living and learning: Two contrasting days out.

A had a very busy January with a big deadline on Tuesday and is travelling rather a lot next month, so he took a few days off and we had a mini-trip away.

On Thursday we went to Bletchley Park. The girls and I had been before and at the time they had said that we must go back with Daddy. It was about 15 months ago last time and they were absolutely right about taking A, all of us found it very interesting. The girls once again really liked the interactive guides, as did A and I (I chose the adult option rather than the family one this time).

M having a go on an Enigma machine

One of the Enigma machines

We also got to see the bombe in action, the machine that cut down the many billions of possible rotor wheel, positions and plugboard setting down to a number that meant it could be cracked in combination with a likely crib, a word or phrase likely to be in the message.

Something new since the girls and I went previously are the displays of props, costumes and information about the film The Imitation Game, some of which was filmed on location at Bletchley Park and which A and I had seen and enjoyed last year.

One of The Imitation Game displays.

On Friday, we went somewhere new to all of us that we have been talking about visiting for almost 3 years, The Making of Harry Potter. We've had various friends who have been and all have been very positive about it. It did not disappoint.

K & M went well prepared, with their wands and robes and we arrived in plenty of time for our entry time slot, the first one of the day, 10am.

Ready to go in!

The whole experience was brilliant. We are a family of Harry Potter fans both books and films, which is clearly a good starting point, but even taking that out of the equation, seeing the level of detail and all the processes which went into making the films was absolutely fascinating.

The cupboard under the stairs.

The tour starts off with a short film in a cinema, after which the screen raises and the door to the Great Hall is revealed. It was all still decorated for Hogwarts 'In the Snow'. The door is opened and you go into the Great Hall, where there is a brief talk and after that the tour is self guided.

Waiting to enter the Great Hall.

Hufflepuff costumes.

Rubeus Hagrid.

The marvellous Severus Snape.

Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore.

Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

Once you pass out of the Great Hall, there's so much to see! I can't possibly do it justice, but here's a flavour of some of things we saw.

Some of the main characters' wands.

There was a near disaster when K lost her wand, but fortunately one of the members have staff had seen her with it earlier and returned it to her when it was found. Of all of the wands we saw there, ours are probably most like Hermione's.

Hermione's wand is the top one.

Hers is the one I like the best I think, and I'm really tempted to try to make some more!

The working Goblet of Fire!

It's chosen the champion!

There are two of these, the original was carved from a single piece of wood which was then used to make a cast from which this one was made.

The original Goblet of Fire.

More costumes including the invisibility cloak.

The Gryffindor common room.

Snape in the potions classroom.

Snape's hair.

More wigs!


Some of Harry's costumes.

And how to distress them with continuity in mind.

Various props.

The Tri-wizard cup with the egg from the first task.

The Headmaster's office, with the Sorting Hat on a shelf.

And some of the portraits of the Headmasters of Hogwarts.

Inside the Burrow.

The Weasleys' clock.

There was the opportunity to ride a broomstick, but K & M were not impressed and had no interest in doing so. The broomsticks you could ride had seats on them (and did look a lot more comfortable as result, but clearly not as authentic, even though the seats were hidden by robes when ridden). As M told me, they've got their own brooms at home thank you very much.