The old fashioned Goathland Hotel or Aidensfield Arms North Yorkshire
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13 Best Heartbeat Filming Locations in Yorkshire

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For Brits “of a certain age”, visiting the picturesque little North Yorkshire village of Goathland is like taking a trip down memory lane, as it provided many of the best Heartbeat filming locations.

Well off the beaten path in England’s stunning North York Moors National Park, picturesque Goathland village is also world-famous as “Hogsmeade Station” from the Harry Potter movies!

I first visited Goathland on a family holiday many years ago, and it’s lost none of its magic in the years since. There’s still a real “olde worlde” charm to this rural village.

Our top Pick
North York Moors near Goathland, North Yorkshire

This organised tour from York will take you on a steam train to enjoy Goathland and the seaside town of Whitby!

This year, I took the fabulous North York Moors Railway from Pickering to Goathland. I’d gone for the Harry Potter connection but loved being in “Aidensfield”. It brought back fond memories of watching Heartbeat as a family!

Here are some of the best heartbeat filming locations you can visit in and around Goathland!

Where Was Heartbeat Filmed?

As Goathland is a small village, you can easily see the main filming locations of the show in a couple of hours. Here are the top places you’ll want to see:

1. Goathland Station

Goathland Station
Beautiful Goathland Station is one of the most famous Heartbeat locations

Goathland station is one of the most iconic filming locations in Goathland. It was the setting for Aidensfield train station in “Heartbeat” and Hogsmeade Station in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The station is located 0.3 miles from the village car park and shops and is well worth the short (5 minute) walk downhill to it from the village.

You can buy tickets from the little booking office on the platform for a steam train ride trip on the North York Moors Railway. Alternatively, you can snap great close-up photographs of the heritage trains as they arrive and depart!

On the platform there’s a quaint little cafe where you can refuel ready for the hike back up the steep hill to the village or stock up with drinks and snacks for your train ride. There’s also a cute little shop.

2. Aidensfield Arms (Goathland Hotel)

The old fashioned Goathland Hotel or Aidensfield Arms North Yorkshire
The Goathland Hotel – filming location for the Aidensfield Arms in the “Heartbeat” TV series

The Goathland Hotel or Aidensfield Arms, was a key Heartbeat filming location. I loved visiting the exact spot where Trish the barmaid served pints and chatted with the main characters after their day’s work 🍺

The show’s earliest seasons were filmed inside the hotel, before a studio set was built when Heartbeat became a huge hit.

You can stop at the pub for a meal or a drink, and can stay at the hotel.

3. Aidensfield Garage (Scripps Garage)

Old fashioned garage in Goathland Yorkshire with blue doors and signage saying Scripps garage
Scripps garage in Goathland – Aidensfield Garage in “Heartbeat”

The show’s characters were often seen at Scripps Garage, making the instantly recognisable vintage-looking garage interesting to visit – especially for photos. I loved all the vintage signs, pumps and old cars outside the garage.

Top Tip: The garage is now a gift shop with lots of good quality Heartbeat memorabilia and souvenirs. It also serves refreshments – exactly what you need before the hike back up the hill to Goathland Station!

4. Goathland Church

Rural church in Yorkshire used as one of the Heartbeat folming locations
Cute little St Mary’s Church in Goathland was a regular Heartbeat filming location

Beautiful 19th-century St. Mary’s Church in Goathland starred as Heartbeat’s St. Aidan’s Church in several episodes.

Over the 18 years of the drama, it saw weddings and funerals, including the tragic funeral of Trish the barmaid’s stillborn baby. When her husband, Phil, was shot and killed, he was buried alongside the baby.

In other eventful episodes, the church door was daubed with satanic symbols and broken into by a circus family. You might also remember the lay preacher who was hurt in a shooting accident, the suspicious organist and the grave robbed to recover a stuffed sheep!

As a regular bell-ringer, I loved the episode where a local resident objected to bell-ringing practice. This was filmed in the churchyard, tower and bell chamber; however, the actual bell ringing was filmed in another North Yorkshire church.

5. Aidensfield Stores

Old fashioned general store in stone building with red door and window frames. Aidensfield Stores - A Heartbeat filming location in Goathland, North Yorkshire
Aidenfield Stores was one of the main Heartbeat filming locations

Aidensfield Stores often featured in the series. Today, it’s a quaint little store with plenty of attractive items for gifts or souvenirs and rather good ice cream. You’ll often find classic cars parked outside and sheep wandering around!

6. Village Streets and Cottages

Rural stone cottage in Goathland North Yorkshire, with sheep grazing on the village green
Sheep wander freely through the village in Goathland!

As you stroll through Goathland’s handful of streets, you might even recognise some of the cottages and buildings from the show. The village is beautiful and evokes a sense of nostalgia for the bygone era depicted in “Heartbeat.”

7. Surrounding Countryside

North York Moors near Goathland, North Yorkshire
The hilly road through the North York Moors to Goathland, North Yorkshire

Beyond the village, the stunning North York Moors provide a backdrop for many outdoor scenes in “Heartbeat.” This region’s rolling hills, moorland, and picturesque landscapes are a vital part of the show’s charm.

More Heartbeat Filming Locations

8. Egton

The Postgate Inn which featured as ‘The Black Dog’ is located in the small village of Egton just 5 miles from Goathland. The pet and family-friendly pub offers hearty pub classics, has a splendid beer garden, and three en-suite rooms.

9. Larpool Viaduct near Whitby

In one episode Billy Hudson is found dead at the viaduct, but was it an accident or murder? And what was the connection to the local couple whose young child was stolen from them?

