“Scotland: Hogwarts’ Home”
Title Page and Copyright Information
Disclaimers
Credits and Acknowledgements
PRIOR INCANTATO (Introduction)
Harry Potter Places Portkeys
Ratings Icon Guide
The Potterite Prime Directive
Harry Potter Places Terminology
LUMOS BRITANNIA
Non-Potter UK Travel Guidebooks
Free UK Travel Tips Available on the Internet
Official UK Travel Internet Websites
UK VAT Tax Information
Potterite UK Travel Supplementums
PART ONE: EDINBURGH
LUMOS EDINBURGH
Edinburgh Introduction, with Potterly-Important Tips and Reference Links
Tips and Links for enjoying Non-Potter Edinburgh sites and tours
Broomsticks to Portkeys: Edinburgh Transportation Tips
The Burrow to Malfoy Manor: Edinburgh Lodging Options
AMBULATUS EDINBURGH
Three Edinburgh Potter Maps
Four Edinburgh Pottering Itineraries
POTTER PLACES in EDINBURGH
Please Note: Book Five Site numbers continue from Harry Potter Places Book Four—NEWTs: Northeastern England Wizarding Treks.
Site #50: The Balmoral Hotel: On January 11th, 2007, J.K. Rowling finished writing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in room #552 of the Balmoral Hotel.
Site #51: The Elephant House: Although promoted as the “Birthplace of Harry Potter,” this café was a secondary JKR writing site for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
Site #51a: Greyfriars Kirkyard: Visit the gravestones that inspired some very important Potter Character names in this marvelous JKR Edinburgh Haunt.
Site #52: The National Museum of Scotland: Home of several Lewis Chessmen, this is the best place in the UK to purchase Wizard Chessmen souvenirs.
Site #53: Favorit Café: A post-Potter writing site seen in the documentary, J.K. Rowling: A Year In The Life.
Site #54: Nicolson’s Restaurant—now the Spoon Café Bistro: When owned by her brother-in-law, this place was JKR’s primary Philosopher’s Stone writing site.
Site #55: JKR Edinburgh Homes: This chapter provides information related to five Edinburgh addresses where JKR lived before purchasing Killiechassie House—places you’re better off skipping.
Site #56: Rowling’s Flat in Leith: The well-heated apartment where JKR lived while finishing Philosopher’s Stone—a sixth Rowling home in Edinburgh and another Skip It site.
Site #57: Killiechassie House in Aberfeldy: Rowling’s secluded Scottish country estate is well guarded. You cannot get past the gate, and shouldn’t disturb her privacy anyway.
PART TWO: THE SCOTTISH WEST HIGHLANDS
LUMOS SCOTTISH WEST HIGHLANDS
Introduction to the Home of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
POTTER PLACES in the SCOTTISH WEST HIGHLANDS
Site #58: Clachaig Inn Area, Glencoe: Three principle photography Prisoner of Azkaban sets were built near this Inn—including Hagrid’s Hut. Familiar background plates for subsequent Potter movies were also shot here.
Site #59: Fort William and the Jacobite Steam Train: Between May and October, Potterites can personally experience a portion of Harry’s journey to Hogwarts by boarding a train that is a sister to the Hogwarts Express.
Site #60: Glen Etive and Loch Etive: A background plate film site for earlier movies, Deathly Hallows Part One lakeside camp scenes, and the deleted stone-skipping lesson, were shot here.
Site #61: Glenfinnan Viaduct and Loch Shiel: This place is a familiar Hogwarts’ Lake background plate film site, and home of the iconic bridge crossed by the Hogwarts Express.
Site #62: Loch Arkaig: Background plates were filmed here for a bit of footage seen in a DHp1 aerial shot of Hogwarts Lake.
Site #63: Loch Eilt: The tree-tufted islet at the western end of Loch Eilt is readily recognized by all Potterites!
Site #64: Rannoch Station: This station is the gateway to a remote Rannoch Moor location where a few seconds of DHp1 footage were filmed.
Site #65: Spean Bridge Railway Station: This is the stand-in for Hogsmeade Station seen in a few very brief and dark-lit Half-Blood Prince scenes of students disembarking the Hogwarts Express.
Site #66: Steall Falls, Glen Nevis: Seen in every movie featuring the Quidditch Stadium, this background plate film site is Potterly-familiar and extraordinarily fun to visit.
PART THREE: HORCRUX HUNTING IN NORTHERN SCOTLAND—AND BEYOND!
LUMOS HORCRUX HUNTING
Introduction to places only of interest to Potterites with plenty of holiday time, and the determination to visit every Potter Place on the planet.
POTTER PLACES in NORTHERN SCOTLAND—and BEYOND!
Site #67: Black Rock Gorge, Evanton: Background plates were filmed here for a few seconds of footage used during the Hungarian Horntail chase scenes in Goblet of Fire.
Site #68: Cape Wrath, Smoo Cave, and IRELAND: This entry explores places on the Scottish north coast where Harry Potter filming didn’t occur (Confundus Charm!), and two Half-Blood Prince background plate locations found on the west coast of Ireland.
[Site #69: Renumberall Jinx! See the explanation in Lumos Horcrux Hunting]
Site #70: Bjorli, Norway: The only Harry Potter film site located outside of the UK, Winter background plates seen beyond Hogwarts Express windows were filmed here for Half-Blood Prince.