The Emmerdale exterior set

[Gemini]

Today we are going on ITV's Emmerdale exterior set tour.
I booked it when we had to cancel the Coronation St one and reschedule for later this year.

This has an air of mystery! You board a coach at a hotel 4 miles from Leeds with free parking. You are then taken to the closed Emmerdale set which is within the Harewood estate. You cannot go to the set in any other way and you have to prebook tickets.
The weather looks good, we are looking forward to our day out
I will report back.

[Daisy]

Gem - that sounds interesting, and they are certainly being careful to protect the Emmerdale secrets.

I've never watched it so wouldn't recognise anywhere, but I know you do and I can imagine it will be interesting to see where various characters live and where the story lines evolve.

Have a lovely day.

[Oma]

Have a great day I know you will enjoy it xxx

[Plantaholic]

Like Daisy, I have never watched it but the trip sounds good, enjoy yourselves

[Nanto2girls]

I'm sure i would recognise places,i'm an Emmerdale fan.
Bet they love seeing it all.

[Gemini]

We had a very good day.
We stopped for lunch on the way, as we thought the restaurant at Weetwood Hall where we meet the tour coach would probably be busy.
We drove the 20 minutes further after lunch, parked the car, went to the loo, met our coach then set off for the drive (back in the direction we had come from)
It felt like crossing a border as we got close, as there are barriers and checkpoint and the driver had to show something for us to be allowed through.
It is in the countryside so obviously it is very quiet and peaceful. None of the dramas of Emmerdale life going on
You have the chance to buy souvenirs including a 'David's' shopping bag. As we went to the Emmerdale Experience in Leeds last year, a copy of the interior sets which has a big shop, we had seen everything. And I have my David's bag

The village set is lovely, and much smaller than it appears on screen. Our guide explained that they film with a wide lens so shots along main street make everything look further away.

This will only be of any interest to Emmerdale viewers I realise!
You can go into the church (tiny it looks much bigger on TV) and look though open doors into the Vets, Rhona's adjoining cottage living room, and through the window into Rhona's kitchen. You can look through the window into Megan's house. All the other interior sets are in Leeds and the interiors of houses here are used to store cameras, props etc and act as Green Rooms for the cast and there are loos in one house!
The Woolpack, cafe, David's shop, The B&B, Beauty and Bernice, the garage, Laurels big house , the big house where Robert, Arran and Liv live, The Sharma's house and all the cottages along both sides of the village can be seen. Sharma and Sharma, the village institute and the bus stop! You can see the bridge, Arthur's boat playhouse, the playground and Grace's garden, which is behind the pub, but for some reason we were not allowed to go near that. Although we watch it regularly we didn't know who lived in all the houses, the guide tells you though. You can take photos or your guide will take them for you. Lots of people had selfie sticks!
We could walk thought the graveyard at the end of the tour, keeping to the path which runs through it. I wanted to wander and read all the gravestones, but the one rule on this tour is keep off the grass! As it is a real working set Monday to Friday , with hundred of tourists each weekend the grass would disappear if we all walked on it. Val's weeping angel is very funny, and I could read a lot of familiar names as we walked though. Baby Grace still only has a wooden cross though.

Home Farm scenes are filmed somewhere else, in someones home. The Dingles and Eric Pollards barn conversion can be seen across the field but you can't go to them. I was very disappointed not to see the pigs! They only come to the set when they are needed for filming.

The tour is enjoyable as couple of hours out in the countryside, and to walk around a working set. For a fan of Emmerdale of course it is much more fun. Several men had been 'dragged along' to accompany wives (our guide asked!) but most of us were fans of the series, and it was a nice atmosphere. With a outside set as well there is no crowding and plenty of chance to wander ( but not on the grass!)

[Plantaholic]

Sounds like a very interesting trip Gemini, even for those not Emmerdale watchers.

[Qwerty]

I have no idea about the places you met on scene Gem as I don’t watch any soaps , but it sounds a good day out, again you weren’t far from us at Weetwood Hall it’s where my gorgeous friend Clare had her wake after the funeral funny too that you had been to Swinton Estate where her ashes are scattered uncanny that. Enough of the sadness glad you enjoyed it 🙂

[Gemini]

Ooh we love Emmerdale! Corrie too but I think Emmerdale is our favourite.

[Nanto2girls]

Wow Gem, sounds like a lovely tour.
I'm an Emmerdale fan. I can still remember the very first episode.

[Oma]

Don't watch any soaps , never watched for years so no idea about most of them , but I do recognise some names from the past ,
I liked it when it was Emmerdale Farm , funny I watched a few of the very first episodes with Annie , Grandad , Jack etc a few weeks ago on Satellite Tv

Sounds a good day out though

[Daisy]

I've only ever watched a couple of episodes of Emmerdale and the only name I recognise is Dingle, but even for a non-viewer I think it's interesting to see the background for all the workings of a long-running tv series. What a lovely day out it was for you Gem. You will be the complete Emmerdale expert now after seeing both interiors and exteriors.

[Gemini]

I know, I just need a job as an extra now Daisy

[Daisy]

Gem - you're qualified for a leading role, not an extra! x