Muggle’s Travel Guide to Hogwarts
With the release of the final installment of the movie based on J.K Rowling’s best-selling novels, we have come to an end of a decade long movie franchise that has propelled fictional characters such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and talented child actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint (who played the 3 characters respectively) into mega household names.
We have been blessed to catch 2 of the previous sequels in the UK, we caught the London Premiere of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”, and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” in Edinburgh, while on a ‘working holiday visa’ there. The experience of heading down to the movies amidst the snow and watching amongst the locals speaking with their British accents added a special touch (Very much like a ‘movie within a movie’ kind of feeling). To us, this experience brings so much more than what any 3D screening could ever offer.
As the saying goes “all good things must come to an end”, we will without a shadow of a doubt experience withdrawal symptoms after the final movie is aired. However, if reports on J.K Rowling writing a prequel is true, then we will rejoice! Therefore, as a tribute to Harry Potter and his adventures, a story that captivated millions worldwide, we are putting up pictures of the locations filmed from the movies taken during our time in the UK.
Harry Potter's parent's house in Lacock Village, Wiltshire. Each resident in Lacock were paid 200 GBP for inconvenience caused during the filming of Harry Potter. It was featured in both the 'Philosopher's Stone' and the 'Half Blood Prince'. Also visit Lacock Abbey while you are there as some of the interior of Hogwarts are filmed there
St Pancreas and King’s Cross Station, London
St Pancreas Station - Filmed as the exterior of King's Cross station because of its Victorian Gothic facade being more impressive
The actual King's Cross Station that is dull and uninteresting. However, it is here that the interior is used for the film.
Platform 9 3/4 is the gateway to the Hogwarts Express where the magical journey begins. Invisible to muggles of course...It took us sometime to find the platform as it has been moved a couple of times due to construction works in King's Cross Station and there weren't any signs to guide you. Eventually, we found it in some obscure corner.
Glenfinnan, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland
The Glenfinnan Viaduct is where the iconic scene where Harry took the Hogwarts Express for the first time to Hogwarts (Unfortunately, we only managed to take this picture from afar). You can relieve the experience by taking the Jacobite Steam train with West Coast Railways.
Image taken from West Coast Railways. Visit their website to book tickets.
George Heriot’s School, Edinburgh
George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, is the building that Hogwarts school of wizardry is modeled after.
A close up view of the school
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford where a number of interior scenes were filmed as Hogwarts. If you are in Oxford, also visit the Bodleian Library and the New College as they also contains scenes filmed as Hogwarts interior
Candlemaker Row, Old Town, Edinburgh
Harveys Furniture Store in Edinburgh now houses 'The Elephant house cafe' where J K Rowling wrote Harry Potter sitting by the window. Here, a spectacular view of Edinburgh Castle awaits!
Just like having Hermione’s ‘Time Turner necklace’, we will continue to revisit the story that captivated our minds and accompanied us for the past 10 years. One day, we will even make a trip to ‘The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ theme park at Universal Orlando and relive the magic!
J K Rowling says it best: “Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home…”
J & Yee
P.S: Soon, Muggles could immerse themselves into the world of Harry Potter! Warner Bros. Studio Leavesden Tour London is set to open in Spring 2012! Visit their website for more info!
View larger map
Fabulous, what a weblog it is! This web site provides
useful facts to us, keep it up.
If there are kids around, and they don’t ever get the chance to feed them, then schnoodle will never deem them as
disciplinarians or anyone they should obey. Dave Schumacher worked for
the North American Soccer League Seattle Sounders in the late 1970’s.
If I have the time, I also will bring my food to the office and share my
lunch with colleague, that’s’ funny,”
he added. Most of the soccer t shirts are designed the exact same method because the expert football players use for
the floor and for that reason you will find that soccer jerseys
might set you back additional dollars with regard to how much initiatives
how the maker needs to make while making these kinds of soccer tshirts.
All because their daring English teacher took a risk and threw out an old classic
to replace it with a more relevant and entertaining option. In fact, the word
lottery only came into play in the year 1515 which was derived from an Italian word Lotto which means destiny or
fate. The poor Maryland Mega Millions winner missed the $68 million jackpot by just one number.
Even you don’t have the intention of playing the game, just by entering the game you
will earn lots of free chips.