Harry Potter fans can now stay in a cottage inspired by Hagrid’s Hut
What can be better than cosying up by the fire with a tankard of butterbeer
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Your support makes all the difference.How do you fancy a night spent in a cosy cottage, snuggled up in front of a warm fire, with a boarhound called Fang curled up next to you and a Blast-Ended Skrewt resting in the corner?
Now your fantasy can become partially true, thanks to the opening of a holiday home which takes inspiration from fictional character Rubeus Hagrid’s Hut in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series.
The Groundkeeper’s Cottage at North Shire near the North York Moors National Park has recently opened ahead of International Harry Potter Day on 2 May, which commemorates the date of the “Battle of Hogwarts” in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The aesthetic of the cottage is based upon the appearance of Hagrid’s Hut in the Harry Potter film series, in which the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts is played by actor Robbie Coltrane.
The cottage can house up to six guests and features a kitchen, dining area, seating in front of a fireplace and a large bathroom, in addition to several subtle wizarding touches such as a decorative ink bottle and quill.
It costs £195 to rent the holiday home per night, with an additional cost should a party wish to bring one dog along for the magical getaway.
The cottage is owned by Carol Cavendish, a long-time Harry Potter fan who found solace in Rowling’s writing after being diagnosed with dyslexia.
“Books have always been an important part of my life even after being diagnosed with dyslexia when I taught myself to read,” Cavendish says.
“They’ve always helped me through challenging times when I would turn to the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings books for pure escapism.”
Cavendish explains that she enjoys providing guests with an environment where they can “leave behind everyday life and step into their favourite storybook”.
The Groundkeeper’s Cottage was built by Billy Cessford, a stage and screen prop maker and set designer from Redcar.
Cessford has worked with the BBC and several theatre productions on various creative projects.
The Harry Potter-inspired cottage cost £195,000 to build, part of which was funded through a grant from the Rural Development Programme for England.
The replica of Hagrid’s Hut isn’t the only holiday location at North Shire that’s taken inspiration from the pages of fiction.
One of the other spots that holiday-goers can stay in is the Shire House, based upon the houses of the hobbits in J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
For more information about the Groundkeeper's Cottage, visit the North Shire website here.
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