Yorkshire: On Location with PBS Utah
Go Learn

Today we arrive in London, and we’ll get our first glimpse of English landscape as we head to The Rockwell Hotel in Earls Court to settle in. Later, instead of surrendering to jetlag, we’ll stroll through the royal borough of Kensington, admiring the grand homes and beautiful palace gardens.

We’ll make our way to Orjowan, a Lebanese Restaurant, for a delicious welcome dinner. Then we’ll return to the Rockwell for an early night, because tomorrow will be an exciting day!

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate to Strenuous (lots of walking)
Meal: D

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll head out to say hello to our old friend London-town! We’ll make our way to Westminster Pier to board a Thames River cruise to Greenwich. During the 60-minute journey, we’ll pass some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, the London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower of London.

We’ll disembark in historic Greenwich, birthplace of Henry VIII, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. You’ll have the chance to explore places like the National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, the Old Royal Naval College (Bridgerton fans, don’t miss the Chapel of St Peter and St Paul!), the Royal Observatory Greenwich, and the Cutty Sark.

We’ll lunch on our own in Greenwich and in the afternoon, after a full day of exploring, we’ll take the boat back to London. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the city at your own pace. In the evening, we’ll reconvene to take in a show in the West End.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meal: B

After an early breakfast, it’s off to King’s Cross Station to catch a high-speed train to Harrogate. This beautiful Victorian spa town is featured in the series Last Tango in Halifax and served as a bolthole (a place of escape) for Agatha Christie when she mysteriously disappeared for 11 days in 1926. Once we arrive in Harrogate, we’ll walk the short distance from the station to our hotel, The Yorkshire, to check in. You can drop your luggage before heading back out on a delightful walking tour of the city, enjoy a spot of shopping, or a drink at the hotel while you wait for your room to be ready. Later, we’ll gather for a traditional English Tea at the world-famous Bettys Tearoom. First opened in 1919, Bettys is a beloved Harrogate tradition. You’ll be serenaded by a pianist as you feast on a lavish selection of dainty sandwiches, specially selected teas, and irresistible miniature cakes and scones.

Afterward, the rest of the afternoon is yours.

We’ll meet up again in the evening for a history chat and beverages at the hotel.

Hotel: The Yorkshire  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meals: B, Tea

Although the filming locations for Downton Abbey are all located near London, the Grantham family is from Yorkshire. In the series, the fictional Downton Abbey is set in Yorkshire, with York portrayed as the nearest “big town” to the estate.

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

After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll board the train for York. Upon arrival at the station, we’ll begin a two-hour walking tour of the old city, where we’ll 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 the tour, the rest of the day is yours to grab lunch and explore at your own pace. You can return to Harrogate whenever you’re ready.

Hotel: The Yorkshire  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meal: B

Following breakfast at the hotel we’ll board our private coach to Howarth, where we’ll explore the Yorkshire moors and the home of the Brontë sisters. Our first stop will be the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway station, a historic site featured in Last of the Summer Wine, All Creatures Great and Small, and North & South, and films such as Brideshead Revisited. Our coach will drop us at Keighley station, where we’ll board a historic steam train for a scenic 20-minute journey to beautiful Haworth station.

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

Lunch will be on your own in one of the charming cafés or shops along Haworth’s Main Street. In the afternoon, we’ll don our walking shoes and set out on a one and a half mile walk across the mysterious moors that play such a significant part in the Brontës’ works. Along the way, we may even be able to see set pieces that are still on the grounds from To Walk Invisible.

Afterward, it’s back on the coach to Harrogate where you’ll have time to rest before we meet for dinner.

Hotel: The Yorkshire  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate to Strenuous (lots of walking)
Meals: B, D

This morning, we’ll enjoy breakfast at the hotel before checkout and set off to a new adventure. Today, we’re making our way to Newby Hall, a 17th-century country home designed by Christoph Wren. Considered to be one of Britain’s finest “Adam Houses”, Newby Hall also showcases exceptional examples of 18th-century interior decoration. The house and gardens have served as filming locations for Victoria, Gentleman Jack, and Peaky Blinders.

