G is for Gloucester Cathedral

The A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations takes us next to Gloucester Cathedral, which was used for the corridors of Hogwarts.

A place of continuous workship for the last 1300 years, the current Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Invisible Trinity (or Gloucester Cathedral for short) was begun in 1089. Still a place of worship today, the Cathedral hosts regular services, concerts, exhibitions, events and tours. If you're feeling fit, you can climb the 269 steps to the top of the tower, for a view of Gloucester.  The cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral are spectacular, and I really felt like I was walking through the hallways of Hogwarts when I was there.  All I needed was a robe and a moving staircase.

The cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, with its medieval lavatorium, became the corridors of Hogwarts.  In The Philosopher's Stone Percy Weasley leads the first year Gryffindors through the cloisters and across the courtyard before winding up at the doorway to the Gryffindor common room, covered by the portrait of The Fat Lady on their first night.  They later retrace their steps on Halloween: Harry and Ron, running to find and warn Hermione, first see the troll walking through the northern cloisters near the lavatorium. 

In The Chamber of Secrets, the warning “enemies of the heir, beware” is scrawled on the corridor wall, and later a distraught Moaning Myrtle floods the cloisters. 

In The Half-Blood Prince Harry, hiding in the lavatorium, overhears Snape and Draco discuss the Unbreakable Vow.

Side note - also in Gloucestershire (the county where Gloucester is located) is the village of Dursley. 

“The surname ‘Dursley” was taken from the eponymous town in Gloucestershire, which is not very far from where I was born.  I have never visited Dursley, and I expect that it is full of charming people.  It was the sound of the word the appealed, rather than any association with the place” said JK Rowling.  I visited Dursley, which is a standard small town – none of the conveniences of a larger place (like somewhere for lunch!), and lacking the charm and friendliness of a village.  Do you get the impression that I wasn’t too impressed?  I apologise to the people of Dursley – I’m sure you’re nice and I was just out-of-sorts.  

Happy travels,

Ros

Over at Fangirl Stitches, I'm cross stitching two alphabets for the challenge.  G is for Geodude (Pokemon) and Gabriel the Trickster (Supernatural)

F is for Forrests

 On the A-Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations, F is for the many forests used throughout the films. We're going to be jumping around the country a bit, so hold on tight.

Several different forests stood in for the Forbidden Forest (depending on the film and how dramatic or imposing they wanted it to look), as well as train stations, camping grounds, and just general scenery.  The specific areas used are hard to locate, given that it’s a forest and trees grow, but I did my best based on the reference books, online news articles, and behind-the-scenes videos I had to hand.

Burnham Beeches

Burnham Beeches, Buckinhamshire

Burnahm Beeches National Nature Reserve has been described as one of the best examples of ancient woodland in Britain.  Some of the trees in this forest are more than 400 years old, and it is home to a variety of fungi, plants and animals.  Burnham Beeches first appeared in The Order of the Phoenix as the place where Luna introduces Harry to the thestrals.  It was later used as two different camp sites in The Deathly Hallows, part 1 - first when the trio narrowly excape from the Ministry of Magic and try to destroy the necklace, and later as the snow-covered Forest of Dean, when Ron rejoins Harry and Hermione and destroys the horcrux.  Burnham Beeches was also used in The Princess Bride (for those who are interested!)

Black Park

Black Park, Buckinghamshire

Black Park is located in Wexham, Buckinghamshir.  Running, walking, dog-walking, mountain bike riding, and fishing are all popular past-times for visitors to the park due to its wide open spaces and well-maintained pathways (I'm just repeating what their website says - I went and took some photos and left again).  

Black Park stood in for the Forbidden Forest in four of the films.  Harry sees Quirrell/Voldermort drinking unicorn blood here in The Philosopher’s Stone; and Ron and Harry are rescued from Aragog and his children by the flying car in The Chamber of Secrets.  It is here that Hagrid shows Harry the dragons in The Goblet of Fire. In The Order of the Phoenix the park was home to Hogsmede Station, with a platform and railway track built especially for the film. 

The clearing just past the visitor's centre was used in The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets as the setting for Hagrid's Hut

Swinley Forest

Swinley Forest, Surrey and Berkshire

Swinley Forest is located in Surrey and Berkshire, and was once part of Windsor Forest.  Swinley Forest is a popular area for walking and mountain-biking, has an interactive visitor centre, and an iron age fort.  For me, it was one of the nicer forests I visited in my hunt for Potter locations, and was the most recognisable.

