Glenfinnan Viaduct

Thursday, 21 June 2012

How does one of the most distinguished landmarks in Scotland lose its name? A landmark so famous it appears on the Bank of Scotland’s 10 Pound note?

Put it in Harry Potter.

Catching a glimpse of the Harry Potter Bridge

The girl’s faces are crammed against the glass of the Jacobite Express as we approach Glenfinnan. They aren’t alone. All the passengers are pressed against the glass hoping to catch a glimpse of the “Harry Potter Bridge.”

Dobbie the Elf sealed the doorway to platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross hoping to keep Harry from returning to Hogwarts for his second year believing it to be too dangerous. Harry and Ron “borrow” the Weasley family car, a light blue Ford Anglia 105E modified by Ron’s father to also be invisible. The pair achieve lift off and speed past Big Ben and head north out of London to catch the train.

Glenfinnan Viaduct from the Jacobite Express

The temperamental car nearly gets squashed by the train and Harry almost falls out high above Glenfinnan Viaduct. The scene makes great use of the tall arches of the bridge to create a dramatic fairy tale back drop suitable for the Hogwarts Express and forever changing the name by which the viaduct is known.

Having already seen the Ford Anglia at Warner Brother's Studios outside London, King's Cross and the St Pancras Hotel (where they lift off), and Big Ben, we, of course, had to come find the Harry Potter Bridge.

The Jacobite Express goes past the western most station in Scotland and turns north to the fishing village of Mallaig. The ride is two hours out and two hours back with a fantastic dinner stop at the Fish Market overlooking the Bay. The quality and freshness of the product brought to the pier is evident at dinner, but also watching a crew just returned unload their catch onto the pier.

Our only disappointment with the experience is no Thestrals awaiting our arrival to pull us in a carriage off to Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Fresh caught Prawns at Mallaig