Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie star in Wuthering Heights(Image: AP)
Everyone knows Wuthering Heights is set in the stunning, bleak and atmospheric Yorkshire countryside and when it came to filming the latest adaptation, with Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, it was a no brainer to return. to the classic novel’s homeland.
While Emily Brontë’s novel was set predominantly within the Yorkshire Moors, close to where she lived, this on-screen intense love story, directed by Saltburn’s Emerald Ferrell, was shot in the Yorkshire Dales.
In fact, there was one particular dale which proved to be the real star of the show, making multiple appearances throughout the film.
If you want to visit the places where the stars filmed the smouldering love scenes, Swaledale is the ideal place to immerse yourself and it’s less than 90 minutes from Manchester.
From the very first glimpses in the film to some of its most dramatic scenes, the backdrop of this dale arguably plays the leading role.
One of the primary filming locations within Swaledale is the ruins which can be seen throughout the film. These particular ruins are, in fact, remains of Yorkshire’s early 19th-century lead mining industry, featuring tall chimneys that are freely accessible to the public.
At the very beginning of the film, when a horse-drawn carriage moves through the green fields, it passes the Old Gang Smelt Mill, which can be seen in the background. It’s also captured again in other clips, when leading actors Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are strolling through the misty moors.
A short distance from the Old Gang mine, nestled in the moorland above Langthwaite village, lies a winding route called Bouldershaw Lane. This area features prominently in the film during a striking scene involving Robbie in an elaborate wedding dress.
The sequence shows Cathy striding determinedly through an open field, clutching a bouquet while dressed in a white veil and gown – that particular scene was filmed in the field opposite the road.
While the land is privately owned, it remains visible from the lane, with many walkers passing by unknowingly whilst completing the circular route from Surrender Bridge around Reeth High Moor.
A short journey from Swaledale brings you to an impressive hall and estate, reportedly used aby the Hollywood cast and director Emerald Fennell throughout filming.
The property’s owner has said both performers and crew rehearsed their lines here during the day and carried out post-production interviews on the premises.
Owner Jake Dinsdale told Condé Nast Traveller: “They had some great meals together, a Sunday roast. We did some walks with them, and they enjoyed the outdoor fire pits on our terrace late into the night, chatting and laughing…they really enjoyed those and having a flavour of the countryside.”
Also within Yorkshire Dales National Park are the Melbecks Moors, which served as the setting for many of the most atmospheric and breathtaking scenes in the film.
One of the locations where viewers see the characters walking through the fields is believed to have been along this stretch, as it represented an exceptionally isolated spot in the upper reaches of Swaledale.
The region is scattered with many abandoned buildings and former roads dating back to when it served as a centre for lead mining, with one of the derelict buildings also utilised for filming.
The National Park’s communications manager, Mark Sadler, described how these settings were enhanced for the production through special effects and props.
He noted the area is essentially “open moorland”, and people have to walk more than five miles to reach it. He explained that, in keeping with preserving the natural character of the landscape, the cast and crew had to understand that considerable hikes into “very, very remote moorland” were necessary, with absolutely nothing around it.
Read more on Manchester Evening News
