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London is more magical, thanks to Harry Potter. Take the Hogwarts Express - Harry Potter London Tour:
Walk in Harry Potter’s footsteps, and visit the sites where the movies were filmed. Technically, this is not really a walk, its rather a tour.
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First stop Diagon Alley where Harry and his friends visit at the start of every school year to pick up their supplies of spell books, Robes, wands and other items in preparation for their return to Hogwarts.
Step inside the Leaky Cauldron for a Butter Beer.
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Black Park, Langley, Berkshire - The 600 acre park was used for the movie's Forbidden Forest on the edge of Hogwarts, and out-of-bounds to the students. Hagrid's woodland home is set here too (now demolished).
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Kings Cross Station is over 150 years old and pretty impressive all on its own. Try to find Platform 9 ¾, between platform 9 and 10, and you might also see a luggage cart about to vanish .
Head to Australia House to look for Wizard gold on The Strand in London – it’s really Gringott's bank.
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London Zoo – Check out the great owl exhibit, but don’t miss the reptile room, where Harry realized he could talk to a boa constrictor.
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The Great Hall of Christ Church College “is” Hogwarts School and the Bodleian Library at Oxford University appears in the movie as Hogwarts dining room and library.
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Gloucester Cathedral - Recognize many exteriors from the movie (students of the King’s School next door were extras.)
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Lacock Abbey (Lacock, near Devizes, Wiltshire) – Another wonderful place to visit is Lacock, the medieval town that is home to 13th century Lacock Abbey, used for interior scenes of Hogwarts School.
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Goathland (near Grosmont, Yorkshire) – The village of Goathland on the Yorkshire Moors has a train station that’s been virtually unchanged for 135 years: perfect to recreate “Hogsmeade Station,” end of the line for the Hogwarts Express. You can catch a steam train not unlike the Hogwarts Express for 18 miles that run through the spectacular North Yorkshire Moors.
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Alnwick Castle (Alnwick, Northumberland) – Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England, home to Earls and Dukes since 1309. Recognize the grounds as Hogwart's "quidditch pitch.” Open March – October.
Here are some of the locations used from various Harry Potter films. These are not walks, rather they are individual tours. Some locations are outstation.
London Zoo
The scene early in the film when the Dursleys go to the zoo and Harry talks to the snake, was filmed at London Zoo. Set on the edge of Regent’s Park, historic London Zoo is home to more than 600 species of rare and beautiful animals. It is in the reptile house here where Harry first learns of his ability to talk to snakes.
Opening Time: Until the 31st August 2008 10:00 - 18:00
1st September until Winter 10:00 - 17:30
Nearest Tube Station: Camden Town Station (15 minute walk)
Regent's Park Tube station (Bakerloo Line) (20 minute walk)
Baker Street Station (Jubilee, Bakerloo & Metropolitan lines. Catch the 274 bus from Baker Street to Ormonde Terrace
By bus: Service number 274 runs from Marble Arch and Baker Street, to Ormonde Terrace. Pick up the C2 from Oxford Circus or Great Portland Street to Gloucester Gate.
Admission: Summer - Adult £17.00, Child £13.50
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GlenCoe
GlenCoe lies in the southern part of the Lochaber committee area of Highland Council. It is often considered one of the most spectacular and beautiful places in Scotland.
The narrow glen shows a grim grandeur. The glen, approaching from the east on the main A82 road, is surrounded by wild and precipitous mountains. "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban", was filmed here.
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Getting to Glencoe
Driving from Glasgow: Follow the M8 and cross the Erskine Bridge to follow A82 to Glencoe. Driving time approx. 2 hours.
Driving from Edinburgh: Take the M9 to Stirling to get off at Junction 10, signposted Callendar and A84. The A84 joins the A82 at Crianlarich. Driving time approx. 2 1/2 hours.
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Glenfinnan Viaduct:: Glenfinnan Viaduct is a viaduct on the West Highland Railway in Glenfinnan, Lochaber, Highland, Scotland. It was built between 1897 and 1901. Located in the West Highlands of Scotland, it forms an integral part of the West Highland Line. The 21-arch viaduct was one of the largest engineering undertakings using concrete when it was built by Robert McAlpine (who earned the nickname "Concrete Bob").
The West Highland Line connects Fort William and Mallaig, and was a crucial vein for the local fishing industry and the highlands economy in general, which suffered enormously after the Highland Clearances of the late 1800s. Nowadays, the trains that cross are usually diesel multiple units, but in the summer, the heritage Jacobite steam train operates. It is a popular tourist event in the area, and the viaduct is one of the major drawcards of the line.