We’ll begin with a private tour of the estate, after which you’ll have time to explore the expansive grounds at your leisure. Optional activities include riding a miniature steam train, taking a boat trip along the River Ure, or visit the Dollhouse Exhibition or Teddy Bear House (some activities may have an additional cost).

Afterward, we’ll continue our journey to Thirsk for a visit to The World of James Herriot. You’ll spend the afternoon visiting Herriot’s actual home and surgery, where you’ll see artifacts from his veterinary practice as well as memorabilia from both television adaptations of All Creatures Great and Small.

We’ll check into our new hotel, The Coniston, located in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. You’ll have some time to rest and settle in before we meet for dinner in the hotel’s dining room.

Hotel: The Coniston Hotel  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meals: B, L, D

We’ll start the day with an early breakfast at the hotel before boarding our private coach for a full-day tour of the Yorkshire Dales, including several filming locations from 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 1960s he began writing about his experiences as a vet under the pseudonym James Herriot and the rest, as they say, is history.

Over the next two days, our tour will take us across the Yorkshire Dales, visiting iconic locations such as Skipton, Barden Bridge, Bolton Abbey and Arncliffe.

Visit filming location for All Creatures Great and Small:

• Malham Cove – described as one of the natural wonders of Yorkshire
• Barden Bridge at Bolton Abbey - “the location where a number of stand offs took place over who had the right of way”
• Arncliffe – scenes shot in the village and the pub have been used
• Yockenthwaite – Helen’s Farm

For lunch, we’ll stop in the bucolic town of Hawes and visit the Wensleydale Creamery. Wensleydale cheese is the favorite cheese of beloved duo Wallace and Gromit, and you’ll have the chance to sample a variety of cheeses 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.

This is a delightfully full day that takes us through some of the most picturesque routes in the Dales, featuring postcard-perfect villages, rolling fields lined with dry-stone walls, and filming locations from the All Creatures Great and Small TV series.

Once we return to The Coniston, we’ll enjoy dinner together at the hotel.

Hotel: The Coniston Hotel  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meals: B, D

This morning, we’ll enjoy breakfast at the hotel before setting off by private coach for another scenic day in the Dales. Our first stop is the town of Skipton, a charming market town with a rich history and inviting atmosphere.

From there, we’ll continue to Grassington, the main filming location for All Creatures Great and Small. You’ll have time to wander through the village and take in the surrounding landscape. As we travel through the Dales, we’ll wind through rolling hills and scenic valleys featured throughout the series.

We’ll stop for lunch on your own at a local spot—likely somewhere cozy and full of character.

After lunch, we’ll make our way back to hotel via Pateley Bridge (the crossroads that are important in the Christmas episode are “on the roads above Pateley Bridge”).

Dinner will be served at the hotel, followed by a free evening to relax or explore at your leisure.

Hotel: The Coniston Hotel  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate
Meals: B, D

We’ll begin our last full day with an early breakfast at the hotel before heading to Leeds station to catch our train back to London.

Once we arrive and check back into The Rockwell, the rest of the day is yours to do whatever is left on your bucket list. Perhaps you want to explore Kensington Palace and Gardens, 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 on 20, June 1837). You might want to visit to the V & A or the Natural History Museum, or maybe you want to get some shopping done. Perhaps an afternoon on the South Bank is more your style or maybe heading to Camden or East London. It could be all of the above! You are free, go nuts!

Later that evening we’ll gather at San Pietro for our farewell dinner.

Hotel: The Rockwell  opens a new window
Acivity Level: Moderate (lots of walking)
Meals: B, D

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

We’ll see you soon at the reunion!

Meal: B

Safe Travels!

Kate Jones works with major donors at PBS Utah and has spent the past six years planning and leading Go Learn trips to destinations across the UK. Originally from Yorkshire, Kate holds degrees in Geography and Communications, and has always nurtured a deep love of British history. A lifelong fan of British programming, she feels a special connection to the landscapes, locations, and characters brought to life on screen. Having traveled extensively throughout Europe, Kate brings both expertise and passion to every journey. She is especially excited to share her insider’s view of Yorkshire—its culture, history, and hidden gems—inviting others to experience the region through the eyes of someone who knows and loves it best.