A Potterhead Visits the United Kingdom

My love of the Harry Potter franchise began somewhere between the second and fourth films, so sometime between 2002 and 2005. I wish I could say that I had read the books first, but the truth is that I was in college at the time, and let’s face it, ain't no one got time for elective reading.

Never the less, my young adult years of my 20’s and early 30’s were bombarded with the typical stresses of personal identity, romantic entanglements, and rigors of establishing a career track. Adding to the chaos, was the complications of the economic crash of 2008 and the ensuing hangover, many people of my age had just entered the workforce when it happened and had not yet established themselves with any particular employer. However, with a world uncertain and full of daily anxiety, there was Hogwarts to escape to.

In May of 2019, my husband and I took my mother-in-law on a two week trip to the United Kingdom. We started in London, where we stayed in an Airbnb that could have been lifted straight from the set of one of the films before we set off by train to spend the majority of our vacation in Scotland (read more about our experience here).

From London to Edinburgh by way of Platform 9 3/4

While the platform was set at Kings Cross Station in the books, the visual inspiration was that of London’s Euston Station, an embarrassing mix up which J.K. Rowling admitted to in a 2001 interview with the BBC (you can read more about this train experience by clicking HERE)

The Harry Potter Universe Exists in Edinburgh

Considering that much of the first book, and parts of the ensuing books, were written in Edinburgh, the city played no small part in influencing elements of the world that became home to Harry Potter. In the span of just a few short blocks, you see places that will immediately transport you to the wizarding world and where you’ll come face to face with the inspiration for many of the central characters in the story (more about Edinburgh here).

Must-See Places for Harry Potter Fans

The Elephant House - Spoon Cafe

This is where J.K. Rowling (then a very poor, single mother) would go while writing the first couple of books in the series. Many details in the books are places, names, and various other elements of the city directly located near or around this coffee shop.

The Greyfriar’s Kirkyard

More than one character in the series received a name from a headstone located in this grave yard.

Victoria Street

The odd angle of this downward sloped street was the inspiration for the name “Diagon Alley.” Full of life and color, the real-life “Victoria Street” is home to many lovely shops, at least two of which are nods to the Harry Potter series.

The Next Best Thing

Probably the closest thing to Ollivander's Wand Shop is the Museum of Context. The space itself, “No 40 Victoria St,” was formerly Robert Cresser, Brush Shop, founded in 1873, and made and sold paint brushes and brooms.

A step through the door is all that is needed to transport you to the magical world of J.K. Rowling, as the environment of the store is both a striking visual match for what you would expect to see in the world of Harry Potter, but the merchandise is also an array between officially licensed merch from the franchise, as well as actual antiques and oddities.

While there, a wand may have chosen me but I’ll never say which one.

All Aboard For Hogwarts

An absolute nerdgasm experience for me, came much later in the trip when we navigated our way further up into the Highlands. Operating for only portions of the year and running just twice daily, you can take a ride on the Jacobite train, otherwise known as the Hogwarts Express. I’ll go into more detail later in another post.

That’s All Folks

If you have questions or comments or let’s face it, just want to talk about your Harry Potter adventures, leave me a note in the comments!