Doctor Who filming location in South Wales

The list of Doctor Who sites evolves as The Doctor regenerates through new incarnations. South Wales provided the several backdrops when Jodie Whittaker was at the helm, including for her final series, Flux.

The 12th century castle, located in the grounds of Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan, once hosted Hollywood legends. More recently, St Donat's, which is the longest continually inhabited castle in Wales, found Mandip Gill (Yaz) and guest actor, Jacob Anderson, battling Sontarans for Flux in the college grounds.

Merthyr Mawr Warren National Nature Reserve is part of the historic Merthyr Mawr Estate, situated just outside Bridgend. It's best known for The Big Dipper, the highest sand dune system in Wales. But this wildlife haven has also hosted the Doctor Who cast with scenes shot around the dunes and surrounding farmland.

Cold Knap’s beach lived up to its name for the filming of series 13, which saw Jodie Whittaker face off the haunting Weeping Angels. When not hosting a Time Lord, the quieter, pebble beach, away from the main resort of Barry Island, is popular for fishing and rock pooling.

But, even before Jodie Whittaker took the helm, a TARDIS was often seen on the South Walian horizon. Try these Doctor Who reboot locations:

This 17th century mansion in Newport, Tredegar House has been a stalwart of modern-day Doctor Who, appearing in multiple episodes. The red-brick stately pile, set within 90 acres of grounds and originally home to local landowners, was particularly popular with David Tennant-era series, appearing in both The Christmas Invasion and The Girl in the Fireplace.

The historic Chepstow Castle has kept watch over the River Wye since the Norman Conquest, built in 1067 by associates of William the Conqueror. The castle was later a seat of medieval and Tudor power before finding a new role, providing the backdrop to scenes in Doctor Who episodes such as The Rebel Flesh and The Almost People, both from the Matt Smith era of the show, plus the 50th-anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor.

National Botanic Garden of Wales is a 568-acre site in Carmarthenshire dedicated to horticulture. Its landscapes are alive with the changing colours of the seasons. The centrepiece Great Glasshouse, the landmark glass dome designed by architect Norman Foster, played a darkly dramatic role in the The Waters of Mars, staring David Tennant. 

The shingle beach, located along the Wales Coast Path in Glamorgan, is officially known as Dunraven Bay. However, the wave-washed beach, popular with fossil hunters, is better to known to Whovians — that’s Doctor Who fans — as Bad Wolf Bay. Southerndown Beach played a starring role in several episodes, the most dramatic scene the tearful farewell between Doctor David Tennant and companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) in Doomsday.

The Welsh capital, Cardiff, has been a regular destination for Whovians since the arrival of the ninth doctor, Christopher Eccleston. It even featured in the 50th anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor, whereby doctors ten and 11, David Tennant and Matt Smith respectively, joined forces — plus a preview of then incoming twelfth doctor, Peter Capaldi. Try these classic Cardiff locations for Doctor Who nostalgia:

The cornerstone of Cardiff’s Civic Quarter, the National Museum Cardiff is a treasure trove of discoveries. While the gallery is home to works by Monet and Rodin, plus Welsh artist Augustus John, the Evolution of Wales gallery traces the history of the nation. For Doctor Who fans, however, the museum’s staircase is the biggest draw: the 2005 episode, Dalek, saw The Doctor’s arch-nemesis conquering stairs here.

The Cardiff landmark was the former home of wealthy industrialists, the Bute family, who transformed the historic Cardiff landmark into a Victorian architectural folly. Cardiff Castle also provided the Victorian backdrop to a Matt Smith-era Christmas special, The Snowmen, which first introduced fans to future companion, Clara Oswald, played by Jenna Coleman.

The open-air museum, located just outside Cardiff, tells the story of Welsh life through history. That made it the perfect location for filming the episodes Human Nature and The Family of Blood, which takes David Tennant back to eve of World War I. St Fagans National Museum of History stands in the grounds of 16th century St Fagans Castle.

There are a number of Doctor Who themed walking tours in Cardiff, including Fogo's Free Tours, which runs on a 'pay as you feel' basis. For a self led tour, you can download the Cinematic Cardiff Tour from VoiceMap, voiced by guide Sarah of Sarah's Wales. Listen as the tour guides you around the city centre pointing out spots used in the filming of the Doctor Who series, Torchwood, The Sarah-Jane Adventures and the BBC’s Sherlock, as well as a few more surprising television productions.