Note: I originally wrote this post in 2017 for my old blog. I have edited and updated it for posting here.
For any current or former Harry Potter fan, Scotland is the ultimate destination. Even though many of us now view Harry Potter as part of our childhood rather than our present and have been put off by J.K. Rowling’s views, the breathtaking Scottish scenery of the films left a major impression on our young minds. Even if I didn’t think so at the time, I’m sure the promise of these spectacular views was part of the reason I wanted to move to Scotland. Luckily there is a bus tour from Edinburgh that will take you into the Scottish Highlands to explore three of the sites seen in the films. But it’s not just a “Harry Potter” tour. Even before the films were ever released, these sites were already well-known in Scotland for their enchanting beauty.
Glen Coe
The first site, which is the first stop on almost any tour of the Highlands, is Glen Coe, a glen named after the Coe river that runs through it. This landscape is considered one of the most beautiful places in Scotland and was the location of Hagrid’s hut in the films. The hut was actually left there after filming concluded, but it was eventually torn down as the volume of tourists visiting it was starting to disturb the natural area around the hut. For this reason I did not see Hagrid’s hut nor did I find its exact former location. However, we did drive through the glen and see the Three Sisters of Glen Coe, another magnificent scene consisting of three ridges of the mountain Bidean nam Bian.
Loch Shiel and the Glenfinnan Viaduct
The other two sites are very close to each other. One is the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which is featured in four of the Harry Potter movies, most notably in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets when Harry and Ron are driving the Weasley’s flying car, affording an aerial view of the viaduct and the surrounding landscape. The viaduct was constructed at the end of the 19th century and crosses the River Finnan, hence the name. At 380 meters long and 100 feet high, it is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland. It also appears on the Scottish 10-pound notes.
This last location is Loch Shiel, a freshwater loch, or lake, that was used as the Black Lake in the Harry Potter films. In the Harry Potter world, this viaduct would be far away from Hogwarts and the Black Lake, but in real life the viaduct was constructed within walking distance from the loch, making filming and visiting both very convenient.
Even if you no longer consider yourself a Harry Potter fan, or if you enjoyed the films but never read the books, and hey, even if you don’t care about either, these spectacular spots in the Scottish Highlands are well worth the visit. They may conjure up some nostalgia, they may not. Either way, you’ll get to view some breathtaking scenery.
