenes were filmed in the North York Moors?
Goathland Station on the North York Moors Railway appeared as Hogsmeade Station in the first Harry Potter film.
Was Bridgerton filmed near the North York Moors?
Yes, Castle Howard, near Malton on the moors' southern edge, played the Duke of Hastings' estate in Bridgerton, and has also starred as Brideshead in Brideshead Revisited.
Can you visit the North York Moors film locations?
Yes, Goathland (Heartbeat and Harry Potter), the North York Moors Railway, Whitby (Dracula) and Castle Howard (Brideshead, Bridgerton) are all open to visitors.

Stay near the locations

Pickering and the central moors put the railway, Goathland and the coast all within easy reach.

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Top answers for the Yorkshire Moors

All questions in the full FAQ hub →

Quick, straight answers to the questions visitors ask most. Each one links through to the fuller guide.

Is Wuthering Heights set on the North York Moors?

No. Emily Bronte's moors are the South Pennine moors around Haworth in West Yorkshire, often called Bronte Country, on the other side of the county. The North York Moors have their own literary claims, most famously Bram Stoker's Dracula, which opens at Whitby.

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What are the top things to do in the North York Moors?

Ride the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, walk the heather moors and the Cleveland Way, explore Rievaulx and Whitby abbeys, see the Hole of Horcum and Sutton Bank, visit Goathland and Thornton-le-Dale, and spend a day on the coast at Whitby or Robin Hood's Bay.

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Is the North York Moors suitable for a gentle, accessible or senior-friendly day out?

Yes, many highlights (Sutton Bank, the Hole of Horcum viewpoint, Thornton-le-Dale, the steam railway, coastal esplanades) can be enjoyed with little or no walking, and there are level, accessible trails and plenty of tearooms.

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Is the North York Moors good for cycling and mountain biking?

Yes, Dalby Forest is the region's mountain-biking hub with graded trails and bike hire, and quiet lanes, forest tracks and the Moor to Sea network suit road and gravel riders.

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What wildlife can you see in the North York Moors?

Moorland birds including red grouse, curlew, golden plover and the merlin (Britain's smallest bird of prey), deer, and on the coast seals and seabirds, with occasional whales and dolphins offshore. Spring brings lambs and daffodils.

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Is the North York Moors good for kids and families?

Very, the steam railway, Dalby Forest (play trails, cycling, Go Ape), beaches and rock-pooling, the Farndale daffodil walk and easy moor-top strolls all suit families.

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