If you watched the gripping Peaky Blinders finale, you may have recognized the location of Tommy Shelby's epic caravan scene overlooking Chrome Hill, near Buxton. From blockbuster Hollywood movies to popular TV series, documentaries, and more, the Peak District has proved a popular destination for filmmakers for decades.
However, here are just some of the Films and TV programs you might not know were filmed in the UK's first national park….
Pride & Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley features some of the great views of the Peak District National Park. The beautiful moorlands of the Dark Peak and the untamed gritstone crags of Stanage Edge were used in a recent romantic blockbuster.
Game of Thrones (upcoming prequel)
Reporter Steven Ross saw the actor, who plays Prince Daemon Targaryen in the upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off series House of the Dragon, in Castleton. A large film crew and horses were also present in the picturesque village. Steven spoke to crew members at the old war memorial in Castleton but they said they had signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Another source said they had been told that locals had ‘encountered an 80-strong film crew on the old Mam Tor Road’. He said: “They think they’ve picked the Peak District as the new New Zealand for the next Game of Thrones series.” A one-way system has also been in place in the village to get plant lorries through as filming continues. House of the Dragon is the prequel to Game of Thrones, coming to HBO and HBO Max.
Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood, the series is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, is set to star Matt Smith, and tells the story of House Targaryen at the height of its power.
Mission Impossible 7
The film crew in Stoney Middleton including Tom Cruise were spotted filming an epic scene as a train tumbled over the edge of the former Darlton Quarry.
Peak District photographer Villager Jim was waiting on a nearby hill to capture the unforgettable moment.
"It was definitely a one-of-a-kind experience, I sat across the valley for the afternoon and waited. It was amazing on its own just to watch the helicopter and film crews do dummy runs to see how they would pan the cameras during the real thing. The film shoot has been the talk of the village for months. There are always rumours of what’s going on and which actor might be in town.”
The film, production of which was halted due to the pandemic, is set to premiere in Summer 2023.
Robin Hood
This picturesque valley and the River Dove were utilised as filming locations for Russell Crowe's Robin Hood in 2010 and the BBC's Jane Eyre series.
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), starring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, was mainly filmed in the area and is recognised for its strange rock formations, especially Ilam Rock.
The Dam Busters
Part of The Dam Busters, one of the most well-known war films of all time, was shot in Derwent Valley (which was the testing area for the real "Dam Busters"). It was the setting for the thrilling attack on the Ruhr Valley in Star Wars: A New Hope, which inspired the iconic Death Star trench rush.
Photo via BBC/CARYN MANDABACH PRODUCTIONS.
