| 6 mins read
Emily Meadows
The international attention that both the movie and book series of Harry Potter has gotten is a phenomenon. From theme parks to museums there is no shortage of places for fans to visit and immerse themselves in the world of Harry Potter. The country of Scotland is filled with so many similar looking sites, that you can pretty much pretend you are a part of the books or movies without ever actually being at a specific filming location. But with enough information in hand, filming locations are also easily available to visit, with many private tours organizing visits to them.
Harry Potter’s author, J.K. Rowling actually lived in Edinburgh, Scotland while writing parts of the series so many of these places could have been her inspiration. So, if you would like to follow in her footsteps, start your journey in Edinburgh, where the author spent time in cafes all around town writing the beginning of the book series. And then head to the Balmoral Hotel where she eventually finished the book. Between filming locations and look-a-like inspiration spots, this list will provide you with a complete travel guide to the best Harry Potter themed places in Scotland. Put on your robe and grab your wand, and let’s go!
1. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
Located in the Old Town of Edinburgh, this area underneath the buildings that line the Royal Mile has a long history of murders and deaths, and subsequently looks exactly like Knockturn Alley. Originally thought to just be one narrow walkway, it was discovered that the close is actually a network of small streets and houses, adding to its mystery. A victim of the plague in 1645, Mary King’s Close has private tours offered daily to teach of the history of the region.
2. The Elephant House Cafe, Edinburgh
This cafe lays claim to be the beginning of Rowling’s project, where she spent countless days writing at a table staring up at the Edinburgh Castle, which the cafe provides magnificent views of. Head to the back room, where Rowling would write, and join the long list of writers that used this space for their work. Open morning, noon, and night, The Elephant House serves coffee, beers, teas, wine, main dishes, and cakes. So, at the very least, this spot can be your watering hole as you traverse about the town looking for other Potter-related sites.
3. Victoria’s Street, Edinburgh
Edinburgh has look-a-like spots for the most famous alleys in Harry Potter. For something a little more pleasant than the world of Knockturn Alley, head over to Victoria’s Street where you will feel as though you’ve entered Diagon Alley. The street was Rowling’s inspiration for the famed wizard shopping district, and this summer a Harry Potter themed shop called “Diagon House” opened its door; so while you could find small little hints at Potter along the famed street before, you can now find an entire store dedicated it. Victoria’s Street’s souvenir game just got a whole lot more serious!
4. Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh
Remember the character Tom Riddle, who later turned out to be Lord Voldemort? Well he was an actual person, and his gravestone can be found in Greyfriars’ churchyard. Spend a little bit of time here and you will soon realize that Rowling got several of the names for characters from this very place. The graveyard can be seen straight from the windows of The Elephant Cafe.
5. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
We briefly mentioned this site before, as it was viewable from where Rowling wrote most of the time, but don’t just view it from afar. It is obvious that Rowling used this site as inspiration for Hogwarts. A walk through its Royal Palace, chapel and grounds would definitely spur up the author’s creative juices.
6. Jacobite Steam Train, Fort William
If you want to re-live all the sweeping views the students saw on their journey aboard the Hogwart’s Express, then hop onto the Jacobite Steam Train in Fort William. View the same Scottish Highlands Harry did as he rode from Platform 9 and 3/4 all the way to Hogwart’s. This train was used in all eight of the Potter films, and will pass by a rather familiar site, the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Most notably the viaduct was used when Ron was flying in his car trying to catch up with the train. It is important to note that the train ride only runs in the summer season from May to October.
7. Steal Falls, Glencoe, Lochaber
The town of Glencoe provided the stunning scenery for most of Hogwart’s scenes in the movie. Visit the Steal Falls at Glen Nevis here and you will be entering the scene of the Tri-Wizard Tournament from the Goblet of Fire. Glen Nevis was also used as the backdrop to many Quidditch matches.
8. Rannoch Moor, Lochaber
This moor is one vast landscape and lays claim to be one of the most substantial areas of wilderness in the country. So even a non-Harry Potter fan can enjoy spending a day here, looking for wildlife, going for hikes or biking along one of the cycling routes. The area was often used for filming.
9. Finnich Glen, Stirlingshire
While not used in the movie, this narrow valley, fills its water with a red colour from the red sandstone it is surrounded by, thereby making it a magical place to explore. Drive by, while searching for Harry Potter spots in Scotland.
10. Smoo Cave, Durness
While the Horcux Cave used in the movies is in Ireland, this is a perfect stand-in if you are only visiting Scotland. The Smoo Cave is a sea cave that resides in limestone cliffs. You can enter by boat, or on foot, and the cave is home to quite a large entrance. If you want to feel like Tom Riddle as a child, take a wander inside, because, remember in the story this is where he would go on field-trips with his orphanage.
“Emily Meadows is the author of Emily's Guide to Kraków. She currently resides part of the year in Ocean City, Maryland and the other part in Aspen, Colorado in the midst of her travels.”
Image Details and Licenses: https://flic.kr/p/3W5wtv (Christopher Thompson, CC BY-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/BhLk3F (Caitlin Bonnar, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/LKALp7 (Ian Dick, CC BY 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/Va1uX6 (G Bayliss, CC BY-NC 2.0)