by Tess McLafferty
Let’s be honest: we all stood by the window on our 11th birthday, praying to see an owl swooping towards our house with an admissions letter to Hogwarts. While the unfortunate reality is that many of us did not receive such a letter (people always have secrets, though…), it is still possible for us to travel to Hogwarts. At least, as close as we can get.
With a new Harry Potter television series coming to HBO at the end of the year, it seems a visit to this magical world is more timely than ever. While one can take a trip to Orlando, step into the Wizarding World of California, or uncover the film sets in London, for those wishing to enter the movie scenes themselves, this list awaits. Following a travel guide to the U.K., one can step out of their Muggle shoes and into the land of spells, even without a formal invite from the owl post.
ENGLAND
Flying into London, a journey through the world of Harry Potter can start at no other place than the infamous Platform 9 ¾ or, as Muggles more likely know it, King’s Cross Station. Once at the station, fans will find a tribute sign to the series located exactly where Hagrid said it would be: between platforms 9 and 11. After exploring Harry’s foray into wizarding transportation, one should use a Muggle train line and head towards Oxford University, about a 1.5-hour commute.
Due to its multipurpose use during all seven Harry Potter movies, Oxford University has various areas to immerse oneself into the magical world. Entering Christ Church College, visitors will be transported into the infamous Great Hall of Hogwarts, as well as the staircase that leads out of it. While no sorting hat may be there to place you in your house, remember that all are watching where you choose your seat at the long, mahogany tables. Whether needing to check out a restricted book or get their bones regrown, one should continue on from Christ Church College and into the Bodleian Library and Divinity School, the setting for both the Hogwarts Library and Infirmary. For the last stop on the Hogwarts— I mean Oxford— tour, one should journey to the New College Cloister, where they will be reminded of that oh-so-joyous scene in Goblet of Fire where Moody turned Malfoy into a ferret right here in this very yard.
Taking the 1.5-hour drive from the University, one should head down to Gloucester Cathedral, a site whose entire interior is sure to remind visitors of Hogwarts School. While strolling the halls of one’s dreamed alma mater, the architecture will transport viewers into scenes of trolls breaking in and students petrified in corridors, as were shot at the Cathedral in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The next place to set one’s directions to is Lacock Abbey. About 45 minutes away from Gloucester Cathedral, Lacock Abbey served as an outdoor setting for many of the seven films. Its exterior being the place where Harry Potter was chosen for the Quidditch team in the first movie, as well as a backdrop for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lacock Abbey is sure to transport viewers to the setting of Hogwarts.
Continuing on one’s journey to be transported to the grounds, traveling to Alnwick Castle is a must. The setting for many a Quidditch game, the landscape of Alnwick Castle will bring viewers right into a match themselves. Let’s just hope there are no dementors this time.
SCOTLAND
While England may be known for its Hogwarts charm, the nation of Scotland holds the key to the magical world’s settings. One might have to take a regular train from England to Scotland, but once there, viewers can hop on the Hogwarts Express itself, also known as the Jacobite Steam Train. This specific railway was the actual one used during filming of the Hogwarts Express, with the line crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct, a famous shot of the Express from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
After one’s foray into the journey towards Hogwarts, visiting Glen Coe in Scotland is guaranteed to bring one onto the grounds. Famous for its role in aerial shots of Hogwarts, as well as the setting for Hagrid’s hut, visitors will experience a magical charm at this glen.
IRELAND
A trip to the UK is not complete without a trip to Ireland, and neither is a visit to Hogwarts. Traveling from Scotland to the Western coast of Ireland, one can reenter the world of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince with a visit to the Cliffs of Moher, where the entrance to the formidable cave sequence was shot.
From King’s Cross Station to Glen Coe to the Cliffs of Moher, a trip through the UK can become a trip to the magical world. Whether exploring just one filming location or hitting every spot, this Literary Traveler itinerary is sure to make any Muggle a wizard.
