GORDALE Scar, near Malham, was the setting for filming of television's very successful Victoria, based on the life of Queen Victoria. The first series, which went out on ITV last year, followed the early life of Victoria, her accession to the throne at just 18 years old, her marriage to Prince Albert, and the birth of their first child, also called Victoria. The second series, which is due to be screened later this year, is expected to concentrate on the early years of her reign, as she struggles to balance duty to her country with duty to her husband and children.

Gordale Scar is a limestone gorge at the northern end of the Craven Fault which runs from the borders of Cumbria into the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is not known what the military scenes being filmed were, but the scar's rugged and sparse appearance could be said to resemble the Crimea - where Queen Victoria's army fought in the middle 1850s.

The scar was owned by Craven District Council until a few years ago, when it was passed over to Kirkby Malham Parish Council. Chairman, Chris Wildman, who took these pictures, says the council receives many requests from film and television companies to film at the scar. The donations received by the council allows it to carry out maintenance and various other projects in the village and helping it to maintain a zero precept for its residents. Last year, the council also gave permission for the filming of Yorkshire: A Year in the Wild, a documentary series filmed in the North York Moors national park, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Scenes from the series, which is currently being shown on Tuesday evenings, and the parish council is acknowledged at the credits at the end of the programme.