I went to the ‘magical’ northern city with excellent gin – and Harry Potter fans will love it too
“EXPELLIARMUS!” Even for those muggles who are not Harry Potter fans, shouting out this spell in Durham Cathedral doesn’t feel too out of place.
Quite the opposite, in fact, given more Potter movie scenes than you can wave a wand at have been shot in this historic city.
And No1 filming location for fans of JK Rowling’s magical tales to visit is surely the Norman cathedral, dating to the 11th Century.
It is this building that brought the fictional wizarding school of Hogwarts to life in the films.
Inside is the Chapter House, where the early monks’ daily business was carried out. Built in around 1075, it was used as the set for Professor McGonagall’s classroom in Potter films The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber Of Secrets.
Dame Maggie Smith’s character led transfiguration lessons in this very room, as the young students in her charge attempted to turn animals into goblets.
There’s also the cathedral cloisters, built in the late 12th century, which on the big screen served as eerily atmospheric walkways between Hogwarts’ classrooms.
Then, of course, you have the city’s university, now owned by Durham University and home to University College — where the magnificent Great Hall inspired the Hogwarts version where Harry and his pals sat down to feast.
Durham is not all old hallways and ancient sites, though. Visiting with my partner Charlotte, on day one we set off to concoct some potions with Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. OK, that’s not strictly true — but we did make our own bottle of gin at the Durham Gin Distillery, with managing director Jon Chadwick.
With his wild, white hair and beard he certainly reminded us of a young Dumbledore.
During the two-hour session, we picked ingredients to make our own gin. I went for mango, pear, lime peel and chilli — and Dumbledore, I mean Mr Chadwick, recommended I add Angelica roots to create an earthier taste.
Magic show bar
Every bottle of gin has about 30 to 40 per cent juniper berries and ten per cent coriander, we learn. The other flavours were up to us.
We were tasting as it was distilled, then chucking it back into the distillery pot to ensure it was perfect, then tasting again.
After all those tipples, it was just lucky we weren’t driving back to our hotel — the Kingslodge Inn, a 15-minute walk from the distillery and city centre.
Renovated from its 18th-century glory in 2016, it now features 23 charming rooms, with tartan carpets and a bistro-style restaurant serving a top steak as well as elegant dishes of mussels in white-wine sauce.
The brekkie is also great. But save room for coffee and cake at Vennels, a bakery in the city centre where Durham legend Mrs Clements created English mustard in 1720.
We concluded our city break with a visit to the Magic Corner show bar on Old Elvet, which is run by Magic Circle member Tom Bolton.
There is a Halloween theme every October — and he didn’t hold back on the spookiness.
Some of his marvellous tricks are truly staggering. I won’t spoil all the fun but it’s safe to say that Harry Potter isn’t the city’s only claim to wizarding fame.
All too soon, that was that for our spell in Durham — but the place had worked its magic on us.
GO: DURHAM
STAYING THERE: One night’s B&B at the Kingslodge Inn is from £90 for two. See inncollectiongroup.com.
OUT & ABOUT: Magic Corner tickets cost £24. See tomboltonmagic.com.
Gin-making at Durham Distillery costs £85pp. See durhamdistillery.co.uk.
Durham Castle tours cost £5pp. See durham.ac.uk.