Windgather rocks new

On screen – filming in the Peak District and Derbyshire

Derbyshire and the Peak District, including the famous National Park, are fast becoming some of the most sought-after UK locations for film, television and digital entertainment capture.

Combine dramatic and gritty northern landscapes with picturesque villages, striking industrial features and un-matched heritage properties - along with proximity to major cities and film hubs - and it’s easy to see why producers, directors and creatives are increasingly choosing the Peak District and Derbyshire as a filming location.

We’re ready to introduce you to the local knowledge, passion and expertise to help your next location run perfectly.

Why Derbyshire and the Peak District?

We can bring affordability, accessibility and the rights contacts to support your next production. The benefits of choosing our area include:

  • A growing and proven track record of major feature, HETV, cross-band TV drama, TVC, corporate and photography production
  • Local expertise to help you navigate the access and permissions needed to shoot in stunning landscapes and properties
  • A variety of attractive, often highly unique locations and features in northern England, less than an hour from major city and transport hubs
  • Flexible tech and unit base provision, often close to primary locations
  • Well-respected and solutions-driven highways teams to manage engaging vehicle work

Key local landowner contacts and film liaison officers can guide you through working within protected areas, including the boundaries of the National Park.

Winnats
What’s On Offer

Landscapes

Expansive and windswept moorlands, rocky escarpments and forests along with rolling ridgelines and plateaus. Drystone wall-enclosed fields, gentle valleys and rippling wooded rivers.

Property

An unrivalled list of world-class heritage properties spanning the centuries; from landscape-scale estates to discrete and secretive parochial halls, with hidden literary links. Bustling villages, towns and smaller hamlets, many unchanged by time in their traditions.

Industry

We are the birthplace of much of England’s modern industrial heritage and this is reflected in the mills, bridges and viaducts still found in the landscape today. Former railway tunnels remain accessible along with the flat and surfaced railway routes which they once supported. Local mineworks provide locations that are ready to expand upon with set design or post-production.

Water

A comprehensive network of reservoir complexes, adjacent woodlands and supporting infrastructure including heritage dams and contemporary viaducts.

Road network

Twisting and expansive b-roads, rural vistas and set-piece locations in both brooding uplands and quieter, hedgerow-lined landscapes offer broad tracking shot options. The region already has a reputation for responsive, pragmatic and practical closure or stop-go opportunities.

Specialist

Quarry locations capable of hosting major feature, hero stunt work and set design at scale.

Something else?

With many hidden and untapped gems within the region’s portfolio, get in touch to see if we have what you need.

With our range of extensive regional contacts, we can get you talking to the right places; from crew support to discrete and luxury locations for talent.

Primary Locations

Chatsworth House and Estate

Chatsworth has featured in a range of films, TV programmes and documentaries, and the 35,000-acre Chatsworth Estate offers a range of beautiful locations. In addition to Chatsworth House, the surrounding estate includes a variety of backdrops such as Eldon Quarry, Monsal Dale, and Magpie Mine.

Contact for more details filming@chatsworth.org

Chatsworth

Peak District National Park Authority

The Peak District National Park Authority owns some of the estinations most spectacular countryside landscapes including Stanage Edge (and the wider estate), North Lees Hall, the Monsal Trail and tunnels, and Windgather Rocks.

Contact for more details: tom.marshall@peakdistrict.org.uk

CASTLETON WALK 1 1

The National Trust

The National Trust cares for approximately 13 per cent of the entire Peak District National Park, spanning some 19,000 hectares. The estate includes many of the park’s most iconic locations, such as Mam Tor, Winnats Pass, Dovedale, Padley Gorge and Kinder Scout.

The wider estate includes expansive moorland, ancient woodland, picturesque farms, quarries, and rivered cloughs, all conveniently near main roads to Manchester and Sheffield.

Contact for more details: filmoffice@nationaltrust.org.uk

Mam Tor

Severn Trent

Severn Trent holds some stunning bodies of water, from vast reservoirs to woodland streams and dramatic dams – and not only are they visually impactful, but they serve as versatile filming locations too. Their film locations in the Peak District include the Upper Derwent Valley's Ladybower, Derwent and Howden Reservoirs.

