Yorkshire on Location with PBS Utah
Go Learn

Daily Itinerary

Today we arrive in London and are met at the airport by our fearless leader Kate Jones who will take us on our first adventure, riding the London Underground! We will have our first glimpses of British landscape as we head to the beautiful Rockwell hotel to settle in. Later, we will not surrender to jetlag but will explore the royal borough of Kensington on foot and marvel at the grand homes and beautiful palace gardens.

We will make our way to San Pietro for a delicious welcome dinner and then head back to the Rockwell for an early night. Busy day tomorrow!

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate (lots of walking)
Meal: D

We will breakfast at the hotel and then we’re off to say hello to our old friend London town as we make our way to Westminster Pier to board the Thames river cruise to Greenwich. During the 60 min journey we will pass all of the iconic London landmarks including the Palace of Westminster, the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London.

We will disembark in historic Greenwich where Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I were all born, and have the opportunity to explore places like the National Maritime Museum, Queens House, Old Royal Naval College, Royal Observatory Greenwich, or Cutty Sark.

We will lunch in Greenwich then when you’re ready, you will take the boat back to London, at your leisure, where the rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the city.

We’ll reconvene in the evening to take in a show in the West End.

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate
Meals: B, L

Today is the day we’d normally dedicate to Downton Abbey but unfortunately, the PBS favorite Highclere Castle is closed for the majority of April so we won’t be able to visit this year. But, not to worry, we’ve added a new adventure to the itinerary! This year we will take the train to Oxford and explore the world of Endeavor Morse. Judging by the many murder mystery series that are based in Oxford, you’d think it was quite a dangerous town but we assure you it is not. We will see the city made famous by shows like Morse, Endeavor, and Lewis (as well as the Harry Potter films that used Oxford colleges as Hogwarts locations.)

We will end our tour at Oxfords famous Covered Market where you will be able to grab lunch on your own or you can venture to one of Oxfords many pubs.

Afterwards, you will be free to explore this beautiful city before returning to London.

Get some rest, tomorrow we are away to Yorkshire!

Hotel: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous (lots of walking)
Meal: B

We will breakfast early and head to King’s Cross station to catch a high-speed train to Harrogate. This beautiful Victorian spa town features in the series Last Tango in Halifax and was the bolt-hole for Agatha Christie when she mysteriously disappeared for 11 days in 1926. Once we arrive in Harrogate we will walk the short distance to our hotel, the Yorkshire, to check in. Drop your luggage then enjoy a delightful walking tour of the city, a spot of shopping or a drink at the hotel while you wait for your room to be ready. We’ll then enjoy a traditional English Tea together at the world famous Bettys Tearoom. First opened in 1919, Bettys is a Harrogate tradition. You’ll be serenaded by a pianist as you enjoy a lavish selection of dainty sandwiches, specially selected teas, and irresistible miniature cakes and scones.

Afterwards, the rest of the day is yours.

Hotel: The Yorkshire
Activity level: Moderate
Meals: B, T

Even though the filming locations for Downton Abbey are all located near London, the Grantham family are from Yorkshire. The fictional Downton Abbey is located in Yorkshire and York is the nearest “big town” to that great estate.

York is the unofficial capital of Yorkshire, the birthplace of the Kit Kat, and is also famous for its beautifully preserved medieval city. So, really, there is something here for everyone.

Today we will breakfast at the hotel and then board the train for York. We’ll start with a two-hour walking tour of the old city where we will see the ruins of the Abbey of St. Mary, the Bishops House where Henry VIII is rumored to have stopped during his visit to Yorkshire, and York Minster which often stands in for Westminster Abbey in films. After which the rest of the day is yours to grab lunch and explore. Then you can return to Harrogate at your leisure.

Later in the evening, we will meet up at the Pickled Sprout in Harrogate for a delicious dinner.

Hotel: The Yorkshire
Activity level: Moderate
Meals: B, D

We will breakfast early at the hotel and then board our own private coach for a full day tour of the Yorkshire Dales and some filming locations of the PBS hit All Creatures Great and Small.

In 1939, James Alfred Wright became a veterinarian in Yorkshire where he practiced for almost 50 years in the town of Thirsk. In the 1960’s he began writing about his experiences as a vet under the pseudonym James Herriot and the rest, as they say, is history.

Our tour will take us across the Yorkshire Dales visiting iconic sites along the way. We’ll stop at the shows main filming location: the village of Grassington and spend time exploring the village and shops of this historic town (and maybe even see the crews prepping for filming!). We will travel up hill and down dale taking in the beautiful scenery from this much-loved series.

For lunch we will stop in the bucolic town of Hawes and the Wensleydale Creamery. Wensleydale cheese is the favorite cheese of beloved duo Wallace and Gromit and you’ll have the opportunity to sample all the varieties the cheese makers have to offer before lunching in their charming restaurant. Alternatively, you can walk the short distance to the High Street and find your lunch at one of the many shops along the way.

Afterwards we will continue our journey through the Dales ending in Thirsk and The World of James Herriot. You will spend the afternoon visiting Herriot’s actual home and surgery and see items from Herriot’s veterinary practice as well as from both productions of All Creatures Great and Small.

This is a delightfully full day which covers some of the most picturesque routes through the Dales including picture postcard villages, rolling fields with miles of dry-stone walls and locations from the All Creatures Great and Small TV series.

Once we return to Harrogate the rest of the evening is yours.

Hotel: The Yorkshire
Activity level: Moderate
Meals: B, D

Today we will breakfast at the hotel and then board our private coach once more. This time we will head to the Yorkshire moors and the home of the Brontë sisters.

