On Saturday, Big Bear and Bea jetted off for another adventure.
Can you guess where our first stop was?
I'll give you a clue;
Bea is beside a hat in a field.
Need another clue?
Hatfield House. Currently home to the 7th Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury and previously home to Elizabeth I.
In the park grounds is the oak tree beneath which she was sitting when she was informed that she was queen. We set off using the "Park Guide" in the most glorious sunshine to find it.
We never found it.
Only because the dead remains of the original tree had been removed in 1978. In 1985 however, Elizabeth II planted this tree...
It has grown a little since then...
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| The Elizabeth Oak |
You may wonder why we headed to Hatfield House. There were many reasons, including my love of Tudor history, Tesco vouchers and the small but significant fact that part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 2) was filmed there. The website didn't tell us exactly which scene was filmed there, or which room in the house was used...but we hoped we would recognise it when we saw it.
But, given the beautiful sunshine and the fact that we had just eaten a fabulous from the BBQ in the Stables ...
and wanted a bit of a wander, we followed the Veteran Tree Guide.
We spotted the Queen Victoria Oak, the Concrete Oak and the Coppiced tree. Then we made our way to the Elephant Oak.
Can you see where it gets it's name?
Anyhow, it was thanks to our hunt for this particular tree and the Tree Trail guide that we discovered something interesting.
It was this tree that featured in the film, when Harry looks into the Pensive and sees his mother Lily, talking to Snape under the Oak.
We recreated the scene. (Summer leaves permitting)
We then toured the house.
This stained glass window in the chapel survived a catastrophic fire in the house, because the fire melted the metal water tanks above it.
Back to the Stable for some ice cream and a coffee before returning to the gardens.
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| The Old Palace |
Then off to check into our hotel.
...before having the most wonderful meal in the "Horse & Chains" in Bushey and heading into Watford to watch "Fantastic Beasts" at the beach.
OK, it wasn't really a beach, just some deck chairs in a huge sandpit, but it was fun (and free)
Then, all of a sudden, it was Sunday and off to the Warner Bros Studio Tour
where Bea was provided with a birthday badge. She choose to dress as Hermione, but accessorised her look with her Deathly Hallows necklace and Hufflepuff nails. (She was sorted into Hufflepuff on Pottermore)
We spent over an hour in the shop, with Bea giving earnest consideration to her wand choice, and also selecting a pink pygmy puff and extendable ears.
Then the tour began. Following excellent advice from our HP guru Carly, we headed left from "the dark room" to find ourselves sitting in the front row of the cinema.
Needless to say, being in the front row AND having the birthday badge meant that Bea was one of the chosen few who got to open the doors to the Great Hall.
It was incredible.
There was just too much to see.
...and the Studios just kept on giving....
Like the chance to demonstrate forced perspective.
... or meet Aragog in the Forbidden Forest...
...there was an opportunity for some wand choreography...
...and not too many decrees to obey...
Bea got to push her trolly onto platform 9 3/4
... and visit the Potter Cottage in Goodrich's Hollow...
... she got to drive Hagrid's motorcycle...
...and taste Butterbeer...
(if you're interested, it was too sweet, but the Butterbeer ice cream was delicious)
Then we ambled down Diagon Alley.
Before visiting Hogwarts.
The tour concluded in Olivander's Wand shop, where every person who had helped to create the films had a wand box. It was fun trying to find our favourite stars.
We found Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Bellatrix, Snape, Sirius, Tonks, Peter Pettigrew, Prof Flitwick, Prof Sprout, Luna and even J.K.Rowling.
The last little treat as we headed out was being able to put our hands in Emma Watson's handprints.
To see the green screen broomstick ride, click here.
