Magic Britain: Explore Britain's fantasy filming locations

Durham Cathedral, Durham, County Durham

With its striking gothic architecture, Durham Cathedral took a starring role in the Harry Potter films. The cathedral’s Chapter House saw Professor McGonagall teach young wizards how to transform animals into water goblets. Additionally, the cloisters served as the backdrop for other scenes, including Ron Weasley succumbing to his slug-vomiting curse in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The cathedral’s snow-covered quadrangle also provided the setting for Harry first letting Hedwig take flight in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.  

Getting around: The nearest major airport to Durham is Newcastle International Airport – around 30 minutes by car or just under an hour by train and metro from Durham.  

Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland 

Stretching 73 miles from coast to coast, this ancient Roman barrier and UNESCO World Heritage Site is a top attraction for history fans and film buffs alike. It’s been the inspiration for many fictional walls (Game of Thrones, of course), and filming occasionally occurs in the surrounding forts and moorland. Notable productions include Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner and the 1970s folk horror film Tam Lin. Your clients can walk sections of the wall, explore immersive museums at Vindolanda and Housesteads, and imagine life on the Roman frontier – with sheep as extras and sweeping landscapes as a backdrop. 

Getting there: From Newcastle Airport, it’s around 45 to 60 minutes by car from the central section of Hadrian’s Wall. Clients can also take a train to Hexham, then continue by taxi to key sites including Housesteads Roman Fort and Vindolanda.

Low Force Waterfall, Upper Teesdale, Northumberland 

Tucked into the North Pennines National Landscape, this picturesque waterfall tumbles over the River Tees. The Witcher and 1917 captured its wild energy on screen. Park at Bowlees Visitor Centre and follow the short trail to see the falls. Your clients can wander across the nearby Wynch Bridge too, said to be one of the oldest suspension bridges in England. 

Getting there: From Newcastle Airport, it’s around one hour and 30 minutes by car. Clients can also take a train to Darlington or Bishop Auckland, followed by a taxi to Bowlees Visitor Centre.

The Shambles, York, North Yorkshire

Get lost in history (and maybe in magic) along The Shambles, a narrow, timber-framed street that is often cited as the inspiration for Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. It has also featured in All Creatures Great and Small. Although its medieval stores and meat-sellers are long gone, the street is now home to an array of sweet shops, cafés and wizard-themed stores. Clients can marvel at the crooked buildings leaning towards each other overhead, while side alleys, called ‘snickelways’, lead to hidden courtyards and other medieval streets. 

Getting there: The nearest major international airport is Manchester Airport, around one hour and 30 minutes by car or around two hours by train.  

Castle Howard, near York, North Yorkshire 

Step into a world of drama – on-screen and off – at Castle Howard, one of England’s grandest stately homes. Famous for its screen credits as well as its baroque architecture, it has starred in Bridgerton and Brideshead Revisited. Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, it’s still privately owned by the Howard family and set in 1,000 acres of parkland. Located 15 miles from York, visitors can tour its lavish interiors, explore walled gardens, and wander lakeside walks with follies and temples. A seasonal programme of events includes art and history tours, and seasonal experiences. Its on-site cafés and farm shop serve estate produce, and holiday cottages offer overnight stays.        

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, York is around one hour and 30 minutes by car or around two hours by train. From York, Castle Howard is 30 minutes by car.

Helmsley Walled Garden, Helmsley, North Yorkshire

Enter The Secret Garden at Helmsley Walled Garden. Designed in 1759, it fell into neglect before being restored as a community project and has since featured in adaptations of The Secret Garden. Today, its five acres, overlooked by Helmsley Castle, brim with herbaceous borders, orchards and glasshouses. Your clients can explore themed areas including wildflower meadows, while guided tours and gardening workshops are part of a packed events programme. The on-site Vine House Café serves meals made from garden produce too.  

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Helmsley Walled Garden is around a two-hour drive. From York, it is around a one-hour drive.   

Rievaulx Abbey, near Helmsley, North Yorkshire 

Discover medieval grandeur at Rievaulx Abbey. Founded in 1132, it grew into one of England’s wealthiest Cistercian monasteries before being dissolved during the reign of Henry VIII. Its ruins, featured in Transformers: The Last Knight, are surrounded by the valley of the River Rye. Explore the ruins with an audio guide, visit the museum packed with artefacts, and enjoy views over the abbey at the café. Walking routes link Rievaulx to Helmsley via 

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Rievaulx Abbey is around a two-hour drive. From York, it is around a one-hour drive.  

Saltaire, Bradford 

Step back in time at Saltaire, a preserved 19th-century mill village just outside Bradford. Built by industrialist Sir Titus Salt, the Italianate architecture of this UNESCO World Heritage Site has appeared in Peaky Blinders and The Railway Children Return. Salts Mill, the centre piece of Sir Titus Salt’s utopian project, now houses art galleries, including a permanent David Hockney collection, plus bookshops, cafés and a variety of businesses. Strolling the village streets, your clients can see workers’ cottages, the grand Victoria Hall, and explore riverside paths along the River Aire. 

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Bradford is around one hour by car or around two hours by train via Leeds.

Castleton and Cave Dale, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire  

Castleton is a picture-postcard village in the Peak District National Park, with its stone cottages and cosy tearooms nestled beneath the ruins of Peveril Castle, one of the first stone castles in England. But just behind it lies Cave Dale – a dramatic valley of rugged cliffs that’s no stranger to Hollywood. It’s where The Princess Bride staged swashbuckling duels, and more recently, where dragons flew and dynasties schemed in House of the Dragon. For a cinematic stroll, try the 2km circular Cave Dale walk – a short but striking route that starts right in the village and loops through this rocky gorge. Expect winding paths, sweeping views and maybe a dragon or two (on screen, at least).     

