James Herriot and All Creatures Great and Small

PictureAll Creatures Great & Small will be on Channel 5 at 9.00 pm on Tuesdays
The very name James Herriot conjures up a wonderful sense of nostalgia for everyone who enjoyed the books and watched the original TV series which was mainly filmed in Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Wensleydale.

Now we're looking forward to showing a different side of the Yorkshire Dales to visitors who've watched the latest James Herriot TV series, filmed in Grassington and surrounding area. 

Read on to find out where All Creatures Great and Small and other James Herriot TV series were filmed in the Yorkshire Dales, and to discover some different ways to enjoy getting closer to James Herriot's Yorkshire Dales. We've also got some great recommendations for places to stay on a real Yorkshire Dales working farm, perfect if you've enjoyed the Our Yorkshire Farm TV series too. 

Film locations for
All Creatures Great & Small 

James Herriot was the pen name for a real life vet called Alf Wright. When asked about the origin of the fictional town of Darrowby, he described it as a mixture of Thirsk (where you'll find the World Of James Herriot, Richmond, Leyburn and Middleham and 'a chunk of imagination'.

Yorkshire Dales locations for Channel 5's All Creatures Great & Small

The latest TV series was mainly filmed around Grassington which became the fictional market town of Darrowby. Many of the buildings around the square were transformed into different businesses.

​The Devonshire Pub was used as the The Drovers Arms (the inside scenes are filmed the Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw). James Herriot's home and surgery at Skeldale House was created from a private house in Grassington. The Stripey Badger Bookshop became G F Endleby Grocers and the Stripey Badger Coffee Shop and Kitchen became a private house, and was used by the cast and crew during breaks. Helen Midgleys became Handleys Booksellers. Darrowby Cycles is normally Walkers Bakers and The Rustic Rabbit was transformed into Higgins Bakers. 

You'll be able to spot some other notable locations in the current series. James gets off the bus at a crossroad which is Malham Lings and is seen in the water at Janet's Foss in Malham.  Mrs. Pumphrey's house is the beautiful Broughton Hall and some of the driving shots were filmed on the Broughton Estate. You'll also spot the gorgeous little village of Kettlewell, Ripon race course and I think some race horses from the Middleham stables. In the first episode you may spot Yockenthwaite Farm (try their fantastic granola)and beautiful Littondale. The Darrowby Show took place partly in Grassington and partly on the green at Arncliffe.

Buy the books: from The Stripey Badger in Grassington or Castle Hill Bookshop in Richmond, Limestone Books in Settle, Little Ripon Bookshop in Ripon, and the White Rose Bookshop in Thirsk
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Thanks to Linda at the Stripey Badger Bookshop and Cafe for this photo taken during filming
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Locations for the earlier TV series and film

The first TV series was filmed in Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Wensleydale. Langthwaite was featured in the opening credits of the first Herriot series. The Red Lion pub was used for some scenes. Follow the road to Low Row and you'll come across the iconic water splash too, a shallow ford through which James Herriot drives.

The village of Low Row is home to the Punch Bowl Inn where actor Robert Hardy, (Siegfried Farnon) stayed.

Askrigg is a lovely little village on the edge of the moor. It was used as Darrowby, with one of the Georgian houses across from the market cross acting as Skeldale House. The Kings Arms was the fictional Drovers Arms - you can still see some photos inside the pub from when the series was filmed. 

The interior of the  Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw Force was used for some of the current TV series. The parish church at Hardraw was used as Darrowby Church. In real life, Alf Wright (James Herriot) took his wife to the Wheatsheaf Inn, Carperby for their honeymoon. They still have a framed copy of the letter Alf Wright wrote to his parents either during or after the honeymoon. He's said to have been inspired to propose to Joan Danbury (Helen Herriot in the books) at Bolton Castle. James Herriot's wedding was filmed at Holy Trinity Church in Wensley. The Bolton Arms at Redmire was used for some filming, with some of the crew staying at the nearby Jonas Centre. 

Leyburn was used as Scarsburn, the fictional home of Granville Bennett and where Ewan Ross had his practice. The imposing Thornborough Hall was used to film scenes at the Ministry of Agriculture. You can see a recreation of James Herriot's surgery at the Richmondshire Museum in Richmond.  

Stay on a Yorkshire Dales working farm

There's no better way to truly immerse yourself in Dales life than to stay here. These are some working farms where you can stay and get closer to farming life.

