Sunday 12th June 2011

Day 4 of our first ever family holiday

We woke up to a wonderful sunny morning. My heart almost leapt out of my chest as I realised that today would be a day of days at Hogwarts! So sunny was the morning and our moods we were queuing for entry to the castle as it opened at 10am. Actually we were waiting in the castle, reading our books while Esther and William napped, but we were there all the same.

Alnwick Castle stands gloriously proud a top of the hillside just outside the town, surrounded by majestic countryside and views fit for the royal family members that reside in the castle. It is also instantly recognisable as the basis for Hogwarts in the Harry Potter movies and particularly some iconic scenes from the first and second movies.

We walked around the castle by ourselves to begin with before joining up with a Battleaxe to Broomsticks Tour of key parts of the castle grounds that had been used for those iconic scenes from Harry Potter and also in another of my favourite family movies, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

The tour was great and I loved standing where Harry, Ron and Hermione learned to fly, where Harry was taught the basics of Quidditch and where the Womping Willow once stood during filming. It was an exciting day for an avid Harry fan and it was wonderful to share it with David who was able to enjoy it with his fresh sparkling new knowledge of the first book of Potter.

Esther and William were incredibly well behaved, enjoying playing on the grass at various significant locations around the castle. Made for some very pretty pictures! They got a lot of attention themselves from admiring passersby.

This was not a cheap day out at £22 each for two days in the castle and gardens but it was great value as there was so much to see and do that appeals to all ages and interests. We had a wonderful time!

We spent the afternoon back at the cottage, having a picnic in our new beach tent. Esther and William had ham sandwiches for the first time, they were not that keen.

In the late afternoon we drove to Beadnell and Craster to see the sea and from this first impression I have to say that I do not like the beaches here as much as those I have visited in Cornwall and Devon.
We will see what a second impression brings.

In the evening David and I watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, spotting the parts of Alnwick Castle/ Hogwarts we had visited during the day.

We were there! And we are going back tomorrow too!