In 1820, Patrick Brontë was appointed to the parish of Haworth and moved his family to Yorkshire and to the moors that they would make famous. Emily, Anne, and Charlotte Bronte wrote passionately about the mysterious moors and Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tennant of Wildfell Hall were all written while the sisters lived in the parsonage. Today, we will visit the family home and gardens and explore the surrounding area. Here you will experience the landscape that inspired these great women and their works.

Afterwards we will head to the nearby village of Saltaire. Saltaire village was built to house the workers of the nearby Salts Mill and it is one of the best examples of a Victorian model village. You will spend the afternoon exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site at your leisure. You will see the Victorian Salts Mill that was built by textile tycoon Sir Titus Salt and operated as a mill until 1986. The mill was then restored and turned in to a place of art and commerce.

Afterwards, it’s back to Harrogate for dinner at a restaurant housed in the splendid historical building which was once the royal baths.

Hotel: The Yorkshire
Activity level: Moderate
Meals: B, D

Today we will breakfast at the hotel and have a free morning to explore Harrogate boarding the public bus for Harewood House.

Harewood House is a popular filming location in Yorkshire. It played itself in the 2019 Downton Abbey movie and has also appeared as Buckingham Palace in the popular PBS series Victoria as well as Pemberley in Death Comes to Pemberley.

We will spend the afternoon exploring the house and 120 acres of gardens and grounds. You will lunch on your own on the grounds and return to town at your leisure.

Dinner is on your own this evening to sample any of the Harrogate restaurants you’ve had your eye on during your stay. There’s also an optional gin tasting at The Spirit of Harrogate, distillers of Slingsby Gin for those who are interested this evening.

Hotel: The Yorkshire
Activity level: Moderate to Strenuous
Meal: B

We will breakfast early at the hotel and then depart for London.

After checking back into The Rockwell we will make our way to Kensington Palace and Gardens and spend the afternoon exploring the place Queen Victoria was born and spent her childhood (she learned she had become queen when visitors arrived at the palace in the early morning of 20 June, 1837). You may have a little extra time to get some last-minute shopping or sight-seeing done in London before meeting in the evening at Wahaca in Covent Garden for our farewell dinner.

Hote: The Rockwell
Activity level: Moderate (lots of walking)
Meals: B, D

We will breakfast at the hotel and then your trip leaders will send you off on your next adventure. You will leave us with a new love of the Yorkshire countryside and the rich history of the north country and its relationship to some of your favorite Masterpiece shows.

We will see you soon at the reunion!

Meal: B

Safe Travels!!

Kate Jones

Kate Jones, a Yorkshire native, works with local businesses that sponsor shows on PBS Utah. She loves all the British programing and has a special affinity for the locations and characters they portray. This is Kate’s third trip to England with Go Learn. She’s excited to return and bring you special insights into the locations and history of the British programs that have become such a cherished part of PBS Utah.

James Davie

James Davie is PBS Utah’s Station Manager and has been with the station for nearly 25 years. Most of James’ time at PBS Utah has involved him in the acquisition of programs, and while he has helped find great documentaries, history programs, and more, he was always on the lookout for the next terrific British drama or mystery. While strong characters and excellent writing are certainly major reasons these programs have become beloved by Utah audiences, James feels the beauty and history of the locations in which they are set are also a large part of their appeal.

Details and What to Expect

Pre-Departure

Go Learn is a unique travel program. For those who can join us, we like to offer pre-departure meetings to prepare travelers about the learning we will experience as well as logistics. Our PBS Utah host Kate Jones will make sure you have all the information you need before you arrive in London—we'll answer questions about what to pack, how to get around, and our daily itinerary. We will share this information in writing with those who might not be able to attend as Go Learn increasingly attracts people from the entire USA.

Our journey does not end the day we leave the UK! A reunion a month after our return is a wonderful capstone to an unforgettable and enriching edu-vacation, as we like to call our journeys.

About Yorkshire

We deliberately chose April for our On Location adventure as many of the filming sites are open for visits, versus closed during mid-summer or during production. Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Dales are particularly beautiful at that time of the year. A photographer’s dream come true.

We are staying in the heart of London and Yorkshire, utilizing public transportation in the cities and enjoying luxury group transportations in the country. Each place visited we will start with a little background and behind the scenes information from your PBS guides. We will also have local tour guides at many our sites who will be able to answer questions and give us more insider information. Enjoy!

Activity levels and restrictions

This trip is considered a LEVEL 2 trip. This is a very walking intensive trip. In order to fully explore the sights on our itinerary, we will be walking long distances every day. Locals walk everywhere—be it to historical sites or just during every-day life—and we will do the same. Be sure to bring comfortable walking shoes! Since we will be waking up early with jet lag, we often will start our days early and continue until sundown. You must also be able to board and exit the trains with your luggage so pack accordingly. This is an Activity Level 2 trip. Learn more about our activity levels.

Dates
April 18-27, 2024

Size
Tour is limited to 20 participants

Cost
Double Occupancy: $5000 per person
Single Occupancy: $5500
See Terms for payment and cancellation details.

Included:

• All guides, tips, and entrance fees
• All in-country transportation
• 10 nights’ accommodation in our centrally located hotel, with breakfast included
• Daily breakfast, group meals as noted
• Comprehensive trip insurance, which includes coverage for sickness, accidents, emergency evacuation (for trip cancellation insurance, please see a travel agent immediately after registering with Go Learn!)

Not included:

• Airfare to and from London
• Meals that are not specifically noted in itinerary
• Cancellation and lost luggage insurance
• Any costs outside of the itinerary