Contact for more details: donna.marshall@severntrent.co.uk

Ladybower

United Utilities

From valleys and dams to historical buildings and operational sites, United Utilities owns over 57,000 hectares of beautiful water gathering land, including Errwood Reservoir, Lamaload Reservoir and Macclesfield Forest.

Contact for more details: Kathryn.Frazer@uuplc.co.uk

Amber Valley

Cromford Mills

Cromford Mills was the site Richard Arkwright’s hugely productive cotton spinning Mill. It is considered to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Arkwright’s invention of the world’s first successful water powered cotton spinning machine ushered in a new era of mass production.

The site at Cromford Mills includes beautiful scenery and atmospheric old mills.

If you are interested contact conference@arkwrightsociety.org.uk

Cromford
Need to know

Can I get a general filming licence for the county/the Peak District?
No, generic licences for filming and photography aren’t available but we can make sure you’re speaking to the right people (usually the primary landowner) to start this process. Most major landowners have dedicated colleagues able to support film and location liaison.

Can I film in the National Park?
Yes, there are no overall restrictions limiting filming within the National Park. However, much of the area is owned privately – not by the National Park Authority – so we can get you in touch with the right teams for the location you’re interested in.

Are there tight restrictions on drone/aerial work in the National Park?
The Peak District contains many areas that are protected, as are some of the region’s operational reservoirs. Aerial work can be assessed on a case-by-case basis and only the most at-risk locations have year-round limitations.

How much are filming permits in Derbyshire & the Peak District?
The cost of a location licence or permit is set by the relevant landowner at the location. Our partners typically offer competitive rates reflecting the location opportunity, facilities and requirements.

Filming in England

Creative England

We are proud to be a member of Creative England’s Filming in England Partnership working with the Filming in England team, welcoming filming to the Peak District & Derbyshire, ensuring cooperation and commitment to assist productions to film on location.

Search the Filming in England National Directories:

Logo

Locations
Submit your property for inclusion in the Filming in England National Locations Directory. Be the backdrop to the next blockbuster or television drama – learn more in the Filming in England Directory Guide or register for free here. Whether you’re interested in learning more about the processes or the economic opportunities within the captivating world of film and TV production, you can find what you need in the Locations Toolkit.

Crew & New Entrants
Calling all film & TV professionals and new entrants! The Filming in England National Crew Directory is your gateway to exclusive job opportunities tailored to your location, skillset and availability – plus invitations to networking events and training. – learn more in the Filming in England Directory Guide or register for free here.

Suppliers & Businesses
Own or work in a supply chain business supporting filming? The Filming in England National Supplier Directory is your direct link to productions seeking your services. Register here to increase your exposure to film & TV industry.

Studio & Build Spaces
For studios and build spaces, the Filming in England National Studio & Build Space Directory is gateway to England’s network of world class studio facilities. Register or update your listing by reaching out to the Filming in England team.

For further information and enquiry support from Filming in England, please contact Chelsea Foster, Production Liaison Manager, North West & Midlands, at Chelsea.Foster@creativeengland.co.uk.

Accommodation

Film Crew Friendly Accommodation

Business Directory Casa Hotel

Business Directory Buxton Crescent Spa Hotel

Business Directory Bike & Boot Leisure Hotels at Bike & Boot

Business Directory Peak Edge Hotel

Business Directory DoubleTree by Hilton Sheffield Park Hotel

Business Directory Mercure Sheffield St Paul's Hotel & Spa

Business Directory Mosborough Hall Hotel

Business Directory Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa

As Seen on Screen

Take a look at where you can find us on screen

Read our Blog

Starring GREAT Britain

Film and TV shows are powerful motivators for travel, and research has shown that more than 9 out of 10 potential visitors to the UK are keen to visit a film or TV location during their trip.

VisitBritain's new campaign, ‘Starring GREAT Britain’, is harnessing this trend using films and TV shows to inspire more visitors to choose Britain, to explore more and come now.

With an abundance of stunning stately homes and breathtaking countryside, it's no wonder that Derbyshire and the Peak District is regularly used as a backdrop for blockbuster films and TV series.

Starring GB

Sign up to our newsletter

Receive the latest news, special offers, ideas and inspiration straight to your inbox by signing up to the Visit Peak District & Derbyshire e-newsletter.

18074061679080232