Yesterday we left New Zealand for the day, and travelled to Middle Earth, specifically Hobbiton. For the uninitiated (does anyone fall into that category) the Hobbiton Movie Set where The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies were filmed is now a major tourist destination, located within an active sheep and cattle farm.

We booked the Behind the Scenes Tour (you can only visit on a tour) which promised “a premium adventure with a glimpse into the intricate craftsmanship that goes into bringing The Shire to life.” – and yes, it delivered. It was not cheap, but worth every cent.

The tour starts with a guided walk through the movie set. The original set for Lord of the Rings was made of polystyrene and demolished at the end of filming. But it was already attracting tourists, and when they decided to film the Hobbit, they rebuilt the sets in brick and created this fantasy world. Our guide, Paul, was entertaining and informative, and we had plenty of time to look, explore and take photos (way too many photos). It rained (as we’ve come to expect on this trip) but it did not dampen our enthusiasm.

All the interiors in the movies were filmed in the studio. These hobbit holes are all facades, except one, Bagshot Row, which was built entirely for the tours, and wasn’t used for filming. It does give a great impression of what a hobbit hole might look like, and the attention to detail is mind-blowing. The rooms are at 83% of human size – if they were really hobbit-sized we would not fit inside!

Past the Mill and across a stone bridge lies the Green Dragon Inn, where we were offered an ale or cider (or tea & coffee). The roof of the inn has genuine thatching – they brought out thatchers from the UK to build it! There was a warm fire, lovely wood carving and once again all sorts of interesting detail.

Screenshot from LOTR #1

We then moved into the mill for lunch. Oh, my goodness, I have never seen such a spread of food! It was so atmospheric, and such a treat to experience. There was fish, beef, lamb, chicken, cottage pie, roast potato, boiled potato, boiled eggs, roast carrot, mushrooms, pickled cabbage, vegetable soup, various gravies and sauces, and 7 different types of bread. Also, salad, which they called elvish food.

I think we could have left happy after lunch, but the best was yet to come. We were led to the Art Department’s workshops where a team of clever people create the various props and decorations that create the world of Middle Earth. We got to see models and sketches, all sorts of equipment, and were encouraged to chat with the staff who were hard at work. So fun to see and eye opening. Speaking of attention to detail, I was staggered to watch a man meticulously hand painting the “No admittance except on party business” sign. I’m sure no-one would even notice if the sign was printed, but that’s not how they do things here.

We dragged ourselves away from the workshops to visit a collection of hobbit holes not open to the general public. These were built for the movies but not used, yet feature the same level of detail. We enjoyed a wander and finished the afternoon in style with a goblet of champagne (or juice) and a Hobbit style platter of cheese, chutneys and fruit. We said a quick hello to Gandalf on our way out and left very satisfied with our Middle Earth encounter.