Britain: Exchanging Places in the Spirit of Harry Potter. With the release of the latest J.K. Rowling book, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and the next Harry Potter film to debut in the autumn, parents continue to ask us for advice about vacationing with Harry Potter. We have a series of vacation suggestions that will aid in formulating the plan for a trip to Britain. In the spirit of the popular book series and the movie sequels, muggles with a penchant for adventure can make plenty of interesting and magical connections even without a ticket for the night bus. 

Our first suggestion, consider exchanging places. What does Harry Potter have to do with home exchange? Not a lot! But one company in the UK, Home Base Holidays based in London offers an assortment of homes near Harry Potter film locations, a good start on an adventure. They have choices throughout the UK, many within easy access of one of the film locations.

One of the main advantages families find in swapping homes is the space and convenience of staying in a real home-away-from-home. Most members with children try to arrange exchanges with another family with children of around the same age as their own; the obvious advantage, toys, books, videos, and child comfort-space. Living in a real neighborhood gives the opportunity to explore a local, off the beaten track areas and often meet their exchange partners' friends and neighbors. In neighborhoods it is easier for children to make new friends and while they won't meet the 'real' Harry Potter they are almost certain to meet kids with an English accent.

Whether you are interested in Harry Potter, Merlin’s King Arthur, Paddington Bear or Alice in Wonderland Home Base Holidays has the places. We asked them to provide us with a short list of places that are near Harry Potter film locations which include London plus the counties of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Berkshire and in Scotland, Edinburgh and the West Highlands. For the full menu you will have to go to their website www.homebase-hols.com. (Home Base Holidays, London N13, UK. Tel: +44(0) 20 8886 8752)

Home Exchange Locations The film locations listed below correspond with home exchange choices. It is a good place to start for families interested in being based in a home in or close to a HP movie location.  

Surrey: A cottagey 1920's house was once the gardener's lodge of a larger property. It offers a garden, new kitchen and ample parking.  Local shops good and within walking distance; the county town of Guildford is just 10 minutes by car. Farnham has Georgian influences and some interesting architecture; local or nearby amenities and leisure pursuits include golf, walking, trout fishing, monthly farmers' market, theatre, cinema and good restaurants. Bonus points: It is only a 7-minute walk to rail station and one hour to London. Surrey Home Exchange 

Oxfordshire: A late 19th century stone-built cottage has original beams & large stone fireplace; two double bedrooms, each with a double bed and one with en-suite shower;  bathroom with corner bath, plus a living room, dining room, kitchen, garage, and a garden. It is located in village eight miles from Oxford city centre and the nearest town is  Abingdon on Thames (England's oldest town) about three miles Oxford is home to England's oldest collegiate university with its wealth of medieval architecture, tiny hidden inns and pubs and extensive literary connections, including C S Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll. Bonus points: London 45 minutes by train. Oxfordshire home Exchange 

Central London: This home is a recently renovated spacious one-bed apartment in a Victorian mansion block, 100m from Tower Bridge and the River Thames. Our home is located in an incredible central London location, with excellent transport links to the West End and all of London's major attractions. There is also a fantastic range of bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants within 15 minutes walk, including those in the popular areas of Borough Market and Shad Thames. Parking is available, and we have two bikes you can use as well. Bonus points: The flat is 15 minutes drive, or two tube stops from Waterloo Station and Eurostar; it is situated only a 20 minute bus ride from Liverpool St Station, with express services to Stansted Airport. Central London Home Exchange 

Buckinghamshire: This house is located on a quiet road within walking distance of the largest village in England – Cranleigh and within easy access by public transport.  Built in 1939, we have spent the last year renovating it and it now offers 4 bedrooms and a den that can be used as an occasional bedroom, two bathrooms, lounge, office area and a very large kitchen overlooking our large back garden. Large by London suburban terms anyway!. It is a nice, comfortable family house, ideal for families with kids. Bonus points: Our location is easy by car to Guildford where trains will take you to London in 35 minutes. Buckinghamshire Home Exchange 

