OK I admit it - I love Heartbeat, I always have. It's one of those lovely programmes where you can just get absorbed without having to think too much. It even manages to survive as the cast keeps changing although I do mourn the lack of Claude Jeremiah Greengrass - he was on of my all time ... Read review
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Advantages: Lovely little village, nice walks, great for Heartbeat fans Disadvantages: Gets busy in the high season
OK I admit it - I love Heartbeat, I always have. It's one of those lovely programmes where you can just get absorbed without having to think too much. It even manages to survive as the cast keeps changing although I do mourn the lack of Claude Jeremiah Greengrass - he was on of my all time favourites!
So it was only natural that, when we holidayed in York, I should want to visit Goathland which is the lovely little village that transforms ... .../>
Goathland is in the Esk Valley in Yorkshire and can be reached by train, car, tour bus or good old walking if you're feeling fit! It is well signposted from the A169 as it is such a tourist attraction now.
We travelled there on the North York Moors Railway which runs from Grosmont in the north to Pickering in the south and Goathland is the stop next to Grosmont. This was a great thrill for me as I love steam trains and it was travelling ... more
OK I admit it - I love Heartbeat, I always have. It's one of those lovely programmes where you can just get absorbed without having to think too much. It even manages to survive as the cast keeps changing although I do mourn the lack of Claude Jeremiah Greengrass - he was on of my all time favourites!
So it was only natural that, when we holidayed in York, I should want to visit Goathland which is the lovely little village that transforms itself into Aidensfield when the film crew arrives.
Goathland is in the Esk Valley in Yorkshire and can be reached by train, car, tour bus or good old walking if you're feeling fit! It is well signposted from the A169 as it is such a tourist attraction now.
We travelled there on the North York Moors Railway which runs from Grosmont in the north to Pickering in the south and Goathland is the stop next to Grosmont. This was a great thrill for me as I love steam trains and it was travelling the beautiful journey that you see on the opening credits of Heartbeat.
So my first view of Goathland was the little railway station looking like something that time had forgotten in the sense that it was old fashioned not that it was not looked after you understand. Incidentally this is the station that was used to film the Hogwart's Express scenes in the Harry Potter films so you get Harry Potter fans as well as Heartbeat fans so it does get a bit crowded to say the least!
As you leave the railway station you walk uphill towards the centre of the village - bear with me if I get this a tiny bit wrong but the last time I was here was about 15 years ago!
The Goathland Hotel is the real name of the Aidensfield Arms and I was so surprised when we walked in. It was just like it is on the TV. The only things that were different were the modern drinks and till, the rest of the place is just the same. I quite expected to be served by Gina! I was surprised that it is so small inside the camera angles make it look a lot bigger. They serve food there so that's where we had lunch.
The garage also used in the filming of Heartbeat stands opposite the pub as it does in the series. You may think that this is an obvious thing to say but it isn't always the case. For instance don't look for the police house in Goathland - there isn't one! The one used in the filming is actually set in a neighbouring village.
As you leave the pub and walk up towards the village this again is instantly recognisable if you're a Heartbeat fan!
There's a lovely village green with the row of shops, also used in the filming, along the one side. From what I remember these were nice little shops to take a look around and ideal for buying your Goathland souvenirs. There are also plenty of sheep grazing on the village green, but they seem used to visitors and don't cause any problems - just watch what you're stepping in! Of course if you're driving that's another matter, the sheep don't know the Green Cross Code and will wander into the road as and when it suits them with scant disregard for any traffic - so be warned!
There is also a decent sized car park, which obviously gets VERY busy in the high season and public toilets so you won't have to cross your legs!!
At the northern end of Goathland is the Mallyan Spout Hotel, behind which is a steep, rough track leading down to Mallyan Spout, which is a 70 foot waterfall pouring over a mossy cliff. This is a quite a scramble taking about 20 minutes and remember what goes down has got to come back up at some point, but the views at the bottom are well worth the climb back up. The waterfall itself nestles in a little leafy glen and is very pretty, but to get a good view at the bottom you have to climb over some large boulders which are quite slippery due to the fact that they are constantly wet from the waterfall, so where suitable shoes if you don't want to break your neck!
There are also one or two Roman remains around if you're interested in that sort of thing. Come to think of it they are still there even if you're not interested! Seriously there's a mile long Roman Road in Wheeldale which runs north from the Roman camp at Cawthorn. It is owned by English Heritage and is well preserved considering it dates back to around the first century AD.
There isn't any actual accommodation to be found here in Goathland - you can't ask Gina for a room at the pub - so it's definitely a day trip place but its well worth it. Even if you aren't a Heartbeat fan the place is worth a visit for its beautiful scenery.
There are plenty of nice walks even if you don't feel like scrambling down to the waterfall and some lovely spots to picnic!
