Literature, film and TV
Many of our famous writers have been inspired by the drama of the landscape. Wordsworth loved the light on a Cumbrian lake. The wildness of the Yorkshire Moors compelled Emily Bronte to write Wuthering Heights. The misty marshlands of Kent feature in many of Charles Dickens’ novels, and the rural idylls of Dorset were beloved by Thomas Hardy. But if writing a great English novel is not on your agenda, visit one of the many stately homes which are regularly used for film locations and TV locations. Make your own costume drama at houses like Highclere Castle, the setting of the fictional Downton Abbey.
Nine floors of silver-screens
A visit to the National Media Museum is a must if you love photography, film, television, animation, gaming or the internet.
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
Ride the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
This exciting heritage steam railway runs through the picturesque Yorkshire countryside where the classic movie The Railway Children was filmed.
Location: Keighley, West Yorkshire
Walk in the footsteps of the famous Brontë sisters
Visit the Bronte Parsonage Museum and explore the beautiful home and surroundings that inspired classic Brontë novels.
Location: Haworth, West Yorkshire
Watch films for less at the Tyneside Cinema
If affordable cinema and cheap drinks are up your street, then Tyneside Cinema’s discounted film nights could be just the thing.
Location: Newcastle, Tyne and Wear
Go to the movies 1930s style at Tyneside Cinema
Live the glamour of 1930s cinema-going at this restored movie theatre, with free newsreel screenings, guided tours, a stylish bar and recent releases.
Location: NewcastleGateshead, Tyne and Wear
Go Walrus hunting at Sunderland Museum
Discover the inspirational statue behind the Lewis Carroll poem Walrus and the Carpenter.
Location: Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Experience the locations that have inspired great literature
The constantly changing scenery, dramatic landscapes and distinctive character of Yorkshire’s people have all been sources of literary inspiration.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Sit in Harry Potter's classroom at Durham Cathedral
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry came to life via a number of locations across the UK, one of which was the awe-inspiring Durham Cathedral.
Location: Durham City, Durham
September events: Give cultural films a go at Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival
Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival gives you the chance to watch films you won’t find in your local cinema in a range of unusual surroundings.
Location: Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Northumberland
Experience York's Literature Festival
Rub shoulders with best-selling authors as York gets all bookish.
Location: York, North Yorkshire
October Events: Read and be merry at the Ilkley Literature Festival
Book lovers simply can’t miss this prestigious literature event in the Yorkshire Dales, that's taking place between 1 and 17 October.
Location: Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Tread in the footsteps of the stars on the Yorkshire Coast
Visit the most popular film locations on the Yorkshire Coast and North York Moors and follow in the footsteps of stars such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy and Danielle Radcliffe.
Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Discover ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ in Yorkshire
Tour Yorkshire writer and vet James Herriot's original home, recreated to look just as it did in the 1940s, in the picturesque town of Thirsk.
Location: Thirsk, North Yorkshire
See Harry Potter and Downton Abbey sets in Alnwick
Relive scenes from hit TV shows and movies in the magnificent setting of Alnwick Castle, a popular destination for film crews.
Location: Alnwick, Northumberland
On location with the world’s most popular heritage railway
Ride along with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway as it takes a starring role, from Dad’s Army to Harry Potter.
Location: Goathland, North Yorkshire
Seek out inspiring views atop Malham Cove
Follow in the footsteps of centuries of visitors – and more recently, filmmakers – to Malham Cove, a limestone amphitheatre in the Yorkshire Dales.
Location: Malham, North Yorkshire
Bring a masterpiece to life at Conisbrough Castle
This romantic medieval castle inspired Sir Walter Scott’s classic book Ivanhoe. Travel back nearly 1,000 years on a visit to the magnificent property.
Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Follow the trail of the Brontë sisters in Birstall
Visit Red House and Oakwell Hall in Birstall, both frequented by the Brontë sisters and which featured in Charlotte Brontë’s famous novel Shirley.
Location: Birstall, West Yorkshire