Scotland, Aberdeen: Attractive, semi-detached cottage, built in 1905 situated in Ballater village (Royal Deeside) with outstanding views over an 18-hole golf course towards mountains. Recently renovated, the house has sun porch, living room with oil stove leading to large family kitchen, double bedroom and two twin bedrooms, playroom, bath + shower room and WC. We have a garden out the back of the cottage. Next door are tennis courts, golf course and an attractive riverside walk. There are opportunities to hill walk and cycle in the beautiful surrounding area. Fishing is available locally. The village has very good local shops and excellent restaurants. The Queen's summer residence Balmoral Castle is nearby with Landrover safaris by the estate ranger. National Trust Castles are within easy drive as is the famous whisky trail on Speyside. Bonus points: Ballater is located in the Cairngorm National Park and is a great place for a holiday with masses of activities to do - golf on the doorstep and other courses nearby, walking, safe cycle routes and mountain biking, castles and gardens to visit. (Visit the website www.dalbrack-ballater.co.uk ) Local shops all within five minutes walk provide all our needs. Need to know: The cottage is a second home (exchange need not be simultaneous) but it is equipped to the same standards as our main home (especially the kitchen!!) However there are plenty of local restaurants of all standards available to save you cooking on holiday. We have three children, a girl aged 13 and twin boys aged 11.  We have plenty of toys, TV, DVD and video and CDs, games, maps and books. More information Aberdeen Home Exchange
 

More options may be found by contacting Home Base Holidays, 7 Park Ave, London N13 5PG, UK. Telephone +44(0)20 8886 8752
Website: http://www.homebase-hols.com or Weblog: http://homeexchangetravel.blogs.com

Harry Potter Adventure List

Scope out the city. In addition to the London Zoo where the memorable snake dialog took place, Platform 9¾ is probably the most memorable book series scene. As we have mentioned before it was filmed at King's Cross Station which still has no Platform 9¾, but it does have a ‘Platform 9a’ and a ‘Platform 9b’. Bonus points: The secondary building containing platforms 9 and 10 has been decorated with a ‘Platform 9¾’ sign, complete with a luggage trolley ‘stuck’ halfway through the wall.

Head to Scotland Yard. In the most recent film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a Westminster telephone booth near Scotland Yard along Broadway and Victoria Street was used. The Westminster Tube Station was used for the scene when Harry and Arthur Weasley enter the Ministry of Magic.  

Find Sirius Black’s street. Number 12 Grimmauld Place is a fictitious house within easy walking distance of the King's Cross Railway Station. For Potter sleuths streets in the London Boroughs of Camden and Islington will provide the ambiance.  

Looking for Uncle Vernon? The Dursley’s house at number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, was also imagined by author J. K. Rowling. However, filming was done in an actual house on a real street in a typical suburban neighborhood south of London proper. The house address used for the films is number 12 Picket Post Close, Bracknell, Berkshire. Don’t expect Harry’s aunt Petunia to answer the door and the Night Bus no longer runs this route.

Count the landmarks. Obviously the most recognizable river in England the Thames is one of several landmarks seen in the film series. When members of Dumbledore’s Army fly to the Ministry of Magic, landmarks along the way include the London Eye, Canary Wharf, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace. Need to know: And the lake in Virginia Water, Surrey has been used for lakeside scenes in the Harry Potter films. And other scenes were filmed in and around Oxford, the most memorable being Blenheim Palace, Woodstock (www.visitbritain.us/harry-potter).

Visit Hagrid’s forest. The woods used during the scene when Hagrid introduces his fifth-year Care of Magical Creatures class to Thestrals is actually Burnham Beeches, a special conservation area of 540 acres (220 hectares) of ancient woodland, located approximately 20 miles (30 km) to the west of London. It is a worthy spot on its own because the forest contains an abundance of wildlife.  There both trails for walking and scheduled activities for all ages. The largest and likely the oldest tree within the woods is the "Druid's Oak" which is more than 800 years old. In its long life the Beeches has been used as Sherwood Forest in Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves  (www.cityoflondon.gov.uk).

Scotland’s the place for scenery. Most memorable is the area around Fort William the largest town in the West Highlands. Located at the southern end of the Great Glen, on the shores of Loch Linnhe and Loch Eil, it provided the film a backdrop of snow-capped mountains and glens needed for the opening sequence of the film. Harry skips stones in front of Bonnie Prince Charlie's Monument in Glenfinnan. Most memorable The Glenfinnan Viaduct over which the enchanting Hogwarts Express has traveled in past films. Remember Harry flying wit Buckbeak? The aerial scenes were shot in Glen Coe, in Clachaig Gully. And when mountain scenes appear it was Glen Etive in the back ground.  

