(This was written by two of my Potterhead daughters who took the Potter trail independently while the non-Potterhead mum and youngest (non-literate Potterhead yet) daughter stayed back and prayed that the girls would magically appear should they lose their way back to the hotel. Don’t attempt this without a GPS or mobile on the children. The photos all taken for Instagram with texts distinguishes my idea of photography from theirs).
The walking trail began at Greyfriar’s Bobby in Edinburgh. We were lost in the crowded George IV bridge surrounded by Muggles until a wizard found us. We couldn’t tell the difference though, and I remember asking “How will we know when we are in the presence of magic and then! Just like from out of the book, she appeared out of nowhere, cloak around her and wand in hand! Instantly we knew it was going to be amazing!
The trail took us through various parts of Edinburgh that served as inspiration for different scenes in the book! From the school that inspired Hogwarts to the names on grave stones that led to the names of characters in the books, the walking trail had it all and brought back so much of the book in real life. We even got a sneak peek into the café where J.K. Rowling started writing her first book. However, it has closed down since. She then moved to another café that still stands today. It has undoubtedly become very famous and even has a section in the bathroom wherein you can leave a letter for the writer. Our witch/guide also helped us identify a number of places that CLAIM to be “the birthplace of Harry Potter” but are fakes! What an advertising strategy it has become for so many cafés and restaurants around the area.
Our personal favorite was the graveyard from prisoner of Azkaban (devoid of dementors, thank God!) and the street for Diagon Alley! Another cute feature included wands given to us in the beginning but sadly, had to be returned in the end. The trail was absolutely free with the sorting hat passed around at the end to collect any amount the potter-heads were willing to give. Most of the intricate details of this trail are better experienced than read. So if you are a Potter head, go find the sky terrier today and feel a little less like a muggle!
