Film, TV and literary locations in the Peak District

From Gardener’s World to Top Gear, Haddon Hall’s list of screen credits is huge – and it also featured in The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), The Princess Bride (1987) and three movie adaptations of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. With its imposing ramparts and beautifully preserved Tudor and Medieval quarters, touring the house is like stepping into a film set – the perfect place to start your trip. 

Legend has it that Jane Austen based her idea of Pemberley – in Pride and Prejudice – on the magnificent stone facade of Chatsworth House. Inside, its lavish halls display artworks from all over the world, and it’s also a popular filming location, too: The Duchess (2008) and The Wolfman (2010) were shot here, as well as the 2005 movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Take your time exploring Chatsworth’s treasures and gardens on a guided tour, or venture ‘below stairs’ into the old servants’ quarters on a behind-the-scenes experience. 

Stay at Chatsworth House for lunch: it has two eateries to choose from, which both champion hyper-local produce from the estate and wider Peak District. Carriage House Café is a casual spot for light bites, handmade sandwiches and frothy coffees, while Cavendish Restaurant offers a fine-dining experience – serving a set lunch menu and afternoon tea on fine Wedgwood crockery. Take your pick! 

In 1665, when the Great Plague swept Britain claiming thousands of lives, the ill villagers of Eyam cut themselves off from the outside world in order to contain the virus. Many of them died, but their actions are thought to have protected countless others – as you’ll learn when you visit the fascinating Eyam Museum and church. The village is the setting of Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks's acclaimed Year of Wonders novel. Don’t miss Eyam Book Barn, a second-hand bookshop that supports local community projects.  

It’s rumoured that Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice whilst staying in Bakewell at The Rutland Arms – so what better excuse to check in for the night? It’s something to ponder over a supper of pumpkin ravioli or braised beef cheeks in the restaurant, and while you tuck into one of its plush kingsize suites tonight. Some also believe that Bakewell’s cobbled streets and stone cottages inspired the fictional village of Lambton in Austen’s novel. 

Get up early for this nine-mile Peak District walk. The pretty village of Hathersage is said to have inspired author Charlotte Brontë when she wrote Jane Eyre, and Stanage Edge featured in the Keira Knightley adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (2005): the windswept cliff-edge where she pondered a future with Mr Darcy. Embrace your inner heroine on the rocks (and take a few snaps for Instagram), while gazing out over Mam Tor and Kinder Scout. 

Just a few steps from Ladybower Reservoir, this 100-year-old inn is today’s lunch date. Tuck into steak and kidney pie with veggies and mash, or keep it light with a halloumi flatbread or chicken caesar salad. On sunny days, you can soak up some rays in the dining conservatory and patio, while the fireplace keeps things cosy in winter. Muddy boots and dogs are welcome! 

During the Second World War, Ladybower served as a training ground for the ‘Dambusters’ of 617 Squadron, as they practised low-level flying and the ‘bouncing bomb’ technique – immortalised in the 1955 film The Dam Busters. Stretch your legs beside the water, and look out for its giant ‘plug hole’ (it’s actually a huge drain): this bizarre structure featured in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015), one of many local filming locations.  

Castleton is a tiny village with big screen presence: it was a key filming location for House of the Dragon, the HBO prequel to Game of Thrones which starred Matt Smith (2022). Start your mythical adventure by driving the picturesque gorge of Winnats Pass and exploring the ruins of Peveril Castle – both of which featured in the series. If you’re up for another hike, make it the 2.7-mile Cave Dale Walk, which loops from Castleton through the mighty limestone valley, which also appeared in HBO’s hit.  

When Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) emerged from the lake in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice (1995), ‘period dramas’ were suddenly sexy – paving the way for Bridgerton, Gentleman Jack and co. Don’t believe us? In 2024, Darcy’s see-through shirt sold for a whopping £25,000. The National Trust’s Lyme Park starred as his Pemberley estate in the series, so end your trip with a walk in its deer-nibbled grounds and a snoop inside its lavish quarters, before grabbing a coffee to sip beside that infamous lake. Sorry, swimming isn’t permitted!