Emmerdale Farm

After visiting Last Of The Summer Wine Country, we decided we'd head out to take a look at some other filming sites, this time the places where Emmerdale Farm was filmed.

Emmerdale is a British soap opera which is now filmed at a purpose made set in the grounds of Harewood House, but prior to 1989 it was known as Emmerdale Farm and the outdoor scenes were filmed first of all at Arncliffe and later at Esholt. The Emmerdale Farm farmhouse itself can be found in Leathley, a village in Harrogate so that's where we headed first. When the series first started it was about farm life so the farmhouse featured heavily.

Next we visited Otley, a market town on the River Wharf, which is used for filming in Emmerdale as the fictional market town of Hotten.

We visit Otley fairly often and used to bring the children when they were young. It's a lovely walk by the river and I remember days out here as a child myself, it used to have a lovely paddling pool where families would flock to when the weather was nice.

What do you make of the name of the park though? I always have a little snigger when I see the sign, childish, I know, haha.

Archie's legs were getting tired after our walk so we headed back to the car and set off for Esholt. The name of the pub in Emmerdale is The Woolpack. This one in Esholt was called The Commercial when filming took place there but its name was changed to The Woolpack as the landlord at the time tired of the inconvenience of the frequent pub sign changes.

The Post Office had a sign outside advertising that they sell Emmerdale merchandise but apart from that, and the name of the pub, you'd never know that Emmerdale had once been filmed here.

It's a picture perfect village, tranquil, stunning scenery and pretty cottages.

We took a walk through the churchyard. It looked well kept. I actually love a walk through a churchyard, I find the gravestones so interesting to read and look at.

St Paul's church was built in 1839 for use as a private family chapel. It was not consecrated until 1853. We didn't go inside, we had Archie with us.

What a stunning view from the church door, overlooking the River Aire.

Another lovely day out, somewhere a bit different.