Hogwarts Castle--In a way

My serious side told everyone that the excursion on Thursday to Alnwick gardens and castle was for the gardens--especially the poison garden tour, but in my secret, childhood heart, the lure of Hogwart's was equally strong. If our timing had been just a couple of weeks later, we could have met Harry, Herminone, Ron, and Dumbledor doubles. Ah, that was not to happen, but we got to stand on the spot where Madame Hootch gave the first broomstick lessons and see where Neville flew up and out of control. There were quiz questions throughout the brief tour to ferret out the true Harry Potter fans. 

Our students quickly mastered flying.
One lesson....

It was the remembral that Neville dropped--a gift from his grandmother, and it was Draco who snatched it and threw it into the sky. As the guide explained though, the true magic of that scene was that Draco threw it all the way to Durham, more than 22 miles away,  and equally magical was that Harry flew there in seconds to catch it. 

Those flying scenes were not shot at the Alnwick castle, but all of the Ford Anglicas (13 of them in various states of disrepair) were parked in the courtyard, waiting for their moment in the movie. The movie prop people bought all the cars that were in the surrounding area and hauled them over to the castle.  

The front gate was the same one where the kids entered Hogwarts for the first time, and in actuality Hagrid's cottage is the guiena hen shed -but with a bit of redecorating.

There is no whomping willow--we were disappointed, but the woods on the grounds did serve as the foundation for the dark woods. Quite a few of our students took flying lessons and proved adept with their brooms, but it was an ordinary wizard teaching the class and not Madame Hootch. For the record, this medieval castle is the home of the Duke of Northumberland--and yes, the family does live there when they are in town. 

We all walked through the treehouse  on the grounds and crossed two swinging bridges with no mishaps. There were encounters with vampires in the dungeon; I skipped that tour to make my way through the castle. Now, this was a castle that one could live in--with the appropriate number of staff. Think Downton Abbey on steroids. And, just like in that television series, a real duke, the Duke of Northumberland lives in Anwick. We saw signs saying the gardens and castle would be closed later this month for a wedding and it is the youngest daughter of Anwick who is getting married there in her daily's castle. Amid the oil paintings by Titian and other artists of renown were the family photo snapshots. No cameras were permitted, or we would have all taken home proof that the dining room table could have put Downton Abbey's dinner party to shame. 

Turrets, statues, massive fireplaces, archways, and courtyards. I could have lived at Hogwarts, but the realistic side of me was drawn to the gardens. There were white doves in bird houses, rows of strawberries, columbine, peonies, roses, and anything else that grows here. I was inspired to weed and trim when I get back home. Apparently the most exciting news of our first few days is that the temperature was a balmy high 60s and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was perfect weather for garden walks and castle ogling. On another Harry Potter behind the scenes note, our lovely tour guide told us that children from the local community were brought in to audition as extras in the film. They were given wizard and witch costumes and lined up for a viewing. All those that "looked like" witches or wizards were selected and the others were sent home. How does one look like a wizard? We also saw the rooms were Harry, Hermione, and Ron attended school--for real lessons--taught by local school teachers. 


And the gardens? Well, I especially enjoyed the poison garden. It was kept under lock and key--a serious business these poison plants. There is even a shed out front to "mix" the poisons.

It's not all fun and games on this trip though. I also took a morning walk along the sea wall and feed some sea gulls and had chocolate croissants and hot tea for breakfast again today. I'm thinking of all you who are not here.