The Secret Locations: 7 Iconic Places Where The Classic 'Carry On' Films Were Shot

For decades, the *Carry On* film series has been the bedrock of British comedy, delivering slapstick, innunuendo, and unforgettable characters. While the films transported audiences to exotic locales—from the jungles of the Khyber Pass to the beaches of Spain and the deserts of ancient Rome—the true, and often hilarious, secret is that the cast and crew rarely strayed far from home. This article, updated for December 2025, delves into the specific, iconic, and often surprising real-world locations that doubled for the world's most famous destinations, revealing the ingenuity and tight budgets behind one of cinema's longest-running franchises.

The entire *Carry On* franchise, spanning from 1958’s *Carry On Sergeant* to the final film in 1992, was a masterclass in cinematic economy. Producer Peter Rogers and director Gerald Thomas were notorious for their tight budgets, which dictated that elaborate foreign shoots were out of the question. Instead, the area surrounding Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire became a stand-in for almost every corner of the globe, transforming ordinary British countryside and stately homes into hilarious backdrops for Sid James, Barbara Windsor, and Kenneth Williams.

The Home Counties: Where The World Was Filmed

The key to the *Carry On* films' production was their proximity to Pinewood Studios, located in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. The studio lot itself, along with the surrounding Home Counties of Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, and Surrey, provided the vast majority of the exterior filming locations. This reliance on local settings not only saved money but also created a unique, quintessentially British flavour to the entire series, as the world’s most glamorous spots were recreated on a shoestring budget.

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1. Paradise Camp: The Orchard That Became A Camping Nightmare (*Carry On Camping*, 1969)

Perhaps the most famous and most-searched *Carry On* location is "Paradise Camp" from the 1969 classic, *Carry On Camping*. The chaotic, muddy, and often nude-filled campsite where Sid Boggle (Sid James) and Bernie Lugg (Bernard Bresslaw) take their disastrous holiday was not a real commercial campsite. It was, in fact, the orchard located on the grounds of Pinewood Studios itself.

• Location: Pinewood Studios Orchard, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.
• The Scene: All the iconic campsite scenes, including the infamous tent-snapping incident involving Barbara Windsor's bikini top, were filmed here.
• Topical Authority: The exterior shots of the nearby town, where the campers stop for supplies, were filmed in the surrounding residential streets of Pinewood Close, Iver Heath, and Gerrards Cross, showcasing the team's commitment to staying within a tiny radius of the studio.

2. The Khyber Pass: The Welsh Mountain That Stood For India (*Carry On Up the Khyber*, 1968)

*Carry On Up the Khyber* is widely considered one of the best in the series, and its location filming represents the furthest the crew ever travelled from Pinewood. The rugged North-West Frontier of India was brilliantly and economically recreated in the mountains of Snowdonia, North Wales.

• Location: The Watkin Path beneath the summit of Mount Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park, North Wales.
• The Scene: The famous opening march of the kilted 'Third Foot and Mouth' regiment and the sweeping vistas of the Khyber Pass were all shot on this mountain path.
• Topical Authority: The film's use of Snowdonia highlights the series' clever use of British geography. The rest of the film, including the interiors of the Governor's Residency, was shot back at Pinewood, making the Welsh mountains a massive logistical effort for the budget-conscious production.

3. Ancient Rome and Egypt: The Heathland of Surrey (*Carry On Cleo*, 1964)

The epic Roman and Egyptian scenes of *Carry On Cleo*, which parodied the costly Elizabeth Taylor film, *Cleopatra*, were achieved without leaving the Home Counties. While the magnificent sets were built at Pinewood, the large-scale exterior shots of Mark Antony leading his march were filmed on a well-known military training ground.

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• Location: Chobham Common, near Woking, Surrey.
• The Scene: The common's vast, open landscape provided the perfect, desolate backdrop to double for the Roman Empire's dusty battlefields and marching routes.
• Topical Authority: Chobham Common was a frequently used location in the *Carry On* universe, also featuring in *Carry On Cowboy*, proving its versatility as a stand-in for almost any open, foreign landscape.