Advantages: Comfort, friendliness, fabulous food Disadvantages: Hotel short on car parking spaces
Goathland is the Aidensfield village of 'Heartbeat' fame on the North Yorkshire Moors, only a half dozen miles from Whitby. As well as a destination for fans of the TV series and nostalgia, this is a great spot for walking the moors. Even casual walkers will enjoy the surroundings as there are a number of easy routes. A number of small shops cater for visitors with maps, walking gear, cream teas, meals and souvenirs. Sheep roam the greens. There ... ...host of B&Bs.
We stayed at The Mallyan Spout Hotel which is the start point for an easy (though steep) circular tour of the village via the Mallyan Spout waterfall. The hotel is at the quiet end of the village opposite the church (whose clock which chimes every quarter hour), away from the Aidensfield souvenirs. It's a really friendly, comfortable hotel with amazing food. Our front-facing double room (dormer leaded windows, very Wuthering Heights) ...
tynegal 29.03.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Goathland, North Yorkshire
As I work in the travel industy, over recent years I have had the good luck to visit Goathland on many occasions. It is a small and perfectly formed community in the heart of the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors. The approach from any direction is simply stunning - the scenery is unsurpassed!
Due to its national fame as the village of "Aidensfield" in the TV series "Heartbeat" it attracts far more visitors than is normal for a small village in the ... ...differs in some respects from its neighbours. It has a couple of car parks, one of which has about 4 spaces for coaches. It also has a station on the North Yorkshire Moors line from where you can catch a real steam train and take a trip through probably some of the most wonderful scenery you will ever see -- summer or winter!
All the well-known "Heartbeat" locations are there right at the heart of the village: the pub, the garage - complete with ...
s4lly4nn 14.03.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Goathland, North Yorkshire
Advantages: A Mostly unspoilt Village on the North Yorkshire Moors Disadvantages: Avoid if you don't like Heartbeat. (TV Programme)
Goathland is one of the stops on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It has tea rooms and restaurants and a few pubs. Sheep can often be found wandering throughout the village.
It is the village location for the TV series Heartbeat (Aidensfield), so several of the shops carry merchandise from the series. I visited recently to watch the annual event of the Day of Dance of the Goathland Plough Stots ( village Sword Dancers).
Its a good excuse to get ... ...of Dance is the Saturday after the first Sunday after Epiphany when the dancers congregate in the centre of the village for a dance and then split into 3 teams to dance throughout the village and disrtict.
Stop of at a local hostelry for a drink or something warm, (Don't drink and drive).
Go back later in the year when the weather is warmer and hike around the local countryside. ...
philmco 25.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Goathland, North Yorkshire
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Advantages: Pretty, nice scenery and top class pub nearby! Disadvantages: Very busy, can get muddy and sheep droppings everywhere!
Whenever we go on our annual pilgrimage to Whitby we try and get a few day trips in, to several places in the surrounding area. One that is definitely on our "must do" list is always Goathland ~ a place that would probably never have made it on the serious tourist attractions map had it not been for television.
~~~WHERE IS GOATHLAND?
The village can be found in the NorthYorkshire Moors in an area known as the Esk Valley. It is north of the town of Pickering and if you are heading from Whitby (as we always are) it is signposted on the A169. Goathland can be reached by car, bus and even has its own train station; although the link isn't very frequent. One of the benefits of the station is that it is part of the NorthYorkshire Moors Railway service and even has steam trains. The railway links nearby Grosmont with Pickering ...
Advantages: Excellent little pub with a lovely atmosphere. Disadvantages: Difficult to get too...but can get crowded.
Whenever we go to NorthYorkshire we try and pop over to the village of Goathland. Unlike many of the tourists there, we are not on a pilgrimage to see the sights of Heartbeat, or try and spot a cast member. We are there because it is close to one of the best (and possibly smallest) pubs you are ever going to visit. It is not only in a beautiful setting, it is also an amazing little building and the centre for the little community it is housed in.
THE LOCATION
This pub is the Birch Hall Inn, nestling at the bottom of the hill from Goathland, in the lovely village of Beck Hole. Beck Hole is around nine miles south of Whitby and a mile or so down the lanes and paths from Goathland. The Birch Hall Inn is pretty much the only amenity you will find in Beck Hole ? there are a couple of B&Bs and guest houses and the mobile library ...
Advantages: Beautiful Setting Disadvantages: Gets Busy At Popular Times
When my best friend turned 40 recently she decided that she wanted to take a few of her best friends, myself included, to a place that she described as one of the most beautiful places she had ever been to. Since the place involved had a Public House as its focal point then the choice of location was fine by me, and so off we all set, on a sunny Sunday afternoon in April to Beck Hole, or more precisely to the Birch Hall Inn.
The Birch Hall Inn is one of the smallest Public Houses in Britain. It is situated in the tiny Hamlet of Beck Hole in NorthYorkshire, 9 miles to the South of Whitby and a couple of miles from Goathland, which is now famous as the place where the TV Series Heartbeat is filmed.
When first describing the Birch Hall Inn to me my friend said, "This is one of the most bizarre places that I have ever been." Now that ...
