Alnwick Walkabout and Alnwick Castle: Day 3 – Scotland 2017

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8 April 2017

Bright and early, we were down in the Olympic Suite for breakfast and out in front of the hotel by 8 AM. Our first group activity was a walking tour of Alnwick (pronounced ann-ick), and we were ready to see the town! Since we were a large group, we split into two groups and began. Andrena led our group and she did a phenomenal job showing us around town and pointing out historical aspects we wouldn’t want to miss. We saw places like the corn exchange, the market, the gate towers, and the dirty bottles.

The Dirty Bottles

Set in a sealed window, blanketed in dust, sit the Dirty Bottles. Next to the window, there is a plaque detailing their story. As legend has it, the then landlord was arranging the bottles in the window when he suddenly dropped dead. His wife claimed it to be a curse of the bottles and that if anyone were to touch them, they would meet the same fate. To avoid instant death, the bottles were sealed between two windows, never to be touched again. There they have sat, untouched, since 1725.

The building in which these bottles reside is now a pub and inn called, you guessed it, The Dirty Bottles. Some say that strange happenings still go on inside these walls. Do you dare to stay?

Alnwick Castle

If you’re a Harry Potter or Downton Abbey fan, our next stop will have you leaping with excitement. Alnwick Castle has stood, in its current form, over the town of Alnwick since 1865 and has hosted both Harry Potter and Downton Abbey. Before we jump into those, we’ll take you through a quick rundown of the castle’s history. Alnwick Castle has existed in some form or fashion since 1096. In 1309, the castle, then just a motte and bailey, was purchased by the Percy family, who still reside there today. Their family has owned the castle for over 700 years. It has undergone many changes and add-ons over the centuries to become the glorious structure that it is today. For more history, click here.

One of my favorite random facts about this castle is that there are 14,000 books in the library! I’m sure Billy would choose a much more interesting battle or siege fact, but seeing as I’m the one writing the blogs, I’m going with the book thing.

For our visit, we had a bit of free time and then a guided tour. We definitely recommend a guided tour if you can get one. Our guide had so much information to share with us and seemed to truly enjoy answering our MANY questions. He was also full of fun facts about Harry Potter and Downton Abbey! We didn’t get to experience all the castle had to offer, but what we did see was stunning.

Harry Potter

If, like me, you are a diehard Potterhead, Alnwick Castle is a must. You’ll recognize the outer bailey instantly. This is where Harry and his classmates took their first flying lessons and where Harry first learned about the rules of Quidditch. Ron and Harry crashed the Weasley family car in the inner bailey, and many of the baileys and courtyards were used to show the comings and goings of students in their daily lives. The Lion Arch is also highly recognizable as the entrance/exit that the trio often used to go to Hagrid’s hut or into the Forbidden Forest. The Harry Potter film series only shot here for the first two films. Watch them back and keep an eye on Alnwick Castle!

Downton Abbey

For Downton Abbey fans, think back to the two episodes that take place at Brancaster Castle. Alnwick Castle stood in for Brancaster during episode 9 of season 5, and it was also featured in the final episode of the entire series. Many different areas of the castle were used, inside and out, so keep a sharp eye!

Alnwick Castle Gardens

The castle gardens are a short walk away and are stunning. The gardens were brought back to splendor by the current Duchess of Northumberland, Jane Percy. She dealt with incredible backlash from the community that seemed to think it a waste of money and time. (For a more in-depth look at what went on, check out this article.) Jane sure showed them up, though, because now the gardens are filled with townsfolk who flock there to picnic on sunny days and enjoy the grounds with their loved ones and friends.

We started our time there with a guided tour, which, again, was splendid. After our tour, we bought tickets to get into the Poison Garden, something I (Lydia) had been looking forward to since I discovered its existence. We had some free time before our tour inside the locked, black iron gates, so we went back to the front of the gardens and indulged ourselves.

Seriously. Look at that deliciousness! We’d never seen a double cone before and easily decided we both needed one. I got a Snickers ice cream for mine, and Billy got chocolate. We licked our ice creams as we strolled back to the cherry orchard, found an empty swing, and enjoyed the rest of our treats as we swung in the sunshine, the scent of cherry blossoms wafting down to us from the trees.

The Poison Garden

When I first heard of this particular poison garden, it was years before, and I had no idea it was located at Alnwick Castle. The second I found out it was there, and we were going, I LOST MY MIND. I knew instantly that we were getting tickets, and we were absolutely going in. Basically, every plant in the garden can either kill you or make you incredibly ill. Oddly, I am intrigued by this. So, we went. And we learned a lot.

I don’t remember everything, but it was neat to learn about each plant and what it could do. Some plants had poisonous roots, or leaves, or flowers. Most were poisonous to eat, or if made into a tea, to drink. Others were dangerous to the touch. To my surprise, tulips were one of the plants locked away behind the gates. We also encountered mandrakes (which made my HP heart soar) and a cousin to snowdrops. They look practically identical to snowdrops but are not as friendly for sure.

The Day Continues

After our time in the poison garden, we hit up the castle’s gift shop, where I dropped a good chunk of change on a Harry Potter jumper. Could I have bought it for cheaper on Amazon? Yes. But there is something about being able to say that I bought it at the castle where some of the movies were filmed that just makes my day.

After we were finished at the castle, our groups walked back to The White Swan Hotel and had a delicious rum tasting. Following that, we ended our evening with another wonderful dinner in the Olympic Suite. What an incredible first day for our reunion! There’s never a dull moment with this group, and we were loving every minute.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy