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River Tay, Perthshire

From the quiet waters of Essex to the majestic rivers of Scotland, we have hand-picked our favourite Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing locations that you can visit.

Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing is a popular BBC2 comedy series, which sees Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse journey across the UK trying to land a catch.

Whilst Mortimer and Whitehouse are the real stars of the show, we can’t help but admire the stunning locations that feature in the programme. So, we thought we best share the filming locations, which of course represent some of the top fishing locations in the UK.

In the short episodes, the comedy duo retire for the evening to some impressive holiday lets, so why not book a stay at one of Sykes’ cottages as seen on TV, to walk in the footsteps of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse?

Discover 7 of the best Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing locations…


1. River Lea, Hertfordshire

River Lea

Resting in the South East of England, flowing through the beautiful landscape of Hertfordshire is River Lea. River Lea, also spelt as River Lee, is featured in episode two of series three of the BBC programme, where the comedy pair reflect on their childhood and try their hand at catching a perch.

Our first Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing location was in fact where Paul Whitehouse used to come fishing with his father and his love for the hobby developed.

This impressive river then travels into Greater London to ultimately meet the River Thames, a truly picturesque scene with unbroken walking and cycling routes, which run the entire length of the river.


2. River Tay, Perthshire, Scotland

River Tay

Crowned as the longest river in Scotland, the majestic River Tay measures an impressive 119 miles and boasts breath-taking scenery.

It is no surprise that this river made an appearance on Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, as it is recognised as the home of internationally important populations of salmon, otter and lamprey.

Because of this, the River Tay has gained a reputation for being one of Scotland’s finest angling rivers, as well as providing great opportunities for canoeing and white water rafting.


3. Bentley Lake, Essex

Bentley Priory Summerhouse Lake

Nestled amidst the glorious countryside setting of Essex, Bentley Lake is where Mortimer and Whitehouse filmed episode two of season two.

Bentley Lake is a 3.5 acre carp lake, offering a private and tranquil experience for each fisherman, with stunning views of the woodland setting to admire.

This impressive Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing location is home to a lake with over 80 hand-picked, quality English carp, as well as majestic lily pads which carpet the lake and willow trees providing shade in the summer months.


4. River Tweed, Scotland

River Tweed, scotland

Episode one of season three sees Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse travel once again to Scotland. This time they choose one the UK’s greatest salmon rivers, the beautiful River Tweed.

The River Tweed rises at Tweed’s Well, found north of Moffat at the very heart of the Scottish borders and flows past many famous spots, such as Scott’s View and the home of Sir Walter Scott at Abbotsford.

In this episode of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Paul Whitehouse is set on catching his first salmon, as the duo discuss their favourite artist and their favourite jam.


5. River Ure, North Yorkshire

River Ure, North Yorkshire

Resting in the peaceful setting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park is our next Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing location.

The River Ure flows down the Wensleydale, past the town of Hawes, before continuing past Aysgarth and then the market town of Middleham, so be sure to expect some stunning waterfalls.

At this fishing location, Mortimer and Whitehouse are on a mission to catch grayling, a fish once referred to as “the lady of the stream”.

After a day of fishing, the pair retire to the remote and isolated Three Peaks Barns, for an evening playing board games and cooking up the day’s catch.


6. River Usk, South Wales

River Usk

In the first episode of the second season, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse spend the day amidst the stunning scenery of the River Usk in South Wales.

The River Usk can be found flowing from Brecon to Newport, passing a number of Welsh hidden gems along the way, including Usk Castle and Clytha Estate, a National Trust property.

At this Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing location, the two are fishing for wild brown trout and Paul Whitehouse reminisces on catching his first trout on River Usk as a boy.


7. Upper Tamar Lake, Cornwall/Devon border

Upper Tamar Lake reservoir

Our final Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing location is the peaceful Upper Tamar Lake in Bude.

In season two, episode two the pair visit this 87-acre venue, which is well-stocked with carp in a 30lb range and a number of fish over 20lbs.

A firm favourite amongst competitive fishermen, this Gone Fishing location was the spot where the two try their hand at catching the stripy perch before taking in their surroundings of this wonderful setting.


So if you fancy walking in the footsteps of Mortimer and Whitehouse with a cosy retreat to return to afterwards, take a look at this selection of holiday cottages, situated across the UK. Did your favourite Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing locations make our list? If not, please be sure to share with us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram.


Image Credits: Dudley Miles(CC BY-SA 3.0)

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