A muggle's guide to North East Harry Potter filming locations

Believe it or not, the 16th of November 2021 marks 20 years since Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone first hit our screens! 

To celebrate over twenty magical years of the Harry Potter movies, we’ve created a muggles guide to Harry Potter filming locations you can visit here in North East England. 

Durham Cathedral 

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was originally brought to life at Durham Cathedral. Many pivotal scenes were filmed at various locations throughout the cathedral for the first two movies – The Philosopher's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets.

Witches and Wizards pass through the covered walkways in-between classes, Harry and Hermione would confront Hagrid (many, many times), Ron’s "eat slugs" spell backfires and he ends up vomiting slugs after trying to defend Hermione’s honour, and Harry earns Dobby the House Elf his freedom in the cathedral cloisters. 

It was in the snow-covered cloisters where Harry releases Hedwig to stretch her wings and fly away over the snowy castle. You may recognise the cathedral as she flys off, which was digitally enhanced to look like the grand Hogwarts castle.    

The stunning Chapter House was once where the daily business of the monastery was undertaken, but in the Harry Potter movies it was transformed into Professor McGonagall’s classroom. It’s in this classroom where the students are taught transfiguration, how to turn animals into water goblets, where McGonagall surprises Harry and Ron as they arrive late to her lesson, and where the Professor reluctantly explains the history behind the chamber of secrets.

May fans are surprised to find out that another well-known scene was filmed high up inside the Cathedral. The Triforium – which is an interior gallery overlooking the cathedral’s nave, doubled up as the Forbidden Corridor in which the young wizards encounter the terrifying three-headed dog Fluffy who is guarding a trap door which leads to the Philosopher’s stone. 

The cloisters are open to visitors throughout the year, where you can strike a pose and recreate your favourite Harry Potter scenes. And you can step inside McGonagall's classroom - The Chapter House from 10am - 4pm, Monday to Saturday. The Triforium is not open to the public. 

Durham Cathedral is open Monday to Saturday 10am - 4pm and Sundays 12noon - 4pm.   

Alnwick Castle

The magnificent Alnwick Castle, in Northumberland also had a starring role in the first two Harry Potter movies. 

The Outer Bailey was the backdrop for Harry and his fellow students first flying lesson in The Philosopher’s Stone. It’s here where when Neville’s broomstick goes off-piste and Harry flies through the grounds to catch his Remembrall. The Outer Bailey is also the spot where Harry learns the rules of Quidditch from Oliver, the Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain.  

You can explore the grounds of the grand Alnwick Castle and imagine you’re part of Madame Hooch’s flying lesson by joining the resident wizarding professors for broomstick training sessions on the very spot where Harry had their first lesson. in the first film (Between March and October). 

The castle’s grand courtyards and baileys were also used as backdrops as the Hogwarts students and teachers went about their daily business. The castle’s main courtyard was featured several times in both movies, including the scene where Harry and Ron complain about Hermione on their way to Potions lesion – “It’s LeviOsa not LeviosA”!  

The Lion Arch was used as a way in and out of Hogwarts, and can be seen in the background when Harry, Ron and Hermione make their way to Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest. And the castle's Inner Bailey was the spot where Ron and Harry crash land the Weasley’s flying Ford Anglia car into the Whomping Willow. 

Alnwick Castle is open daily, from 31 March until end of October. Check website for opening times before visiting.

For witches and wizards looking to extend their stay when visiting Alnwick Castle, you can also stay at The Hog’s Head Inn, a three-star inn named after the wizarding inn and pub found in Hogsmeade. Just a stone’s throw from Alnwick Castle you can sleep like a wizard, at the newly opened Hallow and Crux. Take your pick from in four individually designed bedrooms with a wizardly, whimsical twist, or treat yourself to delicious food and potions in the adjoining Dirty Bottles restaurant. 

The award-winning Lundgren Tours also offer family-friendly Harry Potter tours of Alnwick Castle, where you can learn how to become a wizard in the very same place as Harry and friends. 

So if you’re a Potter fan, there's no need to wait for your invitation from Hogwarts, you can follow in the footsteps of Harry, Ron and Hermione any time you wish, by visiting the places where this incredible film franchise began!