It’s not often that the way a nation thinks about itself changes in the blink of an eye, but that’s exactly what J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels did in the space of a few years. It gave us new words to describe our world, new adventures - and sports - to daydream about at school or in the office, and new ways of seeing familiar scenes and landmarks around the UK.
As we approach the thirtieth anniversary of the publication of the first book, what better way to fall in love with the world of Harry Potter all over again than by taking a tour of it? Rowling was inspired by many of the cities and landscapes of Great Britain and these were used in turn as filming locations when the novels were brought to the silver screen. Many tour guides and companies offer tailored itineraries to Potter fans in key locations around the country - let’s find out about the best…
London: Harry Potter Central
It’s no surprise that the capital of the UK is also a key location in the wizarding world. Harry’s journey in the first book - the Philosopher’s Stone - takes him to the winding streets of Diagon Alley to King’s Cross Station to catch the Hogwarts Express. The bustling shopping street of Cecil Court in Westminster (pictured) inspired the first, while the real life King’s Cross has been adorned with a sign for "Platform 9¾." The city features in later instalments as well, when landmarks such as Leadenhall Market and the Millennium Bridge make an appearance. To see all of these - and many, many more - check out our Harry Potter guided tours of London.
Hertfordshire: The studio tour
Not a name that appears in the books, but this location has probably been more influential to how we all picture the characters and locations of the Potter franchise than any other. Why? Because the movies were filmed in the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire. The studios now host a permanent exhibition of the sets, props, costumes and more that were created to put Rowling’s vision on film. A walk-through tour is a must for any true Potterhead.
Edinburgh: Literary connections
The capital of Scotland is not as famous as London as a Potter destination, but it’s one for purists. That’s because this is the city where J. K. Rowling put the finishing touches on the first draft of the first novel in the series. The city still reverberates with her pen strokes, throwing up associations with the old-fashioned, almost gothic, feel of the wizarding world and revealing secrets of the author’s inspiration. Joining a Harry Potter tour of Edinburgh, you’ll find the grave of a certain Tom Riddle, contemplate the significance of trains in the wizard’s journey and catch glimpses of an ancient castle perched on a hill, much like the famous School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Edinburgh is also the ideal starting point for a journey that takes in one of the most iconic filming locations from the films - the Glenfinnan Viaduct in the Scottish Highlands. This is a real, working viaduct which carries trains across the stunning glen. There are tours on offer that include both making this journey yourself, or enjoying panoramic vistas of the viaduct from carefully picked viewpoints.
Oxford: A wizarding education
Funny to think that the name “Hogwarts” will compete with that of “Oxford” in centuries to come as the most famous centre of learning in the British Isles. But it’s not just education that connects the two. The historic city of Oxford, in particular its storied university, took on the role of many locations from the Harry Potter books. There’s the cloister of New College, which features prominently in the Goblet of Fire, the staircase of Christchurch College, a key part of the visual fabric of Hogwarts, and the Bodleian Library (pictured), which was dressed and lit to become a perfect infirmary for Hogwarts students in several of the films - to name but a few of the sights you can enjoy on a tour. Tour guides will also take you from Oxford into the heart of rural England to discover locations such as Gloucester Cathedral and Lacock Abbey in the Cotswolds which are also featured in the films.
And, as if by magic, our list is complete. As a general rule, guided tours are available in places with a high density of Harry Potter-related sights. The biggest fans might want to track down some more off-the-beaten track locations, like the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall in Glencoe, the backdrop of Harry’s battle with a dragon in the fourth instalment of the series, Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, which has obvious connections with Hogwarts, or even the Cliffs of Moher on the wild Atlantic coast of the Republic of Ireland, visible in the Half Blood Prince. Do you know of any other landmarks or locations associated with Harry Potter in the British Isles? Let us know in the comments!