10. St Olave’s Church, York

When “maverick” new PC Joe Mason first joined the Ashfordley police, he single-handedly took on an armed gang inside a church. This action-packed episode was filmed at the ancient St Olave’s Church at Marygate in York.

11. Otley

While most of Heartbeat was filmed in North Yorkshire, the old-fashioned market town of Otley in West Yorkshire, with its cobbled Market Place and lovely old buildings, was the perfect setting for some scenes.

Otley Courthouse became Ashfordly Police Station, while Gina’s eventful hen night was filmed at the Woolpack pub.

12. Askwith

The Aidensfield police cottage was filmed in the village of Askwith, just outside Otley.

13. The Strid, Bolton Abbey

Coralie near the Strid river at Bolton Abbey
A cold winter’s day at the Strid – “Yorkshire’s killer river”!

The infamous Strid at Bolton Abbey took a starring role when convicted murderer-on-the-run Billy Andrews turned up at his elderly parents’ house hoping for money. He kidnapped Dr Trent when she arrived to help his folks and a trek across remote countryside ensued.

READ MORE: Discover the magic of Bolton Abbey


Goathland Accommodation

Goathland is a gorgeous place to stay, with a good supply of high-quality accommodation.

#1 TOP PICK

Tasty English breakfast at the Washington Hotel in Curzon Street London

Rated 9.3 out of 10
THE INN ON THE MOOR
✔️ Exceptionally friendly
✔️ Great breakfast included
✔️ 300 yards from the village centre

#2 PICK

Mallyan Spout Hotel in Goathland North Yorkshire

THE MALLYAN SPOUT
✔️ Wonderful food & restaurant
✔️ Close to the village centre
🚫 No lift to the upper floors

#3 PICK

The old fashioned Goathland Hotel or Aidensfield Arms North Yorkshire

THE GOATHLAND HOTEL
✔️ Wonderfully atmospheric for Heartbeat fans
✔️ Excellent breakfast & evening meals
🚫 Hotel bar closes at 10 pm


Heartbeat FAQs

What was Heartbeat?

This long-running TV drama, based on Nicholas Rhea’s “Constable” novels, was set in the 1960s. It ran for 18 Sunday evening series from April 1992 until September 2010. Heartbeat followed the lives of rural police officers and characterful residents of the fictional village of Aidensfield.

Police Constable Rowan (Nick Berry) and his wife, Dr Kate Rowan (Niamh Cusack), were the main characters, ably supported by curmudgeonly Sergeant Blaketon (Derek Fowlds), bubbly barmaid Gina (Tricia Penrose) and rascally wheeler-dealer Claude Greengrass (Bill Maynard).

What was Heartbeat like?

Imagine the genteel James Herriot “All Creatures Great and Small” stories centred around a sleepy village police station in the 1960s, with fantastic music, strong characters and a spot of ‘mild peril’ thrown in for good measure! I loved it – and so did around 12 million viewers for each episode 🙂

Where was Heartbeat filmed?

Heartbeat was filmed exclusively in Yorkshire, Northern England. Most of the filming locations were in and around the village of Goathland in the North Yorkshire Moors.

The Yorkshire countryside was the regular backdrop to the series and you’d often see cars driving around the roads through the moors.

Other locations in Yorkshire included Otley in West Yorkshire and Ravenscar, Sandsend, Robin’s Hood Bay and Whitby on the North Yorkshire coast.

Can you visit the village where Heartbeat was filmed?

Absolutely! While Aidensfield is fictional, you can visit the real-life location, which is actually the town of Goathland in North Yorkshire.

It’s easily reached by car, by an organised tour or even on the North Yorkshire Railway with steam trains! See below for more details on how to get to Goathland and check out our Heartbeat locations map.


How to get to Goathland (Aidensfield)

Heartbeat film locations map
Heartbeat film locations map

Goathland is located in the wild and beautiful North York Moors National Park, making it the perfect place for a great day trip from York. Here’s a quick summary of the best ways to visit Goathland:

Organised Tours

Many people choose to visit Goathland and the best Heartbeat filming locations on an organised tour of the Moors and Whitby – from York. It’s a great option if you don’t have a car or you’re visiting in the winter when the rural roads could be treacherous.

Steam Train

The North York Moors Railway is a volunteer-run heritage railway that runs through Goathland. Vintage steam trains and other heritage engines stop at Goathland’s scenic station on the route from Pickering to Whitby.

➡️ Check out their website here for timetables, tickets and route information.

Driving:

The best way to get to the village and to explore independently is by car. It’s around 40 miles (1 hour) from York, 10 miles (20 mins) from Whitby and 25 miles (40 mins) from Scarborough.

The village has a large car park, and parking for the day is inexpensive.

Public Transport

Goathland is on a regular public bus route – the 840 Coastliner from Leeds via York and Pickering to Whitby. The journey is around 3 hours from Leeds or 2 hours from York, and you’ll need to change buses in Malton.

➡️ Don’t forget to check the timetable to see when the last bus is!

📌 If you’re visiting York, I recommend purchasing a York Pass. It will save you money on your entry to top York tourist attractions, and it includes the North York Moors Railway!

Final Thoughts On Heartbeat TV Locations

Exploring Goathland and going on a Heartbeat filming locations tour is a unique way to step back in time to the 1960s and immerse yourself in the fictional world of Aidensfield.

Whether you’re a fan of the series or simply appreciate the beauty of the Yorkshire countryside, Goathland is a must-visit destination. Joining a filming locations tour from York is the easiest way to enjoy these iconic locations without the stress of driving!

You might also like these posts about Yorkshire:

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Images of Goathland Yorkshire with text - Heartbeat filing locatios in Yorkshire

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