This was originally published on Comfortably Adventurous on 9th September 2025
Two days exploring the Yorkshire Dales and the world of All Creatures Great and Small.
Over the last week, Anna and I enjoyed a few days exploring the Yorkshire Dales, inspired by the fictional television series All Creatures Great and Small. Earlier on in the year, we were introduced to this series by my father, a new interpretation of the classic BBC series based on the books by James Herriot. We quickly fell in love with its wholesome and simple style and aesthetic. This new iteration, based in the fictional setting of Darrowby, a small quiet village in the North Riding area of Yorkshire is filmed in the historic market village of Grassington and other locations around the Dales. To celebrate a milestone birthday, we booked a couple of nights at The Devonshire, a local pub used as a filming location in the series and made the drive up into the North of England to explore one or two points of interest associated with the series.
In my childhood, we spent a number of holidays together as a family staying in cottages on the Yorkshire moors exploring together and cuddling up around a fire with a home cooked meal under a blanket. I’ve been fortunate over the years to explore some amazing locations and attractions around the world, but there is something, inspired by the innocence of youth that brings comfort in exploring this beautiful corner of England. Everyone was welcoming and accommodating of our needs, it had a much slower pace and energy, a world away from our day to day lives in London. On our second day, we set out for a drive across the Dales to experience the National Park and surrounding areas and had a lovely day just exploring that area, discovering two filming locations quite by chance on our travels. It was a wonderful pretence to explore a different corner of Yorkshire that made for a memorable stay.
An excursion to another age and way of life
Driving onto the market square in Grassington was a delightful experience, you feel you have arrived in another age, surrounded by small independent shops and a community spirit that is evocative. The square is transformed with the aesthetic of Britain in the 1940s during filming, for the rest of the year, it retains a traditional appearance and ‘feel’ that is appealing to visitors and fans of the series in equal measure. The pub we were staying in is used as the exterior of The Drovers Arms, the watering hole on the square. Though the interior was filmed elsewhere an hour away, it was a delight to step inside and experience the warm hospitality of the team running the pub, with eight rooms themed around the series named after the characters and settings of the show. We had two nights booked at the Skeldale Suite and the Tricki Woo dog friendly room. Though unfortunately there was no Pekingese pooch on this particular visit.
On the square, the exterior of the house used as the principle filming location lacks the stone pillars and gold plaque from the show but as a fan it was immediately recognisable and a delight to see in person. The view from the Skeldale Suite overlooks the square and as the shops closed for the day and the sun started to set, it was nice to look out and see the building resembling its appearance in the series in the absence of modern day distractions. A number of local shops are changed superficially to match the historic setting of the wartime period, with a few retaining the aesthetic changes after filming to retain the look and feel of the series. It was a particularly nice touch to see the pub we were staying in with the frosted windows of The Grovers Arms still in place. The opening hours took a little getting used to but over the two or three days we spent in Grassington we managed to visit them all.
Setting out early after a good hearty breakfast, we found a route to the village of Hawes on the other side of the National Park, about an hours drive through narrow lanes, steep peaks and idyllic countryside views. The climb was a little challenging for a 6 year old Vauxhall as we pushed further into the countryside, but we were rewarded with beautiful views of the Dales as far as the eye could see. Descending down into the valley and approaching the village of Hawes, we passed through Yockenthwaite, used as the exterior filming location for one of the main characters farms and stopped for a quick picture. It was a lovely surprise to discover this on our travels. A little further up, we stopped for an hour or two at the Wensleydale Creamery, wonderful for cheese lovers and an opportunity to pick up a block or two to take back to London for a cheese board supper.
After an enjoyable stop exploring this part of the Dales, we set off on a different route back, hoping to find the filming location for Mrs Pumphrey’s beautiful period home at the real Broughton Hall. Arriving from London we had passed by the day before on our drive out to Grassington from Skipton. With a little more time to spare, we managed to get a little closer and took a picture or two of this beautiful building that today serves as a retreat and wellbeing centre. With those two locations discovered and some wonderful memories of our drive across the Dales, it was time to make the short drive back to Grassington, finding an opportunistic parking spot on the square outside the Devonshire before spending some time exploring one or two more shops that were still open. Anna indulged my love of Christmas shops and novelty gifts, though I managed to restrain myself, somewhat.
Final Thoughts
It was a lovely experience to explore a different corner of Yorkshire, inspired by a shared joy of a particularly wholesome and jovial television series. The stay at the Devonshire Inn was particularly memorable, the staff were delightful and accommodating of our situation, moving our luggage from one room to another during our stay and offering a gluten free alternative that inspired us to dine in with them on both nights staying in the village. The pork belly bites were particularly amazing. Even more incredible, directly opposite the Inn was a familiar gluten free brownie cafe called Love Brownie. I experienced these delicious wheat free treats a number of years ago in Windsor before they closed down. Opening the curtains to the view overlooking the square, it was lovely to see their recognisable sign and though it wasn’t open on the first day, we managed to pick up a few wheat free treats on the day we left to enjoy on our way home.
It’s a simpler, and quieter way of life in contrast to the kinetic energy and pace living in London. Shops and stores have shorter opening hours, or sometimes not at all as it turned out. In many ways it reminded me of visiting my parents down in Glastonbury and how sometimes you just have to slow down and accept that slower pace of living, if only for a while. A quaint, twee television series about vets in the 1930s inspired this particular trip but it was nice for both of us to take some time away from our busy lives to just stop and breath for a moment, enjoying the views of the Dales, the hospitality of its people and the welcoming spirit in the air. In the series, a vet from Glasgow visits the Dales and falls in love with the village and its people, having spent two days immersed in the village of Grassington, you can begin to understand why.
Thank you for reading.
Brown Sign Chronicles 
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