Swinley Forest, on the bank of Loch Etive

Swinley Forest first appeared in The Half-Blood Prince when Harry chases Bellatrix, Draco, Snape and the other Death Eaters though the Forbidden Forest following Dumbledore’s death.  In The Deathly Hallows, part 1, Harry and Hermione disaparate from Swinley Forest after Ron walks out on them.  For this sequence, the forest was relocated to the banks of Loch Etive in Scotland.  Harry, Ron and Harry aparate back to the forest/loch before being chased by the Snatchers, a scene which ended with Hermione cursing Harry to make his face swell.  During this sequence, the directed had to pull the trio aside and remind the actors that they were filming a movie and not competing against each other! 

The Deathly Hallows, part 1 DVD menu

Ashridge Wood

Ashridge Wood, Hertfordshire

Located on the Ashridge Estate, Ashridge Wood has been managed by the National Trust since 1926.  The Ashridge Estate includes beech and oak woodlands, commons and chalk downlands.  Each of the different landscapes support a wide variety of wildlife,  includng bluebells in spring, butterflies in summer, and deer in the autumn.  The bluebells I saw were beautiful.

While on their way to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry and friends meet Cedric Diggory and his father in Ashridge Wood.  The tree Cedric swings down from is located in the Frithsden Beeches area of Ashridge Wood, however I only found this out after I visited, so I walked through a completely different section… no wonder I couldn’t find the tree!  Although the one I did find was pretty close.

And that finishes our tour of the forests from the Potter films!  Only one location for tomorrow - thank goodness!

Until then, happy travels,

Ros

Don't forget - I'm also working on two cross stitch patterns for the A-Z challenge over at my other blog, Fangirl Stitches.  F is for Farfetch'd (Pokemon) and the Four Horsemen (Supernatural)

E is for Edinburgh

Today the A to Z tour of Harry Potter Film Locations is off to Edinburgh, home to JK Rowling herself.

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, home to many historic buildings, festivals (such as the Fringe Festival and Royal Military Tattoo).  There are a lot of quaint stores selling antiques and gifts.  Basically, it's a city with lots of things to see and do, including the Edinburgh Castle, whiskey tours, tartan factories/shops, churches, museums, food...

There are no film locations in Edinburgh itself, however there are lots of links to JK and to the writing of the series so it's certainly worth a visit as part of this tour.  You can either explore the city on your own, or join one of the many walking tours around the city - Potter-themed, literary-themed, other-themed...  I've done both a walking tour and my own thing and would recommend joining a tour - there's little you won't see as part of a walking tour, and you'll get a lot more information from your guide.

On with our virtual tour:

The Elephant Cafe where the first novel was written, and the Balmoral Hotel when the last novel was finished

Elephant House Café
When she started to write the Potter novels, JK Rowling was so poor she couldn't afford to heat her house during the day.  Instead she would go to the Elephant House café, buy a single cup of coffee, and spend hours writing in the warmth of the café.  Today inside the café, there is a display dedicated to JK, and the walls of the bathroom are covered in graffiti notes to the author and her characters and quotes from the books.  I admit - I added my own inscription when I had lunch there one day! 

Inscriptions on the bathroom walls at The Elephant Cafe

The food at the café is delicious, and reasonably priced.  The café is filled with elephant ornaments of all sizes, paintings and other works of art.  However, my favourite thing is that you are not allowed to sit down at a table until you have ordered and have your food.  None of this "my friend is ordering for me but at the back of the queue so I'm going to save us a table".  As a sole traveller, this makes the world of difference as the tables aren't all filled with people waiting for their friends to order.

The Balmoral Hotel
"JK Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in this room (552) on 11th Jan 2007" - this is the inscription that JK Rowling left on the marble bust of Hermes within the room at the Balmoral Hotel.  Room 552 has since been renamed the J.K. Rowling Suite, and reportedly costs £1000 per night.  Just a little bit outside my budget!

George Heriot's School

George Heriot's School
George Heriot's School was founded in 1628 as a school for the education of "puire fatherless bairnes".  While it is now a private school for the wealthy, in accordance with George Heriot's legacy, the school still offers some bursaries to children without fathers.  This is believed to have inspired the idea of Harry being an orphan.

Greyfriar's Kirkyard and the tombstones that inspired some of the names in the novel

Greyfriar's Kirk and Graveyard
Located on the walk between the Elephant Café and George Heriot's School, Greyfriar's Kirk (church and graveyard) was a popular picnic location for JK Rowling.  While lunching here with her baby daughter, JK found the names for several of the characters in her books including Tom Riddle and Professor McGonagall.

