TV & Film Locations in Harrogate

Well we do live in one of the most beautiful areas on earth so there's no wonder Hollywood often pays us a visit to use Yorkshire as it's backdrop. If you fancy seeing places you know and love on the big screen, or even paying then a visit in person, check out all the TV and film locations in Harrogate & Yorkshire below.

Film Locations - Harrogate & North Yorkshire

Did you know there are not one but 2 Christmas films set in Knaresborough?! A Very British Christmas from 2019 and Tinsel Town most recently in 2025. I think I was the only person in Harrogate that didn’t get a selfie with Keifer Sutherland while they were filming.

In A Very British Christmas there are some great scenes showing Knaresborough Castle and the viaduct plus I think I spotted Stockeld Park in there too!

The less said about Tinsel Town the better but it was nice to see the backdrops of Knaresborough and Wetherby.

One of the biggest and newest movies filmed in the area has to be Paddington 2 – did you spot the Bilton to Ripley bike path and viaduct at the end of the movie?

Brimham Rocks is so magical that a whole host of famous movies have been filmed there including The Dark Crystal, Jane Eyre, Hound of the Baskervilles, Wuthering Heights and Ivanhoe to name but a few!

The highly acclaimed 1981 film Chariots of Fire used the inside of The Hales Bar for one of their scenes and also transformed Crescent Gardens in to a Parisian street cafe.

We are massive Harry Potter fans in this house so I couldn’t write this without mentioning Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Pt1) in which you can see both Malham Cove and York train station and also Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which features Goathland Station.

The best way to get the full experience is to book a Moors explorer ticket on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway so you can arrive at Hogsmeade station by train, just like Harry! Or climb the 400 stone steps up Malham Cove to walk along limestone pavement.

And Voldemort himself was seen recently in Harrogate and Saltaire filming The Choral. Ralph Feinnes and a star studded cast were filming in and around the Crown Hotel.

A very young looking Dustin Hoffman and Vanessa Redgrave starred in the 1979 film Agatha, a film about Agatha Christie who famously disappeared and was eventually found at The Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate.

Robin Hood Prince of Thieves – when Robin fights Big John you might recognise the backdrop as being Aysgarth Falls. If you want to visit, there are full details on a gorgeous circular walk taking in views of the falls on The Reluctant Explorers blog.

Sycamore Gap also makes an appearance in the film and is nearly chopped down…could it have been a premonition for what was to come?

Harewood House hosted the cast and crew of Downton Abbey the movie in 2018 filming both inside the house and in the grounds and gardens. Harewood can also be spotted in the latest Land Rover advert!

Ok so my last film is a bit out there…I was brought up watching this film but when I mentioned it on Instagram lately, no-one had heard of it. Please let me know if you’ve watched it!….

The Water Babies is set in Yorkshire with scenes in and around York. One of the main scenes (I won’t say which because I don’t want to give anything away) is filmed at The Strid which is on the river Wharfe close to Bolton Abbey. We took regular trips there when I was younger so I used to love seeing it on the big screen too.

TV Filming Locations – Harrogate & North Yorkshire

Plumpton Rocks has been host to the film Swallows and Amazons and most recently season 2 of The Witcher on Netflix.

The Witcher was also filmed at Fountains abbey which can be clearly seen in Season 2 Episode 3 – What is Lost.

If you’re a fan of Bridgerton you’re bound to have spotted Castle Howard in Episode 6, doubling as Clyvedon Castle.

Yorkshire’s best loved soap, Emmerdale, is filmed on location on the Harwood House estate. You can even book tickets to visit the village! https://www.emmerdalevillagetour.co.uk/. And if you are ever watching re-runs, keep an eye out for yours truly! Many moons ago I was lucky to be in a couple of episodes as an extra - one of the perks of going to school with the director's son.

Is there anywhere I’ve missed? Let me know and I’ll get them added.

Claire x