Ride the rails Harry Potter style. Two rail routes operate train excursions which provide a vintage experience similar to the Hogwarts Express. From Fort William to Mallaig, the Jacobite Steam Train operates a day trip which stops at Glenfinnan Station in the village by the same name. This is the route which transverses the world famous 21 arch Glenfinnan viaduct which has been used in the Harry Potter movies. The actual engine used in the films (number 5972) was provided by this railway company(www.steamtrain.info).  

The second rail route used by North Yorkshire Moors Railway offers families a ‘Harry Potter Train’ (though not with engine 5972) ride between Pickering and Grosmont which is a small village within North York Moors National Park. Pickering is an ancient market town on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It is the location the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the Hogwarts Express route. The Railway conducts plenty of special events well-suited to families. Venues include: music on the moors, the wizard weekend in October, a Day Out with Thomas and Santa Special trains which run in the Christmas period, complete with Elves, Santa's Grotto, presents and mince pies. Need to know: The railway station at Goathland has been used as Hogsmeade Station in the Harry Potter films (www.nymr.co.uk).

Additional Planning Details for Your Own Harry Potter Family Adventure.
London Resource: The London Tourist Board has an excellent resource for parents planning a trip London.

London Zoo: Institute of Zoology, ZSL, Regents Park, London, NW1 4RY, UK. Phone: 44-207-449-6601 or www.londonzoo.co.uk

FYI: An insider tip from a friend in London. During two nights in April scenes for the movie were filmed in the north London suburb of Palmers Green. One scene (which took several hours) involved blocking off part of Green Lanes, and Hedge Lane. The area was chosen for its mixture of homes (mostly Edwardian) and shops. There was specially made triple-decker bus used for a stunt scene. The local train station is on the line into the King's Cross Station platform that doubles as Hogwarts Express. It takes 20+ minutes so we are well placed for central London.

Christ Church: St. Aldate's, Oxford, OX1 1DP. +44 1865 276492 or www.chch.ox.ac.uk

Lacock Abbey: Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 2LG. Phone: +44 1249 730227 or  www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Kings Cross Station: (08457) 484950 (From within the UK only) or www.nationalrail.co.uk

Gloucester Cathedral: Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 1LR. Phone: 44 1452 528095 or www.gloucestercathedral.uk.com

Alnwick Castle: The Estate Office, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE55 1NQ. Phone: +44 1665 510777 or www.alnwickcastle.com

Goathland Station: North Yorkshire Moors Railway, Pickering, North Yorkshire YO18 7AJ. Phone: 44 1751 473799 or 44 1947 602674 or www.nymr.demon.co.uk

Fort William to Mallaig Railway Line: www.scotlandthemovie.com/movies/ffilms.html

FamilyTravelFiles.com Favorites
Muncaster Castle Owl Centre. Owls are very much part of the mystique surrounding the Harry Potter tales. Muncaster Castle, long known to be a place of mystery, is the location of The Owl Centre. They have more than 180 birds and offer visitors a daily bird talk and display. Guests may also see the daily wild heron feeding during heron happy hour. Kids love to visit Max the MeadowVole Maze. Muncaster is also the headquarters of the World Owl Trust. The centre is home to a diverse population of owls from bizarre fish owls to diminutive pygmy. There are also buzzards, kestrels and red kites and a daily flying display on the Castle lawns. The Castle, home to the Pennington family since 1208 is also open for tours. (Muncaster Castle Owl Centre Ravenglass, Cumbria CA18 1RQ.  Telephone: 01229 717 614 or www.muncastercastle.co.uk)

The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. This location offers a variety of attractions including flying displays of many different owls and raptors daily. There are more than 60 raptors at the Centre; all housed in spacious aviaries and flying free in narrated flying displays or demonstrations. From the Raptor Trust Hospital to the Owl Information Centre there are plenty of ways to learn about owls. There is a covered lecture area, falconry schools, and aviaries featuring most species of British owls and raptors and conservation and activity projects for children. During the summer months they have a series of owl encounters open to the public. They also have an Adopt-an-Owl program. Donations will go towards a number of special projects aimed at the preservation and conservation of owls in the wild. (The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Stonham Barns, Pettaugh Road, Stonham Aspal, Suffolk IP14 6AT. Telephone: 01449 711425 or www.owl-help.org.uk)

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