That's it for Edinburgh.  Back to actual film locations tomorrow.

Happy travels

Ros

P.S.  Because I'm crazy, I'm also completing the A-Z Challenge over at Fangirl Stitches where I am cross stitching 2 different alphabets - Pokemon and Supernatural. E is for Eevee and Ellen Harvelle

D is for Dartford Crossing

D of the A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations is the Dartford Crossing.

The Dartford Crossing is not really a tourist attraction.  In fact, it's not a tourist attraction at all.  It's a tunnel and bridge that crosses the Thames to link Dartford in Kent with Thurrock in Essex.  As you drive from Dartford to Essex, you go through the tunnel.  You drive over the bridge on your return journey.  I used the crossing quite a number of times while I lived in the UK.  I stayed with a friend near Darford for a few weeks when I first started working in Essex, and then once I moved I drove over/through the crossing to visit friends back in Kent.  Have to say, I do not miss the traffic that accumulates on the bridge/tunnel.  It's also one of the few toll points in the UK.

The Dartford Crossing featured in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as part of Hagrid and Harry's escape route.  You remember the scene - they were flying Sirius' motorcycle, fleeing from Death Eaters, trying to make their way to the Burrow where Harry (and everyone else) would be safe.  Hagrid decides the safest option to try and lose the Death Eater is to fly through a tunnel, straight into on-coming traffic.

The entry to the tunnel is Dartford Crossing.  The bridge (and its very heavy traffic) can be seen in the background as Harry tries to control the motorbike after they've left the tunnel.  Interesting fact - the interior of the tunnel seen in the film is actually Queensway Tunnel in Liverpool.

One of my friends told me it was nightmare for the locals when this scene was being filmed - the Crossing was closed for ages that night, with traffic backed up for hours, and the locals not having a clue why.  It was only when the paper reported it a couple of days later that they found out.  Warner Bros were very secretive throughout their filming process - trying to avoid hoards of stalkers and crazy fans I suppose.

Another interesting fact - it's really not easy to try and photograph the tunnel entrance while driving/sitting in the car!  The bridge itself is best viewed from Bluewater, a shopping centre in Dartford.

Happy travels,

Ros

I'm also completing the A-Z Challenge over at Fangirl Stitches, where I am cross stitching both a Pokemon and a Supernatural alphabet. D is for Dragonite and Dean Winchester

C is for Durham Cathedral and Castle

Once again this will be long and photo-heavy, but worth it (I hope!).

The A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations takes us back up north to Durham City in County Durham.  Today's C is the Cathedral and Castle.

Not too far south of Alnwick ('A') is the historic city of Durham.  The city sits on the banks of the River Wear and is built on seven different hills (or so it is claimed).  Atop the tallest hill are the rather impressive Castle and Cathedral, separated by the Palace Green. Both the Castle and Cathedral are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Durham Cathedral is a Norman building constructed between 1093 and 1133.  It was originally built to house the shrine of St Cuthbert.  The Cathedral is still a place of active worship, with regular services occurring throughout the week.  Having visited quite a number of cathedrals across the UK, I have to say that the one in Durham is one of the more impressive ones and worth a visit even if you are not a Potter-fan.  I know I said that about Alnwick Castle.  I'll probably say it again many times.  I'm not sorry.

For those of you who are Potter fans, however, there is plenty to see as the Cathedral appeared in the first two Harry Potter films as both corridors and courtyards.  

The cloisters at Durham Cathedral

The cloisters at the Cathedral appeared in both The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets as walkways linking classrooms and the courtyard.  The cloisters in Durham weren't the only ones used in the film (we'll get to those later in the alphabet) and it can be a little difficult to pick them out due to set dressings and some digitally altered sections.  Most notably, Durham Cathedral's cloisters appeared in The Philosopher's Stone as the trio returned from meeting Hagrid's dragon; and in The Chamber of Secrets during Quidditch practice, and when Harry freed Dobby.  In this later scene, a second row of windows were digitally added.

The cloister courtyard

The cloisters at the Cathedral surround a central green courtyard.  This courtyard, with its iconic well, was seen in The Philosopher's Stone when Harry takes Hedwig out in the snow; and in The Chamber of Secrets both when Ron tells Malfoy to "eat slugs" and again when Neville tells Harry the dorm room has been ransacked. 