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Castleton and Cave Dale are around 25 miles away. The journey takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes by car.  

Chatsworth House, near Bakewell, Derbyshire

As your clients walk through the grand gates of Chatsworth House, they will step onto the set of Pride and Prejudice, The Duchess, and even Peaky Blinders. This is also where generations of the Cavendish family have lived for more than 500 years. The art collection is world-class, with Rembrandt masterpieces and Joshua Reynolds portraits rubbing shoulders in gilded rooms. The 105-acre gardens are no less stunning – think cascading fountains, sculpture walks and a maze to get lost in. There’s plenty to see and do throughout the year – from art classes and food fairs to outdoor theatre too. 

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Chatsworth House is around one to one and a half hours by car. From Birmingham Airport, it is a drive time of approximately one and a half hours.  

Belvoir Castle, Grantham, Leicestershire 

Pronounced ‘Beaver’ (yes, really), this fairytale fortress is a stately showstopper. A starring location in The Crown and The Da Vinci Code, Belvoir Castle is the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Rutland, with over 1,000 years of aristocratic drama behind its walls. Although Belvoir still doubles as a family home, visitors can explore lavish state rooms, stroll through Italianate gardens, and take in views that sweep across three counties. There’s even an on-site artisan shopping village and engine yard cafés for a relaxed afternoon tea. Check online for seasonal events such as breathwork retreats and garden shows. 

Getting there: From Birmingham Airport, it is around 60 miles away and takes about one and a half hours by car. From Nottingham it’s a 45-minute drive.

Dinorwig Quarry and Llyn Padarn, Snowdonia (Eryri)

This abandoned slate quarry near Llanberis is pure fantasy gold. Towering cliffs and eerie industrial ruins frame the dark waters of Llyn Padarn. It’s no surprise this otherworldly setting starred in House of the Dragon, The Witcher, and Clash of the Titans. While the quarry itself is private and not open to the public, visitors can still soak in its mystique from scenic trails around Padarn Country Park. Try rock climbing, kayaking or navigate high rope courses at Ropeworks Active, or book a guided kayak trip with Paradise Adventures, which operates on the lake. Add in a visit to the National Slate Museum next door to explore the region’s real-life industry and ingenuity. For a calmer, more tranquil way to connect with nature, try the Sawna Bach (the Scenic Sauna), a wood-fired nature sauna near the National Slate Museum. 

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, Dinorwig Quarry and Llyn Padarn are around 100 miles away, with a drive time of approximately two to three hours.

Bodnant Garden, Colwyn Bay, near Conwy

A National Trust jewel near Conwy, Bodnant Garden offers 80 acres of botanical spectacle. Wander through terraced gardens, woodland glades and a striking Laburnum Arch that glows golden in late spring. Its romantic beauty caught the eye of The Secret Garden filmmakers, who used it to conjure the hidden natural world of the classic children’s story. Highlights include the rose gardens, wildflower meadows and panoramic views across to Snowdonia’s (Eryri) peaks. 

Getting there: From Manchester Airport, the nearest major international airport, Bodnant Garden is around two hours by car. Alternatively, take a train from Manchester to Llandudno Junction, followed by a 20-minute taxi ride.

Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire 

Climb up to the ruins of Dunnottar Castle perched on a 160-foot (50-metre) rock above the North Sea. Once a stronghold of the Earls Marischal, one of Scotland’s most powerful families, this medieval fortress has witnessed Viking raids, English invasions, and Jacobite uprisings. In the 1650s, it sheltered the Honours of Scotland – the nation’s Crown Jewels – from Oliver Cromwell’s troops, preserving them for the monarchy. Its rugged silhouette inspired the castle in Disney’s Braveand also featured in I, Frankenstein (2014). The walk up rewards clients with sweeping views across the North Sea, with the added drama of the waves crashing below. 

Getting there: From Edinburgh Airport, it’s around 125 miles to Stonehaven and takes around three hours by car.

Castle Fraser, near Kemnay, Aberdeenshire 

Step back in time at Castle Fraser, a 15th-century baronial tower house that feels straight out of a storybook. Used as a filming location for The Queen, the castle invites clients to walk through history – several rooms reflect different centuries, from the medieval Great Hall to the elegant Georgian dining room, and the Victorian bedrooms. Inside, marvel at antiques, family portraits, trap doors, secret staircases, and even the Laird’s Lug – a hidden spy hole used to watch guests in the Great Hall. Outside, the walled garden brims with herbaceous borders, as well as fruits and vegetables which are used in the courtyard café. Woodland trails offer a chance to spot red squirrels, roe deer, buzzards and dragonflies. 

Getting there: From Edinburgh Airport, Castle Fraser is around three hours by car. 

University of Glasgow, Glasgow

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is Scotland’s second-oldest university and a showcase of neo-Gothic architecture, with soaring spires and echoing cloisters. Its quadrangles doubled as Harvard University in Outlander, where Frank taught before Claire’s return through the stones. Guided tours explore the Hunterian Museum – Scotland’s oldest public museum – as well as The Mackintosh House and the atmospheric cloistered walkways, which have also stood in for Hogwarts wizarding corridors in Harry Potter. 

Getting there: Clients can fly to Glasgow Airportwith regular buses and taxis to Glasgow city centre taking around 25 to 30 minutes.