THIS weekend sees the release of a new film of The Secret Garden - and Yorkshire takes a starring role.

The lavish adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved book, starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters, is set in the fictional Misselthwaite Manor. It’s the story of Mary Lennox, a sickly, unloved girl, born in India to wealthy British parents who leave her largely in the care of servants. After a cholera epidemic kills her parents 10-year-old Mary is sent to England, to live with her uncle at his isolated house on the Yorkshire Moors.

When she hears of a secret garden in the grounds and sets out to find it, she discovers, for the first time, the value of love and friendship.

The Secret Garden celebrates the rejuvenating power of the bracing Yorkshire air and the beauty that is found in an English country garden. Here are some of the Yorkshire locations featured in the film, and places to stay nearby:

l Allerton Castle. This 19th-century gothic revival castle has been featured in various film and TV dramas including Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of Four and Lost in Austen. It’s set within 200 acres of grounds between York and Harrogate and the grand building and garden were used for exterior shots of Misselthwaite Manor.

Stay nearby: Moat Hall Cottage, a cosy two-bedroom in Little Ouseburn.

l Fountains Abbey. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is nestled in the rolling hills of Nidderdale. The sprawling gardens were used for a 1993 adaptation of The Secret Garden as well as this latest incarnation, which features the ancient abbey ruins transformed into a garden temple. Mary runs around them with her dog, Jemima.

There are plenty of adventures to be had around Fountains Abbey and adjoining Studley Royal Water Park. The beautiful dog-friendly grounds are filled with scenic trails, stunning viewpoints, secret follies and the atmospheric abbey ruins.

Stay nearby: Skell Garden Cottage, a two-bedroom cottage on the edge of Ripon with a secret garden of its own.

l Helmsley Walled Garden. It first built in 1758 to provide fruit, vegetables and flowers to the Feversham family who lived at nearby Duncombe Park. After falling into disrepair, the garden was restored in the 1990s. The borders appear in various scenes, with the colourful plants capturing the magic of Mary’s secret garden. Helmsley’s own secret walled garden is hidden behind the castle.

Stay nearby: Coco, a vibrant, contemporary dog-friendly holiday home in Helmsley.

l Duncombe Park estate. One of Yorkshire’s finest historic houses, set in 450 acres of North York Moors parkland near Helmsley. The splendid building dates back to the early 18th century and has been in ITV’s Victoria and the 2016 Dad’s Army film.

In The Secret Garden, Duncombe Park is the imposing Misselthwaite Manor. Sections of the grounds used in the film include a Father Time Sundial sculpture and a tunnel of trees.

The parkland is open throughout the year and visitors can enjoy exploring the nature reserves and walks for just £1 per person. The formal gardens are open each summer. Duncombe Park is also home to the National Centre for Birds of Prey.

Stay nearby: St Aidans, a dog-friendly converted church in a hamlet near Helmsley.

l Farndale. The film’s moorland landscape, is known for its swathe of native wild daffodils which flower the length of the valley each spring. A popular Farndale walk is the route up to Blakey Ridge, the highest point in the North York Moors and home to the 16th-century Lion Inn.

Stay nearby: West View Cottage, a dog-friendly three-bedroom farmhouse in Farndale hamlet Church Houses.

l For more about locations in the film visit gorgeouscottages.com/blog/secret-garden-yorkshire-locations