Hogwarts in the snow

Last Tuesday I went to Leavesden to celebrate my birthday at the Harry Potter Studio tour. You may want to grab a cuppa as this is a pretty lengthy photo post.

We had both visited the studios previously the year after it opened with our families around about 3/4 years ago now. Since then two new sets have been added; The Hogwarts Express and the forbidden forest. JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series followed both Ollie and I through our childhoods, into our teenage years and we look back at the books and films with such fondness now. It will always be a part of us growing up and its easy to say were both Potterheads; Ollie maybe even more so than me.

Consequently since visiting we’ve been on a HP film marathon, we watched ‘The Philosophers Stone’ before going to the tour the following day. As each of the films follow the characters through a year it’s quite fitting to watch them around Christmas. Hogwarts always looks beyond picturesque in the snow. Lots of the scenes from the Great Hall were dressed for Christmas dinner and the Yule Ball, and even Hogwarts castle itself is was covered in snow. It’s perfectly timed for the Christmas season and is continued through until the 28th of January. You should seriously book a ticket if you can to visit during this time, it really does add a little more magic to the experience. We ended up booking our tickets last minute on the Sunday in fact, so keep an eye on the site for new tickets added for upcoming dates.

I think the highlight of our visit had to be the added Hogwarts Express set, to see the real life size steam train inside a station and walk through the carriages the cast would have walked through was really awesome and really brought the story and film to life before our eyes. Another addition was the room full of Harry’s Hogwarts letters in the Dursley’s front room. All floating and flying around the room as they are in the first film, I really loved this addition.

We had the most magical afternoon visiting and I couldn’t recommend visiting enough if you’re a Harry Potter fan and even if you’re just a fan of the films. Are you a fan of the books and films and have you visited the studio tour before, I’d love to know what your favourite part of the tour was.