Where was Happy Valley filmed? BBC series filming locations revealed

Sarah Lancashire in Happy Valley season 3
Happy Valley is filmed in a number of locations across the North of England. (Image credit: BBC)

Happy Valley has made a triumphant return to the BBC with millions of viewers tuning into the final installment of the hit series, which stars Sarah Lancashire as troubled police officer Catherine Cawood.

For the past few weeks, Happy Valley season 3 has seen plenty of drama and nail-biting tension against a beautiful Yorkshire backdrop, which has led some fans to wonder where the beloved series is filmed.

With creator Sally Wainwright from Huddersfield, she chose to set the drama in a place she knows well, with locations familiar to her. She is also well known for her work on the period drama Gentleman Jack, which is mostly set in Halifax. 

There are a number of filming locations featured in Happy Valley, so read on to find out more about them. Ironically despite having Sarah Lancashire as its star, Lancashire isn't one of them!

Happy Valley filming locations

The third and final season of Happy Valley was filmed largely in the Calderdale area, which is a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, England.

Speaking about finding the right locations, Luc Webster, Happy Valley's Locations Manager said: "Screen Yorkshire gave assistance throughout the production either helping with some location hunting enquiries and liaising with council authorities outside of Calderdale. They were always on hand for advice and support during challenging moments."

Here's a look at some of the key places you'll see while watching the show.

Halifax

Ryburn Valley High School in Halifax, seen from above

Ryburn Valley High School in Halifax, seen from above. (Image credit: BBC)

The Yorkshire town of Halifax provides a lot of the big scenes we see in Happy Valley. Filming locations include Sowerby Bridge police station, West View Park, Old Halifax swimming pool, Ryburn Valley High School, Holdsworth House Hotel and Heath Hill Road, Mount Tabor.

According to the Halifax Courier, students at Ryburn Valley were asked to audition for small roles in the BBC drama, so the local community is also heavily involved in the project!

Hebden Bridge

Brooksbank Pharmacy as seen in Happy Valley

Brooksbank Pharmacy, where Faisal works in Happy Valley. (Image credit: BBC)

Hebden Bridge is a market town in the Upper Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, England, situated about eight miles west of Halifax.

Hangingroyd Lane provides the location of Catherine Cawood's house, and the end terrace on Albert Street, Elland, is the location of the fictional Brooksbank Pharmacy, where Faisal (Amit Shah) works. 

Bolton

A Bolton street featuring Rico's Newsagents

A Bolton street featuring Rico's Newsagent, where Tommy finds his disguise (Image credit: BBC)

Remember Tommy Lee Royce's great escape in season 3? Bolton played a big role in making that happen even though the on-screen location was Leeds!

The courtroom sequence was filmed at the former magistrates' court in Bolton, and the newsagents where Tommy runs to find his disguise was also filmed there. However, when he emerges he's in Leeds city centre, so both places had a role to play in bringing Happy Valley to life.

In addition, the now iconic scene where Catherine confronts her sister Clare (Siobhan Finneran) in a cafe was also filmed in Bolton, so the Greater Manchester town has provided essential backdrops in season 3. 

Leeds

Ryan Cawood (Rhys Connah) at Leeds train station.

Ryan Cawood (Rhys Connah) at Leeds train station. (Image credit: BBC)

Although Bolton was used for many shots, Leeds does get its time in the Happy Valley spotlight. The City Railway Station and the exterior of Kirkgate Market are seen in the series, as well as the city centre.

Leeds is located in West Yorkshire, England, and is around 14 miles away from Halifax, the main filming location of this series.

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Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress