There’s nothing quite like the warm feeling that comes from watching All Creatures Great and Small. In fact, next to ‘Gilmore Girls’, it might be the best autumnal comfort-watch going. When that theme hits at the start of each episode, it feels like one giant hug.
So, that said, I am now formally requesting that someone out there make a meme about it turning autumn and how that’s the time of year you need to thaw out James Herriot and co. from their annual hibernation. Just like the ones you see about ‘Gilmore Girls’ in the autumn and then Mariah Carey and Michael Bublé when Christmas rolls around.
But back to All Creatures Great and Small. The bottom line is that it’s a comforting show filmed in and around the Yorkshire Dales, and it does an unbelievable job of showing off the natural beauty of the area. In fact, the landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales are a character unto themselves, but there’s another character that always seems to pop up too: the pub.
In All Creatures Great and Small, the fictional Drovers Arms is where the residents of Darrowby go to celebrate, commiserate and catch-up, often by a roaring fire and with a tankard of ale in hand.
Every time a scene is set in “The Drovers”, it looks so cosy and inviting that we had to go out and find the real pubs that play the Drover’s Arms on the show.
Well, it turns out there are three pubs you need to know about if you want to track down All Creatures Great and Small filming locations: The Devonshire in Grassington, The Green Dragon in Hardraw and The Craven Arms in Appletreewick.
And there’s an important distinction here. The Devonshire provides the exterior of the Drovers Arms, while the Green Dragon was used for the interior scenes in the early series. From series three onwards, the Craven Arms and purpose-built sets took over as the interior backdrop.
The Devonshire, Grassington
The Devonshire is located right in the centre of Grassington, the cobbled small town that plays Darrowby on the show, so this is the obvious place to start your Drovers Arms pilgrimage.
The exterior shots you see on the show are of the Devonshire, with a little TV magic thrown in to make it look 1930s, along with the addition of that famous Drovers Arms wooden pub sign.
So, definitely have a look and, if you have time, stop for a pint. The Devonshire has the sort of traditional country-pub setting you’d hope to find in the Yorkshire Dales, and Grassington itself is worth exploring as the real-life Darrowby.
But if you’re after the full Drovers ambience, you need to look further afield.
The Green Dragon, Hardraw
The first place you need to go is the Green Dragon in Hardraw, a tiny village just outside Hawes that served as the interior of the Drovers Arms during the early series’ of the show.
Even though I visited during the summer on a hot and sunny day and therefore couldn’t take full advantage of the atmospheric interior, it was still impressive to experience.
Parts of the pub date back to the 13th century and it features flagstone floors, exposed wooden beams, stone walls and big open fireplaces. The time-warp nature of the place makes it easy to see immediately why the production team would have picked it as the Drovers Arms.
I can’t even imagine how great it would be in here on an early November night, with the winds howling outside, maybe some rain coming down horizontally and the fires crackling inside.
The Green Dragon is also a proper country inn rather than simply a filming location. It serves traditional pub food, locally brewed real ale and a range of other drinks, and there’s a beer garden out back. It’s also just a short walk from Hardraw Force, England’s highest single-drop waterfall, so there’s plenty of reason to make the trip even if James Herriot isn’t the reason you’re there.
The Craven Arms, Appletreewick
The other pub you have to visit to get the full All Creatures Drovers Arms experience is the Craven Arms in Appletreewick.
This is also a seriously atmospheric Dales pub, and once you step inside, it’s easy to see why it was chosen to stand in for the Drover’s. Dating back to the 16th century, the pub also has stone-flagged floors, chunky beams, gas lighting and open fires, with a collection of cosy rooms.
You can expect tasty locally brewed beers and hearty food made with locally sourced produce.
Our visit to the Craven Arms came after a nice little walk along the River Wharfe on the Dales Way, after parking near Barden Bridge. Again, it was a summer day, so we sat outside, had a pint with the dog and simply took in the gorgeous Yorkshire scenery that surrounded us.
So, there you have it: the three pubs you need to visit to get the full All Creatures Great and Small Drover’s Arms experience.
Start in Grassington for the exterior at The Devonshire, then head to Hardraw for the original interior location at The Green Dragon before finishing at The Craven Arms in Appletreewick, which took over the interior role.
Just don’t be shocked if James, Siegfried, Mrs Hall or Tristan wander through the door at any moment.
Photo credit: Devonshire
Leave a Reply