The Glenfinnan Viaduct has been used as a location in several films and television series, including Charlotte Gray, Monarch of the Glen, and most famously Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in which the Hogwarts Express is seen crossing the viaduct. It additionally appeared in two subsequent Harry Potter films; The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire.
For Harry Potter fans the Glenfinnan Viaduct is the curved concrete brige near the end of the journey from London to Hogsmead village. The Hogwarts train uses this viaduct to take students to Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardy.
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Gloucester Cathedral :You'll almost certainly recognize part of the interior which doubled for the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at this ancient cathedral, and the adjacent King's School, a day trip from London.
Originally built as an abbey in 1089, the cathedral features a medieval labryinth, world famous Gothic fan vaulting, and the stained glass of the Great East Window, along with the tombs of Edward II and Robert Duke of Normandy.
Gloucester, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter in 678 or 679. The finest monument is the canopied shrine of King Edward II of England who was murdered at nearby Berkeley Castle. In a side-chapel, is a monument in coloured bog oak of Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror and a great benefactor of the abbey.
The Cathedral has been used from 2000 as a location for filming the first, second and sixth Harry Potter films. In 2008 the Cathedral was used by BBC Wales as a location for the Doctor Who Christmas Special.
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Bodleian Library, Oxford University - The Oxford library doubled as the Hogwarts Library in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and is especially noteworthy for the scene in which Harry hides under the invisibility cloak, as he searches for information on Nicolas Flamel. A visit to the Bodleian includes exhibits, visitor info, and a gift shop, and is usually featured on a London-to-Oxford day trip.
The Library is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in England is second in size only to the British Library. Known to Oxford scholars as “Bodley” or simply “the Bod”. Under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act 2003 it is one of six legal deposit libraries for works published in the United Kingdom and under Irish Law it is entitled to request a copy of each book published in the Republic of Ireland.
The treasures incudle the Four copies of the Magna Carta and The original Shikshapatri manuscript written by Lord Swaminarayan.
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Southwark Cathedral is situated on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge. It is surrounded by railway lines and buildings, including the historic Borough Market. The small churchyard on the south side of the Cathedral is a small oasis of calm and is a favourite lunch-time resting place for local office workers. The Cathedral is open from 0800 Weekdays, and 0830 Sundays. It closes at 1800. Main visiting times are from 1000 to 1730.
Southwark Cathedral is conveniently located for the City, Canary Wharf, the West End, and South Bank. Situated just three minutes walk from London Bridge station, the Cathedral is easy to reach from a number of main line and LT underground stations and bus routes.
Admission Charges: voluntary donation is suggested £4.00 per person.
Nearest Underground stations: London Bridge station - Jubilee and Northern (City Branch) lines
River Bus:
Bankside pier
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Goathland
Goathland is a small village high on the North Yorkshire Moors. It has a population of around 450 and is lucky enough to still have a village Post Office, a village school, and several village pubs. During late summer, the heather turns a vivid purple as far as the eye can see, and its honey-like smell fills the air. Sheep are free to roam in the village and on the moors, and the Goathland sees its first lambs from May onwards.
Warner Bros filmed "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" in 2001. In the space of a couple of days, they built a whole office block in one of the fields, complete with potted trees and named director's carparking spaces. Goathland station was transformed into "Hogsmeade" station, simply by making the wall a couple of feet higher, and altering the names on the sation, and the benches.
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Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is the second largest inhabited castle in England, the first being Windsor Castle, and has been the home of the Percys, Earls and Dukes of Northumberland since 1309.
Three of Harry Potter films were filmed here. 2002 - Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2001 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and the new Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Other films fimed here were Elizabeth, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Ivanhoe, Mary Queen of Scots.
The castle is open to the public throughout the summer.
Alnwick Castle is on the outskirts of Alnwick town, just over a mile from the A1. It is 33 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne, 30 miles south of Berwick upon Tweed and the Scottish Border; and 80 miles south of Edinburgh.
By Rail
A number of rail services from London, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh stop at Alnmouth, which is 5 miles from Alnwick. Edinburgh and Darlington are now both less than 90 minutes away from the historic centre of Alnwick thanks to the Alnwick Rail Connection.
By Bus
Regular bus services connect Newcastle and Edinburgh with Alnwick.
By Road
When you reach the Alnwick junction on the main A1 road.
OPENING TIMES: Summer: Maundy Thursday - end September Daily: 11am - 5pm Last admission 4.15pm.
Admission Fee: Adult - £10.50, Child - £4.50, Family 2 adults 4 children - £27.50
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