You might have already seen some stunning photos of Hill Top Farm's gorgeous setting and livestock on instagram. Leigh's wonderful images really highlight the beauty of their surroundings. Husband Neil Heseltine leads the way in farming in tune with nature. He's also Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park so really knows his stuff. You can stay in their cottage or bunk barn and share their 1100 acres of limestone scenery. 

Chris and Glenda invite you to share their traditional Swaledale farmhouse at Pry House Farm Bed & Breakfast near Keld. Experience the sights and sounds of everyday life on the farm; sheep being gathered, hay being made, newborn lambs, dogs working (season dependent) and gain an understanding of the highs and lows of upland farming. They also have a shepherd's hut and cottage for you to stay in. Don't miss Glenda's blog for great insights into life on an upland farm. 

Enjoy James Herriot's Yorkshire Dales

Would you like to get an insider's view of the Yorkshire Dales and tread in James Herriot's footsteps? To understand a little more about Dales farming, the landscape, and traditions?
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Enjoying a farm tour at Wensleydale Experience
​Here are our top insider tips to discover James Herriot's Dales: 
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  • Meet a real Yorkshire Dales farmer and his animals on a farm tour at Wensleydale Experience, He might even give you some farmyard jobs to do!
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  • Watch the incredible partnership of a farmer with his sheep dog. Wensleydale farmer Richard Fawcett demonstrates their combined skill rounding up sheep in a field by Hawes. 
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  • Experience the fast-moving excitement of a live cattle auction. I challenge you to try to understand what people are saying and what's going on! You can find auction marts at Hawes, Leyburn, Pateley Bridge, Kirkby Stephen and Skipton. 
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  • A good way to experience country life and see more farmers with their livestock is to visit one of the many country and agricultural shows (in a 'normal' year), full of atmosphere, fun and chances to learn about the countryside. 
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  • Discover more about the history of farming and life in the Yorkshire Dales through the ages with a visit to Dales Countryside Museum

  • Get the look - you'll see that all the characters in James Herriot wear a lot of tweed and hand knitted jumpers. You can buy wonderful tweed made in Yorkshire, flat caps, and wool jackets from Abraham Moon at the Courtyard just outside Settle. Glencroft in Clapham sell woollen scarves, tweed caps and sheepskin. Pick up wool for your own hand knits at Wensleydale Longwool or buy hand knitted jumpers  Swaledale Woollens
 
  • I'm pretty sure that James Herriot would have enjoyed plenty of proper fresh cheeses made on small independent farms. Find out more about cheesemaking and buy some of the best cheeses you'll ever taste at the Courtyard Dairy near Settle. You can also taste 'proper milk like it used to taste' from the Home Farmer, bought from a trailer at different locations in Wensleydale. 
 
  • You could take in the wonderful countryside and experience some of the views that made James Herriot fall in love with the Yorkshire Dales on the Herriot Way, a 52 mile walk based on a walking holiday James Herriot apparently took with his son Jimmy. Jonathan Smith at Where2Walk has these James Herriot walks​​
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  • Herriot Country Tours offer private 1-7 day chauffeur-driven tours to appreciate the best of James Herriot's Yorkshire which can include farm visits, dry stone walling and some favourite pubs. 
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Learn about the countryside

PicturePhoto: Stuart Clarkson
Watch any of the James Herriot TV programmes and you'll instantly notice some distinctive Dales features: dry stone walls, field barns and cow'uses, and sheep - lots of them.
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​Sheep are very much part of the landscape - they've shaped it over 6000 years.

The Swaledale Sheep is the icon of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Listen carefully to farmers and you'll hear a curious language of sheep. ​Many visitors wonder why some of the Dales sheep seem to have colourful graffiti on their backs - this is the reason. ​
PictureChristine Ryder at Scaife Hall Farm
You can stay in a meadow yurt on the Thornton Berry's farm in Wensleydale and if you get up early enough you can even join in with the morning's farming rounds and meet the llamas, goats, cows, pigs and sheep. 

Christine Ryder is chair of the Yorkshire Rural Support Network and has been welcoming guests to Scaife Hall Farm for a long time. Stay in her self-catering cottage and you'll be able to see their Swaledale and North Country Mule sheep as well as the Belted Galloway - see one an dyou'll instantly know why some people call them 'oreo cows'!

Close to Fountain's Abbey is Mallard Grange Farm bed and breakfast where Maggie and James keep bees, hens, cows, sheep and grow wheat, barley, beans and oil seed rape crops, and wildflower borders for the wild birds and bees.  
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You can also stay in a self-catering cottage just outside Hawes on Allan and Jennifer's working farm in Wensleydale where they keep sheep and dairy cows. ​