Most Call the Midwife fans start at the Historic Dockyard Chatham in Kent, and that is the right choice. Almost every outdoor Poplar scene is filmed inside its walls, and the dockyard's official location tour, made with producer Neal Street Productions, is the only way to have each corner explained by someone who knows the production. Book the tour in advance, as it sells out on popular days, and check current prices on the dockyard's website. The tour includes same-day museum entry, so plan to stay for the warships, the Ropery and the galleries afterwards.
Do not expect to walk into Poplar. The production dresses the dockyard streets for each block of filming and removes the dressing afterwards, so on a normal day you see a Georgian naval yard. The tour's gallery of original costumes, props and preserved sets makes up for it, and seeing how a few dockyard roads become a whole East End district is the real pleasure of the visit. Nonnatus House itself is a studio set at Longcross in Surrey, which has no public tours.
Beyond Chatham, the visitable places fall into three groups. In the south-east, Dreamland in Margate (the 2024 funfair), Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire and West Wittering beach in West Sussex each make an easy day out from London. In Surrey, Royal Holloway's Founder's Building and the Horsley Towers hotel are confirmed filming places, though the scenes shot there are not described, so they suit fans who are passing anyway. The Outer Hebrides, used for the 2019 Christmas special, need a trip of their own: five places across Lewis and Harris, all open to the public, in some of Britain's finest scenery.
If you want to see the real Poplar, go as a history visitor rather than a location hunter. A walk from the Museum of London Docklands at West India Quay along Poplar High Street to St Matthias Old Church and All Saints DLR takes two to three hours and tells the real story of the docks and the East End the series draws on. None of those stops is a filming location, which is why they do not appear on this guide's map.
By rail
Chatham is about 45 minutes to an hour from London on Southeastern trains from St Pancras, Victoria or London Bridge; from Chatham station allow 35 to 40 minutes on foot to the dockyard's Western Avenue entrance, or take a bus. Margate has direct Southeastern trains, including high-speed services from St Pancras, and Dreamland is a short level walk from the station. For West Wittering, take the train to Chichester and continue by bus. Egham and Horsley stations, both on lines from London Waterloo, serve the two Surrey locations. For the Outer Hebrides, the nearest railheads are Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh, followed by a coach or drive to the ferry.
Local buses run from Chatham's town centre and waterfront towards the dockyard; ask the dockyard or check the operator's live timetable for the best route on the day. Buses link Chichester with the Witterings, though services thin out in the evening and in winter. On Lewis and Harris, buses connect Stornoway, Tarbert and the main villages, but they are infrequent, often do not run on Sundays and do not reach every location, so a car is far easier for the 2019 special route.
The Historic Dockyard Chatham has free parking for visitors at the Western Avenue entrance. Dreamland and Margate seafront use paid town car parks that fill on summer weekends. Chiltern Open Air Museum has its own car park. At West Wittering the estate's large car park is paid and can sell out or need booking in hot weather. In the Hebrides, use marked parking at Calanais, Gearrannan and Luskentyre, and never park in single-track passing places or across croft gates.
Seasons and opening
The dockyard has a main season from spring to autumn with listed closure days, and the official Call the Midwife tour runs only during that season, so check the calendar before you book. Dreamland opens on a seasonal calendar with special events, and Chiltern Open Air Museum is seasonal too. West Wittering is busiest on summer weekends. In the Hebrides, ferries book up in summer, winter daylight is short, and Gearrannan's museum and café keep reduced hours out of season.
The dockyard tour is described as wheelchair friendly, but the ground is uneven in places, with cobbles and setts, so ask for assistance when booking. Dreamland's main paths are step-free, though rides have their own restrictions. Chiltern Open Air Museum's paths include grass and gravel. West Wittering has boardwalks onto the beach, but most of it is soft sand. The Hebridean sites vary: Calanais and Rodel are a short walk from parking, Luskentyre involves dunes, and Eilean Glas is a rough moorland hike.
Private means private.
Two places connected with the series are not open to visitors. The original Nonnatus House in Mill Hill is now private homes: look only from the public road and do not photograph residents. Longcross Studios in Surrey is a working studio with no access. At the dockyard, keep to signed routes and stay away from any area closed for filming, and at Gearrannan remember that some blackhouses are occupied holiday lets.
Book the 90-minute official tour first, which passes the Fitted Rigging House, the Admiral's Offices, Anchor Wharf, the Ropery and the Royal Dockyard Church, then use the rest of the day for the Ropery, galleries and warships. Start and finish at the Western Avenue entrance, and check the dockyard's closure days before you book.
Chatham Dockyard and the Medway riverside
A full day · On foot, with a short bus, train or car hop to Rochester
A morning at the dockyard followed by a walk along the public riverside used in series 13, finishing in Rochester for history and supper.
Spend three to four hours at the dockyard, then walk the riverside paths towards the town centre. Rochester's castle and cathedral are about 15 to 25 minutes away by car or a short train ride, and make a good general heritage finish, though they are not Call the Midwife locations. Confirm the dockyard's last admission time.
Lewis and Harris: the 2019 Christmas special
2 days · Car, with ferry or flight to the islands
All five Hebridean places from the 2019 special over two days: the stones and blackhouses on Lewis, then the beach, church and lighthouse on Harris.
Calanais Standing Stones· Where Mother Mildred and Sister Monica Joan visit the stones (2019 special)
Spend day one on Lewis at Calanais and Gearrannan, staying in Stornoway, Carloway or the blackhouses themselves. On day two drive south to Harris for Luskentyre and Rodel, then return north via Tarbert and the bridge to Scalpay for the lighthouse walk, which needs two hours and good boots. Distances are long on single-track roads, so do not try to fit everything into one day.
Guided tour
Call the Midwife Official Location Tour, the Historic Dockyard Chatham
A 90-minute guided walk created with Neal Street Productions, with same-day museum entry and the gallery of original props and sets. Runs in the main season; check dates and book direct.