4. The Spanish Hotel 'Elsbels': The Seaside of Sussex (*Carry On Abroad*, 1972)

The chaotic Spanish holiday resort of 'Hotel Casa de Wunda' (or 'Elsbels') from *Carry On Abroad* was not filmed in Spain at all. The production chose the familiar English seaside town of Brighton to stand in for the sun-drenched, yet utterly dysfunctional, resort.

• Location: Clarges Hotel, Marine Parade, Brighton, East Sussex.
• The Scene: The exterior of the Clarges Hotel was used as the facade for the disastrous Spanish hotel. Other scenes were shot on the Brighton beach and the Palace Pier.
• Topical Authority: This film is a prime example of the *Carry On* team's philosophy: never travel further than absolutely necessary. They brought the chaos of a foreign package holiday to the familiar, slightly faded glamour of the British coast.

5. The French Revolution: The Grand Estates of Berkshire (*Carry On... Don't Lose Your Head*, 1967)

To recreate the opulence and terror of the French Revolution, the *Carry On* team needed grand, aristocratic settings. They found them in the stately homes of the Thames Valley, particularly in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.

• Location 1: Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire.
• Location 2: Cliveden House, Berkshire.
• The Scene: Waddesdon Manor, a stunning French Renaissance-style château, stood in for the grand French residences. Cliveden House, another opulent estate, was used as the English home of Sir Rodney Ffing (Sid James).
• Topical Authority: These historic properties, often owned by the National Trust, are frequently used by filmmakers for period dramas, but the *Carry On* films gave them a distinctly more farcical edge.

6. The National Service: The Barracks of Surrey (*Carry On Sergeant*, 1958)

The very first film in the series, *Carry On Sergeant*, which set the tone for the entire franchise, was based in a military setting. The production crew found a perfect, authentic location close to the studio.

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• Location: Stoughton Barracks, Guildford, Surrey.
• The Scene: The film's primary setting, where the ragtag bunch of new recruits face the trials of National Service, was largely shot on the grounds of the actual barracks.
• Topical Authority: The use of a real, operational or recently closed military base added a layer of authenticity to the comedy, grounding the slapstick in a recognizable British institution.

7. The Airport Terminal: The Early Days of Heathrow (*Carry On Cabby*, 1963)

Before the days of massive international terminals, the *Carry On* team managed to get access to a real, working airport for scenes in *Carry On Cabby*, providing a rare glimpse into 1960s air travel.

• Location: The original Terminal Three at Heathrow Airport and locations in Windsor.
• The Scene: The airport scenes, which feature the rivalry between the taxi firms, were shot at the then-newly opened terminal building.
• Topical Authority: The film offers a fascinating historical record, capturing the architecture and atmosphere of one of the world's busiest airports in its formative years, long before it became the sprawling complex it is today.

The Enduring Legacy of Carry On Locations

The *Carry On* films' reliance on the Home Counties is more than just a footnote; it is central to their enduring appeal and topical authority. By using familiar British landscapes—a Welsh mountain, a Buckinghamshire orchard, a Surrey heath—to represent the entire world, the series created a uniquely British form of parody. They proved that you don't need a Hollywood budget to produce cinematic gold; all you need is a brilliant cast, a script full of innuendo, and a willingness to pretend a patch of grass near a film studio is a Spanish beach.

Today, fans of the series often visit these *Carry On* filming locations, seeking out the spots where Sid James delivered a classic wink or Barbara Windsor had a wardrobe malfunction. From the tranquil beauty of Snowdonia to the suburban streets of Iver Heath, these places stand as a testament to the fact that the most outrageous comedy can often be found right on your doorstep. The spirit of the *Carry On* films lives on in these unassuming British locations, forever cemented in cinematic history.