Y is for Y Bother? Mistaken or Pointless Trips

Okay, so that's the second time I've cheated.  It's the second last day - I'm doing well!

On the A-Z Tour of Harry Potter Filming Locations, Y is for Y Bother.  This is the list of places I visited by mistake (they weren't really in the films) or places that really weren't worth the detour/journey because either it's so hard to see the link, or they are really boring.  This is the list of "Places to avoid when planning your own Harry Potter tour".  It's also an excuse to show off more of my photos.  Again, we're going to be jumping around the country a bit - hold on tight.

Cape Wrath

Cape Wrath is the most north-western poin of mainland Britiain and accessbilt only by hire-boat-and-bus, or on foot.  It was reported to be the location visited by Dumbledore and Harry in their hunt for the horcruxex, however as we learnt in the M post, this was really the Cliffs of Moher.  Besides which, if you are not into bird-watching, there is nothing to do at Cape Wrath during the hour or so wait for the return but.  Nothing except take a few photos and drink some very bad coffee.

Power Station, High Marnham, Nottinghamshire

The Power Station Cooling Towers in High Manham were used as one of the many hideouts for the trio during their hunt for the horcruxes.  However due to the dark and the very out-of-the-way-and-creepy village, I made do with a distant photo from the roadside, and probably wouldn't recommend anyone try to get too close.  Honestly, it was creepy and about the only time in the two years I was in the UK that I felt unsafe. Maybe I've watched too many episodes of Midsomer Murders...

Australia House

The Exhibition Hall at Australia House stood in for the interior of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.  Security concerns mean visitors aren’t allowed inside, so they only chance you’ll have of seeing the Hall is if you are a diplomat or some other fancy official person invited to a fancy official event.

Green Lanes, Bourne Hill and Park Avenue, Palmers Green, London

The Knight Bus tears along these roads on its way to deliver Harry to the Leaky Cauldron in the Prisoner of Azkaban.  It zooms past the locations so fast it's difficult to work out exactly where the Knight Bus is, unless you live around the area and are familiar with the streets and shops.  It's an ordinary main street, and not really worth the hunt.

Gypsy Lane, Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire

The open field off Gypsy Lane in Abbots Langley, just south of the Leavesden Studio, was used as the home of the Weasley’s Burrow in both The Chamber of Secrets and The Goblet of Fire.  It’s an open field in the middle of nowhere.  There’s not a lot to see, and it’s pretty hard to get to!

Abbotsbury Swannery, Dorset

For The Half-Blood Prince, the Burrow moved from Gypsy Lane to the village of Abbotsbury in Dorset.  The reeds of the Swannery can be seen surrounding the Burrow, both when Dumbledore apparates Harry there and later during the attack by the Death Eaters.  This listing is more of a timing one.  If you visit in the winter when the place is closed and the reeds have all died (like I did), there is nothing to see .  From the pictures on line, when the park is open it's very interactive and you may even get to see cygnets.  So pick your timing better than me! 

Tomorrow is the last day - hurray!  Which means my cross stitch alphabets over at Fangirl Stitches are also almost finished.

Happy travels

Ros