If you’ve finished binge-watching the new hit Netflix series, you could get out in the fresh air and visit some of the glorious locations it features too
07:24, 03 Jan 2026Updated 07:24, 03 Jan 2026
Ruth Jones and James Nesbitt filmed at Evelyn’s restaurant in Manchester’s Northern Quarter for the Netflix drama Run Away(Image: PA)
It’s the new Netflix must-watch thriller that has had viewers gripped since landing on January 1. Run Away reunites the production team behind a series of blockbuster adaptations of Harlan Coben novels in recent years and appears to have created another runaway hit.
Like in previous Netflix Harlan Coben dramas, like Fool Me Once with Michelle Keegan and Stay Close with Cush Jumbo, the action from the original novel has been transported from America to the north west of England.
And for viewers here in the region, that means lot of chance to see much-loved places, as well as hidden gems, appear on screen.
Run Away runs for eight episodes on Netflix, and sees the character of Simon Greene (played by Cold Feet star James Nesbitt) as a dad desperately trying to find his daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange) who has gone missing from her university. Real university buildings in both Manchester and Liverpool were used for those scenes, which are not open to the public.
However, there’s a host of locations that can be visited that feature in big moments in the new drama. Here we take a look at some of the best to visit.
Alexandra Park, Oldham
Alexandra Park in Oldham (Image: Manchester Evening News)
Like previous Netflix Harlan Coben series, Run Away does not disappoint in showing off some of the north west’s most splendid rural locations and parks.
Indeed, the action of the new series all begins at one of Greater Manchester’s loveliest green spaces, at Alexandra Park in Oldham. The ornate round fountain is where the character of Simon first spots his daughter Paige busking.
The Victorian park is full of period features which give it a real sense of grandeur, and it’s the perfect spot for a brisk winter walk.
James Nesbitt plays Simon Greene in new Netflix drama Run Away, as he hunts his daughter Paige (played by Ellie de Lange) – these scenes were filmed at Alexandra Park in Oldham(Image: Netflix)
Built in the 1800s by unemployed mill workers in Oldham during the cotton famine caused by the American Civil War, the park is packed full of historical features which add to its character.
It’s dominated by a large boating lake overlooked by a charming boathouse, which today is used as a café. Another intriguing structure is the ‘Lion’s Den’, an ornate public shelter which forms a focal point at the end of a promenade.
It is also home to ornamental gardens and herbaceous borders, as well as tennis courts, bowling greens and a kids’ play area. Throughout the year the park is a regular hit with visitors and has received hundreds of five-star reviews on Google.
Eagle-eyed Netflix fans will also have spotted that Alexandra Park was used for dramatic scenes in another Harlan Coben drama. For Michelle Keegan hit Fool Me Once also filmed dramatic scenes in this park.
Sefton Park, Liverpool
Sefton Park is known for its natural landscape(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
Also in the action, Sefton Park in Liverpool features, when the character of Elena “dognaps” a woman’s dog.
Arguably Liverpool’s best known park, the magnificent 200-acre Sefton Park has been used for a number of TV dramas over the years, including its distinctive bandstand in last year’s Netflix thriller Missing You.
The park is known for its natural landscape and curved pathways, as well as replica statues of Eros and Peter Pan. It also has a cafe and a boating lake as well as the spectacular restored glass Palm House.
The cafes
Ruth Jones as Elena Ravenscroft pictured in Minna Cafe in Liverpool in the new Netflix drama Run Away(Image: Netflix)
Gavin & Stacey star Ruth Jones is first introduced in the action after “dognapping” a dog at a park (Sefton Park as above), before heading to a cafe to contact the owner.
The pretty little cafe has “Minna” in the windows, and Cafe Minna is very much a real cafe in the Lark Lane area of Liverpool. It’s just close to Sefton Park where the dognapping scenes were filmed, and is a popular spot for people visiting the park.
It’s known for its breakfasts, brunches and cocktails, and is open for walk-ins only.
It’s not the only cafe that pops up during the action of the drama. For when Elena arranges to meet the dog’s owner to return it, it’s at her vegan cafe business which is called Finch & Leaf.
Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter doubles as “Finch & Leaf” in the action
Elena is then seen several times back at Finch & Leaf, including meeting with Simon to help him in tracking down his missing daughter.
While the name of the cafe might be fictional, the setting is indeed a real restaurant – it’s Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter in Manchester – a stalwart of the dining scene.
Although it’s not vegan, it has a full menu for both meat-eaters and veggies. It’s open as a casual cafe for walk-ins during the day, and then booking are taken for the evenings where you can dine on small plates from 5pm at the Tib Street location.
Stockport Market/The Underbanks
Stockport Market Place is seen in Run Away and is a great place to visit
Elena continues her odyssey with a trip to Stockport later in the series, where she is seen making phone calls outside the Bakers Vaults pub on the Market Place in Stockport. The police officer she’s chatting to is dashing along to meet her on The Underbanks – and is seen on the picturesque steps there.
This area is becoming a hotspot destination for food and drink, with a number of top bars and restaurants opening in recent years. Meanwhile the indoor Market Hall boasts a number of local retailers, and directly opposite The Produce Hall is a popular food and drink hall, so there’s lots to do on a day out here.
Tatton Park Farm
You can visit rare breed animals at Tatton Park Farm(Image: TATTON-PARK)
In episode three of Run Away, Simon’s quest for answers takes him to the family of Aaron Corval, at “The Corval Inn” which is described as an animal park where kids play.
In real life, the location used was at Tatton Park Farm in Cheshire, which is also a place where children can meet a host of rare breed animals. At Christmas the farm is also where children get to meet Santa.
In its heyday, Tatton Park’s 40-acre farm fed the Tatton Estate family and staff. Today, you can discover the field to fork story by meeting farmworkers from the past and present, exploring original buildings such as the impressive 18th century Mill and watching fascinating demonstrations.
The woodland play area, den building and kids trails bring young imaginations to life, and there are lots of rare breed animals to visit.
During the low season (from October to the end of March), the farm is only open to the public on weekends from 11am to 4pm.
Admission, which includes entry to Tatton Park mansion and the gardens as well as the farm, is from £10 per person, while parking is from £8 per vehicle.
Thornbridge Hall & Gardens
Thornbridge Hall and Gardens in Derbyshire(Image: Emily Heward | Reach PLC)
In the Netflix thriller, this stunning stately home is the setting for a creepy evil cult that viewers will see exposed at the finale of all the action.
In real life, the setting for the drama was at the beautiful Thornbridge Hall Esate in the Peak District, near Bakewell.
The hall and estate is billed as “the quirkiest stately home in the UK” and has become a popular family destination with regular house tours, sprawling gardens to walk through and an on-site cafe.
The duck fountain at Thornbridge Hall and Gardens in Derbyshire(Image: Frances Milburn)
Indeed, it’s a brilliant spot if you’ve got kids, as in the summer time there’s a full-on “Duck fountain” at the front of the hall where kids can play hook-a-duck, while there’s also a play area in the Hobble Gobble Woods.
The gardens and cafe are open seven days a week, with house tours resuming from January 7. Garden entry is £4 per person throughout January.