The rolling hills, mysterious castles and friendly local smiles all add up to a television show you simply have to see for yourself, away from the screen.
If you're longing to visit your favourite TV show locations for real, here's how!
Heartbeat (Whitby/Goathland)
The pretty Ugthorpe Lodge Hotel near Whitby is great place to stay if you're keen to seek out some locations from the TV show Heartbeat. This popular British police drama series was set in 1960s Yorkshire and aired between 1992 and 2010. Although the town featured in the show, Ashfordly, was fictional, it was based on the village Goathland in the North York Moors, and most of it was filmed there too.
If you head to Goathland, you can visit the Aidensfield Garage, Aidensfield Stores, the Aidensfield Arms, Aidensfield Post Office and, most importantly, Aidensfield Police House. Don’t miss the North York Moors National Park, where you can see typically English trickling streams, pretty green hills, rivers, purple heather moors and rivers.
Flickr: HHA124L
Downton Abbey (Highclere Castle)
Downton Abbey has taken the world by storm, following the lives of the Crawley family and the servants who work for them. The characters' lives were all changed irrevocably during the First World War, but the show was actually written with Yorkshire’s Highclere Castle in mind. The real family, the Carnarvons, who have lived there amongst 1000 acres since 1679, are now having to let appreciative tourists check the place out. 30,000 people a year used to visit Highclere Castle, a number which has doubled sine the show became so successful.
You can reserve a place to sneak a peek inside the many bedrooms that you may have seen on the television. Don't have a ticket? Not to worry. You can still wander the woods and gardens around the estate and pretend you're part of the cast.
Flickr: Richard Munckton
Kingdom (Norfolk)
Country solicitor Peter Kingdom, played by Stephen Fry, has his work cut out for him, what with his eccentric clients, missing brother and needy sister. Kingdom takes place in the fictional town of Market Shipborough, and most of the series was shot in Norfolk.
A visit to Swaffham should bring back a few memories from the show – most importantly, the marketplace and the 18th century Buttecross Oakleigh House, which became Kingdom’s office. Look out for famous pedlar John Chapman on the Swaffham town sign, which on TV becomes the Market Shipborough sign. And you might recognise The Greyhound pub which, in Kingdom, becomes The Startled Duck. If you want to see the harbour and quayside, head to Wells-next-the-Sea in North Norfolk. The spectacular beach scenes are shot at Holkham.
Wikipedia: Androz
Midsomer Murders (Oxfordshire)
Midsomer Murders might be a fictional show, but the villages and market towns we get to see in each mysterious episode definitely aren't. If you’re visiting London on holiday, you can see the stunning Midsomer Murders countryside on a drive through South Oxfordshire, which you can reach easily from the M4 and M40.
Make like DCI John and Tom Barnaby and take a look around yourself, or take a tour with an actor who has actually appeared in a few episodes of Midsomer Murders over the years. He will show you specific filming locations such as huge houses, ancient churches, pubs with crackling fireplaces, sweet Olde English stores and captivating village greens.
Flickr: Ella's Dad