Cathedral Chapter House

Also featured in the film is the Chapter House, which is used as McGonagall's classroom and office in The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.  Unfortunately you are not able to visit the Chapter House as it is used for offices and meeting rooms by the Cathedral.  A peek through the window is about as much as you'll get.

On to Durham Castle

Built in the 11th century, Durham Castle has been occupied by the University of Durham since 1840. Students live within the keep, and the Great Hall serves meals to both staff and students.  The University library, offices, common room and chapel are also housed within the Castle.  The Castle is open for tours at set times (it's a working building after all!).  During University holidays, the Castle is available for conferences and general holiday accommodation.

That's right - you can stay in a castle and live out your own Harry Potter fantasies.  I did.  It was amazing.  The room was basic but clean (typical uni digs, in my opinion).  I stayed in the Keep in a room overlooking the Cathedral, and I ate breakfast in the Great Hall.  One of those real-life Potter experiences. I'm rather envious of the students who get to live there full time.

Happy travels,

Ros

P.S. Over at my other blog Fangirl Stitches, I'm cross stitching both a Supernatural and Pokémon alphabet for the challenge.  Please stop by and check out my progress.  C is for Charizard (Pokemon) and Castiel (Supernatural)

B is for Beachy Head

Today's stop on the A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations is Beachy Head.

Beachy Head can be found near Eastbourne, East Sussex, in the south of England.  It is a chalky headland, similar to the White Cliffs of Dover.  It is a popular place for out-doorsy activities (wind surfing, walking, bike riding, bird watching, people watching...).  There are no barriers around the cliff edge, so you need to be careful when walking around taking photos

In The Goblet of Fire, the Quidditch World Cup is held at Beachy Head, with most scenes a mixture of CGI and helicopter footage.  Harry and company can be seen landing at the top of the cliffs of Beachy Head, having been sent there by the port-key.  In fact, the red and white striped Light House can be seen in some of the panning shots (it was a bit difficult to grab a clear screen-shot of it though).  Once they land, Harry and friends walk in the direction of Eastboarne to find the campsite (a studio set), set in the empty fields behind Beachy Head.

A shorter post today, with only the one scene filmed here.  Plenty of time to pop over to my other blog Fangirl Stitches, where I am cross stitching two alphabets for the A-Z challenge, both of which are available from my Etsy store of the same name. ;)  B is for Blastoise (Pokemon) and Bobby Singer (Supernatural)

Happy travels,

Ros

A is for Alnwick Castle

First stop on the A to Z Tour of Harry Potter Film Locations is Alnwick Castle.

I apologise now - this will be a photo-heavy post. 

Located in Northumberland, Alnwick Castle is impressive from the get-go.  Amazing gardens, a tree-house restaurant, and a stunning castle and keep.  It is still the home of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, and so is only open to visitors for part of the year.  However, when it is open to visitors, you are actually able to tour sections of the family home, including a fairly impressive library.  Alnwick Castle has featured in many television shows and movies, including the 2014 Christmas Special of Downton Abbey, and (my whole reason for visiting) the first two Harry Potter films.

Hagrid and Harry perform magic tricks

Alnwick Castle have really embraced their Harry Potter link, with actors dressed as the characters performing at different times of the day, a film-themed tour, and flying lessons.  I did my own thing (the tour times didn't line up with when I was there), and found the following locations:

Alnwick Castle - the approach and outer walls

Alnwick Castle became the inspiration for Hogwarts, forming the original grounds and outer walls, and the base from which CGI walls extended.  The approach to the Castle is immediately recognisable, as it appears in several scene-setting shots in the first two films.  It was also made into part of the Hogwarts model for fly-over shots.

Alnwick Castle - the outer Bailey

The Outer Bailey of the Castle appears in scenes set in the Hogwarts grounds.  In particular, the Flying Lesson and Harry's Quidditch practice with Oliver Wood were set in the Outer Bailey.  When you visit Alnwick Castle you can attend a flying lesson on the exact spot where Harry first learnt to fly.

Alnwick Castle - the Keep

Other areas of Alnwick Castle which appear in the Harry Potter films include the Keep, and the Inner Bailey.

Alnwick Castle - the inner Bailey

Tomorrow we're heading to the opposite end of England, almost as far away from Alnwick as I'll get during this challenge.

Happy travels,

Ros

I'm also completing the A-Z Blog Challenge over at Fangirl Stitches, where I'm stitching two of the alphabets from my Etsy Store. A is for Abra (Pokemon) and Anna Milton (Supernatural)