The Yorkshire Dales is a pretty part of north-eastern England. An area that can feel rugged and untamed or peaceful and calm, depending on your mood and the weather, you’ll find quaint stone villages (known locally as dales) amongst the rural landscapes and dramatic moors. An area with a rich industrial heritage and many places of natural beauty, one of the Yorkshire Dales’ most interesting villages is the charming Goathland.
Stone buildings with plenty of character are dotted around the countryside village, and you may recognise some places from TV and even the big screen!
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Enjoy the olde-worlde vibe as you take a leisurely stroll
The village of Goathland has a long history that dates back to around the Viking period (1st and 2nd century A.D.). A popular spa town during the 11th century, it attracted many people who wanted to bathe in the waters.
The village today is filled with cute stone buildings, including the local parish church, traditional stores, and people’s homes. The buildings really complement the natural environment. Sheep wander around the village, stopping to graze on fertile patches of grass, and stone fences (also known as dry-stone walls – walls that have been built with no cement or mortar to hold the stones in place) mark the boundaries between patches of land.
Take a relaxed walk around the village, admire the well-crafted buildings, and pop into some of the local shops to pick up some souvenirs. Look out for items bearing the white rose of Yorkshire for something unique to this part of the country. There are several marked walking trails to enjoy too, showcasing the blend of nature and architecture.
A fairly popular place for tourists enjoying village life and the surrounding beautiful scenery, Goathland enjoys easy access to the Pennines. The Pennines is a range of hills and mountains that offers wonderfully scenic hiking, biking, and driving.
See places that were used when recording the TV show Heartbeat
Heartbeat was a popular British television series, filmed between 1992 and 2010, but set in the 1960s. Centred largely around the lives and work of a small group of police officers, the show ran for 18 series, with a whopping 372 episodes.
Goathland starred in the TV series as the fictitious village of Aidensfield. Many of Goathland’s buildings were used in filming, especially in the earlier series. Although studio replicas were used for many places in the later series, there were still many scenes shot in the village of Goathland. If you were a Heartbeat fan you will be delighted to recognise many landmarks as you explore the village.
See the local convenience store, still used as a shop today, and pose for a picture outside Aidensfield Garage / Scripp’s Funeral Services. Now a gift and snack shop, the walls are still adorned with their signs from the show and an imitation petrol pump stands in the yard.
Call into the Goathland Hotel for a bite to eat and a drink
Another Heartbeat connection, the quaint Goathland Hotel was known as the Aidensfield Arms in the TV show. It was a hotel and pub before, during, and after the popularity of Heartbeat. Sit on chairs and at tables where the fictional characters put the world to rights and order your drinks from the same bar that you might have seen on your television screen. Whilst later episodes were filmed in a TV studio, earlier episodes were actually filmed inside the pub.
Today’s visitors can enjoy a friendly welcome and all the ambience of a traditional English pub. If the weather is cold outside, grab a seat in front of the roaring open fire and thaw out in the cosy bar. Or, in the warmer months, relax outdoors in the lovely beer garden. There are also separate family rooms where kids are welcome.
Sip on a pint of hand-pulled real ale whilst you ponder the tempting food menu. With options like fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, beef and Yorkshire pudding, hot sandwiches, a ploughman’s lunch (type of salad with cheese, pickle, and bread), and hearty bowls of steaming homemade soup, it might take some time to decide! Don’t miss other exciting options on the daily specials board too.
Visit Goathland Station for a possibly familiar sight
Have you seen Goathland’s heritage railway station anywhere else before? You might very well have done, without realising. A great place for fans of Harry Potter, it was used in the earlier movies as Hogsmeade Railway Station!
Goathland Station is part of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, one of the most popular steam-train heritage railway lines in the whole world! Travelling through picturesque scenery, why not take a ride? Settle into a cosy carriage, complete with traditional wood panelling, and be captivated by the views as you chug through the North Yorkshire Moors.
Get out into the countryside and enjoy nature
Venture to the outskirts of the village and you will find yourself gazing across vast expanses of open moors. The greens of bracken and grasses, the oranges and browns of the soil, and the purples of heather create a gorgeous vision of contrasts.
Visit the tall Mallyon Spout, a 21-metre-high (69 feet) waterfall, and go nature spotting in the woods of Beckhole. Another fabulous place for nature spotting, the nearby Dalby Forest is perfect for walkers, hikers, and cyclists. The shore of Staindale Lake is a top spot for a picnic – just remember to take all your rubbish away with you afterwards! Thrill-seekers can have a go at Go Ape, a high obstacle course through the treetops.
Book your trip to Goathland and enjoy a taste of rural life.
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