Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience

As the sun sets over Arley Hall in Chesire, its woodlands come alive with the sound of werewolves, owls, and mischievous pixies. Until 3rd January 2022, budding wizards and wise witches have the chance to come face to face with some of their favourite creatures from the Harry Potter universe. From entering through an arch of floating lamps, wandering through an illuminated forest, and the final showpiece, this is an incredibly well-thought out experience that will delight visitors of all ages.

Unlike many ‘creature’ experiences where animatronics are set along the route, this requires a little more attention. Yes, there are animatronics and plenty to see directly off the course, but stop and look a little deeper and you’ll see the glint of eyes, the rustle of leaves, and even the odd unicorn if you’re really lucky. This adds a sense of adventure to the evening, and the capacity means it never feels overly full, you can take your time exploring without constantly feeling rushed or overcrowded. The atmosphere is enhanced with audio clips from the films, music, and sound effects that help to bring the forest to life. 

You can spend as much or as little time as you want enjoying the experience - we took around two hours to walk the route, although you could do it faster if you didn’t want to stop and take photos every few steps. There are a few interactive sections dotted throughout that give you the chance to find out what your patronus would be, and see how successful you’d be in a wizard duel. Naturally, there’s also plenty of food and drink options, with bottled butterbeer available and soft drinks in your house colours. 

At the end of the route you’ll find yourself in a magical village where you can refuel, roast giant marshmallows over an open fire, and warm up with a cup or two of mulled wine before heading into the Magical Emporium to snag some magical souvenirs of your night. 

Harry Potter Knitting Magic, Tanis Gray

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Harry Potter and knitting fans rejoice, the official Harry Potter knitting book is here, and it’s beautiful. Full colour photos and knitting patterns ranging from toys to clothes to wash cloths, there’s bound to be something in here that makes your needles twitch. There are a lot more wearable patterns than I was expecting but there’s also plenty of stills from the films, concept art, and little snippets of trivia about the design and creation of the costumes used in the film.

Each pattern is rated on difficulty and all techniques have an explanation. Whether you want to wear your fandom with pride or have some more subtle references in your knits this is the book for you. There’s a clever illusion scarf suitable for beginners, a technique I haven’t seen before and can’t wait to try out, the standard house scarves and Weasley Christmas jumpers, and some more unusual designs (including some that we probably could have done without).

I wasn’t expecting there to be many patterns in this that I’d want to knit so ordered it through my local library but actually it’s such a well designed book that I might have to add it to my book shopping list.

Pick up a copy:

Foyles

Waterstones

Book Depository

Harry Potter: A History of Magic, British Library

As soon as you step into the exhibition space you know you’re in for a treat – books hang from the ceiling, the walls are decorated to look like you’re in Hogwarts, and before you’ve even got your bearings you’ve already seen the synopsis J K Rowling sent out to prospective publishers and the note from the publisher’s daughter giving it a glowing review. The British Library have clearly put a lot of effort into getting the aesthetics right. Each room focuses on a specific subject that Harry and his friends study, and the décor fits beautifully – a large celestial globe with pricks of light on dark material above, a Divination room that makes you feel as though you are in Trelawney’s classroom, and a Herbology area draped with fake plants. These touches help transport the visitor to the world of magic.

The content itself is carefully balanced between historic artefacts and books, and items from Rowling’s personal collection that no fan will want to miss. The vast sixteenth century Ripley Scroll shows you how to make your very own Philosopher’s Stone, a 3000 year old cauldron takes pride of place in Potions, and Nicolas Flamel’s gravestone is tucked unassumingly into a corner. Sadly this is accompanied by a note that will disillusion anyone under the impression that he really was an alchemist.

The glut of Jim Kay artworks on display are quite something to behold, seeing the originals a special experience. We’re also treated to early drafts of scenes from the books, and annotated manuscripts. There’s even some hand-drawn pictures by Rowling from the early days when she wanted to be able to see the world she was creating. Last but not least comes an impressive chart over multiple pages of her plotting for The Order of the Phoenix. Knowing that she had all seven books planned before Philosopher’s Stone made it to bookshelves is mind-blowing.

I cannot recommend this exhibition highly enough. Well thought out and beautifully achieved, you’ll find real treasures within, and a couple of interactive opportunities that adults and children alike will enjoy. Running until 28^th February, if you love Harry Potter you need to get a ticket. For more details, visit the British Library's website.