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Charles flees on horseback

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Charles
flees
for his life
from
Fenton's
halfway
house

Charles flees from the halfway house on horseback

"You're a timebomb"
Sanders to Charles

 

Desperate to escape execution, Charles flees from Sanders and Jim at Fenton's halfway house, but is injured by a gunshot as he rides off. Galloping off, Charles hopes to put some distance between him and his pursuers as he rides along this hillside path. A few moments later, he abandons the horse, and sets off down the steep bank on foot.

The track
behind
'Fenton's
half-way
house'

The scene in May 2007

May 2007

 

Description: This pathway is located behind Air Cottage — the real-life location of 'Fenton's halfway house'.

Where is it?: Air Cottage is located high above the Dovedale gorge, close to the village of Ilam. It is accessible via a number of public footpaths (marked on Ordnance Survey maps of the area) and from a track leading off the road between Ilam and Alstonfield. The entrance to the track (which begins with a cattlegrid) is located on the right hand side near the brow of the first hill after leaving Ilam. The track passes Ilam Tops Farm (Ellen and Ron's Farm) before reaching Air Cottage.

Where's the best vantage point?: This sequence is filmed by a camera mounted close to the rear of Air Cottage.

What about access?: The public footpath which leads past Ilam Tops Farm towards Air Cottage swings to the right of Air Cottage, before rejoining the main farm track on the far side of the farm. While it is possible to take many Ilam location shots from public pathways, this particular shot is taken on farm property with the permission of the owners.

The owners of Air Cottage have always been very accommodating to Survivors fans, but they do ask, as a courtesy, that visiting fans check with them (in advance or on the day) if they wish to take photographs on farm property. For contact details for Air Cottage, click here. There are public footpaths criss-crossing the area around Ilam and Dovedale, but these should be checked closely to avoid trespassing on private land. It is advisable to carry an OS map when visiting these locations.

Anything else?: Once again, the episode's director Tristan de Vere Cole cuts together different locations for dramatic effect. Moments earlier, Charles is shot at as he rides away from Air Cottage. This location is found behind the house — so, in reality, Dennis Lill is riding back towards Air Cottage from the other side. The locations that Lill reaches on foot at the bottom of the ravine moments later are, in fact, back at in the Monsal valley, many miles to the north.

The very limited parking at Air Cottage is private, and prior permission should be sought before making use of it. Alternatively, park in Ilam and approach the area on foot. The walk from the centre of Ilam is a fairly steep 30-40 minute climb - either by following the road uphill or (for those comfortable using OS maps) taking one of the footpaths up over the fields.

 
 

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Page last updated:
22 June 2007