The Yorkshire Dales are bracing for a surge in visitors as Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights arrives in cinemas this Friday, February 13th, 2026. Even as the Brontë family resided in Haworth, West Yorkshire, and Top Withens farmhouse is often cited as the inspiration for the novel’s titular estate, Fennell’s film opted for the limestone valleys of Arkengarthdale and Swaledale as its primary locations.
The decision to film in the more northerly dales has sparked renewed interest in the region, drawing comparisons to the impact of previous adaptations on the landscape’s popularity. The film stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Catherine and Heathcliff, and producers reportedly sought a more “raw, unforgiving” environment than the moors immediately surrounding Haworth.
Haworth itself, however, remains a focal point for literary pilgrims. The village, near Bradford, was central to the Brontë sisters’ lives, and the landscape profoundly shaped Emily’s writing. Visitors to Haworth can explore the Brontë Parsonage Museum, the former home of the family, and walk the five miles to Top Withens, the ruined farmhouse believed to have inspired Wuthering Heights. Recent visitors describe a landscape transformed by the novel, where even bleak weather feels “ideal” and “romantic.”
Beyond Haworth, locations featured in Fennell’s film are attracting attention. The Reeth area in Swaledale, including Low Row and the abandoned Old Gang Smelting Mills, and Surrender Bridge, served as key filming sites. The Punch Bowl Inn in Low Row reportedly housed the film crew during production, with staff noting Robbie made a brief visit for refreshments.
Further afield, Norton Conyers House, a pink manor house near Ripon, is believed to have inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Thornfield Hall in Jane Eyre, after Charlotte heard a story of a madwoman kept in the attic while staying there in 1839. The house features a staircase connecting the first floor to the attic, lending credence to the connection.
Accommodation providers in the area are anticipating increased demand. Canopy & Stars offers stays at Heron’s Haunt, a wooden cabin near Ripon with a library of 4,000 books, and a connection to the Brontë family through William Wilberforce, who funded Patrick Brontë’s education at Cambridge University. Ponden Hall, near Haworth, is as well open as a bed and breakfast, and is widely believed to be the real-life inspiration for Thrushcross Grange.
The enduring appeal of Wuthering Heights, and its depiction of the Yorkshire landscape, continues to draw visitors to the region. The film’s release is expected to further amplify this effect, prompting a new wave of exploration in the footsteps of Cathy and Heathcliff.
