Exploring Cinematic Gems – Top Film Locations Along The South West 660
If you’ve recently been to see blockbuster Wonka and wondered why the port in the fictional Roald Dahl city looked familiar, it’s might just be because you recognised Dorset’s Lyme Regis (route 2) where it was filmed! Production Designer Nathan Crowley told Time Out “There’s something about that stone Cobb (the harbour wall) and the way it curves that’s beautiful”. We couldn’t agree more! In fact, it’s little wonder the picturesque coastline of England’s southwest region has provided the backdrop for numerous iconic films.
With its treasure trove of cinematic landscapes, the region has been captivating audiences for decades. Albeit sometimes under the guise of far-off locations! Here we explore the dramatic cliffs, sweeping beaches, quaint fishing villages, idyllic harbours and grand mansions that feature in some of our best-loved films! Grab the popcorn and discover yet more reasons to explore the South West 660!
Style it out in Swanage – Route 1
Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film, Dunkirk, depicts the WWII Dunkirk evacuation and it saw stars including Harry Styles on set in Weymouth and Swanage for filming. Weymouth harbour features as a civilian fleet is taking off to aide the soldiers trapped in Dunkirk. The Georgian architecture of the town was deemed by the director as a suitable backdrop, though streetlights and parking meters on the harbourside road were hidden from the cameras in order to recreate the early 1940s! In another scene, characters played by Harry Styles & Fionn Whitehead travel from Weymouth to London by train. Though it’s a nighttime shot, Swanage railway station is still recognisable, with its original façade easily passing as a 1940s station.
Other locations on route 1 that have also featured in Hollywood include Lulworth Cove in 2013 World War Z. Some lucky locals were there for the moment Brad Pitt filmed the final beach scenes as he jumps off a boat and runs to shore into the arms of his on-screen family. Durdle Door served as a picturesque backdrop for Nanny McPhee and you might feel the urge to reenact the dancing scene in Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, shot above Dancing Ledge in 2008!
You’d be Weisz to stop in Teignmouth – Route 4
Heading further along the route, from Dorset into Devon you’ll reach the English Riviera. Another of our cinematic gems. Sheltered by the heights of Dartmoor, this east-facing coast between the Exe and Dart creates a special microclimate. The scenery and warmth led to the creation of a series of elegant resorts, including bohemian Teignmouth. And this was the partial setting for 2018 film, The Mercy. About ill-fated sailor Donald Crowhurst who attempted to sail around the world single-handedly in his vessel, the Teignmouth Electron. Starring Colin Firth and Rachel Weisz, we see Crowhurst preparing for his 1969 departure from Teignmouth with the harbour and seafront featuring heavily.
Step into Austen’s World – Route 5
Known locally as South Hams, the bottom corner of Devon is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and here you’ll find exceptional seascapes, pristine villages and historic towns. Some of the southwest’s most expensive postcodes are found on this stretch. It’s little wonder there is a huge collection of stately homes in the vicinity. Saltram House found just outside Plymouth, features in Ang Lee’s 1995 film of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility as Norland Park, home of the Dashwood sisters, played by Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. With stunning interiors and immaculately kept gardens it makes for a peaceful stopping point as you explore the area.
It’s About Time you visited – Route 7
With every inch of South Cornwall’s coast from St Austell Bay to Mount’s Bay an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it lends itself perfectly as the setting of romantic comedy-drama About Time (2013). Directed by Richard Curtis and starring Rachel McAdams, Dohmnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy and Margot Robbie. Nighy and Gleeson play father and son, (and we soon learn that the men in the family have the ability to time hop) with scenes set in the family home, grade II listed Porthpean House. Located at the very start of route 7 in Porthpean village. Now available to hire for weddings or holidays and sleeping 21. This would make the most spectacular base from which to explore! The beach supposedly below the house is actually found eight miles further along the coast at a lovely quiet spot, Vault Beach.
Set Sail for Adventure – Route 8
The old fishing town of St Ives has become West Cornwall’s star attraction. Thanks to its selection of sandy beaches, quaint harbourside pubs and restaurants. But also a famous artsy heritage. And with its turquoise waters and gleaming sands, it made a great stand in for a more tropical location when it was chosen for some scenes in Pirates of the Caribbean – On Stranger Tides (2011). In all honesty though, we don’t need Hollywood stars and glitzy film sets to be wowed by this area. What could be better than watching seals bob in the harbour and surfers perform on Porthmeor Beach’s waves!
Another Day to Die for on the SW660 – Route 9
If we were to associate any part of the South West 660 with big stars, glitz and glamour it may well be the north coast of mid-Cornwall with its trendy hotels, stylish beach bars and gourmet restaurants. But its rocky headlands and vast sandy beaches are also the perfect place to experience Cornwall’s wilder side. Located just off route, as you head towards Newquay, be sure not to miss Holywell Bay.
This picture-perfect pristine bay is characterised by its expansive sandy shore, dramatic sand dunes and striking rock formations. Though practically unrecognisable in final scenes, it was in fact the setting for the Korean beach in 2002 Bond film, Die Another Day. Starring Pierce Brosnan, we see the British spy arrive in ‘North Korea’ in the opening sequence. The bay was filled with sea defenses and the lifeguard hut turned into a pill box with barbed wire and tank traps. Luckily today, though you may like to walk in the footsteps of Bond. The area is more widely recognized for its wonderful seabirds and rare plants and insects!
Sci-Fi Meets Surf and Sand – Route 11
Last but not least of our top cinematic gems, is Saunton Sands. Located halfway between Clovelly and Lynton (route 11). 3.5 miles of golden sand backed by the rolling expanse of Braunton Burrows dune system. The beach’s vast expanse and dramatic landscape provided an ideal setting for the large-scale, high-energy combat scenes in 2014 sci-fi film Edge Of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The beach depicts a futuristic battlefield (where humanity battles alien invaders). But it’s not its only time as a cinematic canvas. Second World War Film ‘The Guernsey Literacy & Potato Peel Pie Society’ (2017) showed a fighter plane landing on Saunton Sands as part of the Guernsey coast. It was also the location for Robbie William’s ‘Angels’ music video (1997).
There’s something captivating about standing where famous scenes were filmed. As you travel along the South West 660 you’ll realise there is a touch of cinematic history to your journey! The route really is a treasure trove for film enthusiasts, nature lovers and adventurers alike. For more ideas about what to see and do on the South West 660, check out our articles of inspiration.
