For years, I had been putting off going to Hobbiton. It seemed like it might be to touristy. I also thought that walking around on the movie set would seem kind of awkward.
But I finally made the drive out to North Island and I’m glad I did. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be, the whole thing was smooth sailing, and it was actualy pretty fun! If you’ve seen the movies (even if you only half-remember them), here’s what it was really like to go.
From the bus ride to the set to the free drink at the end, I’ll take you through everything.
My Trip to Hobbiton
Hobbiton
By mid-morning, we were at the visitor centre. I was happy that we’d pre-booked as it was busy here too but not chaotic. Tour group were checking in at intervals.
Inside, I collected my ticket and was able to spend a couple of minutes browsing the shop while waiting for our departure time. It all seemed well-organised but not rushed.
We got on one of the green buses which took us the short distance to the real set. As we were driving, our guide introduced herself and explained some basic ground rules. She didn’t get all up in your grill about them.
She just made sure we knew the rules, like not touching the doors and staying together as a group, which I liked. It was only a ten minute or so drive through the farm field.
Suddenly, we got off the bus and found ourselves wandering into the Shire. OK, that’s dramatic, but the change was instant. The road twisted upwards along the side of the hill and the first couple of hobbit house appeared in the distance.
I paused for a photo by the signpost and then simply continued along with everyone else up the path. Every few metres our guide allowed us to stop so I wasn’t rushing past anything and could actualy take it all in.
The vegetable garden were really detailed. I imagined that they’d all be fake or something, but everything was real, and well kept! The guide took us up in between them and he told us how the grounds crew maintains the entire set throughout the year.
It makes sense. This place has got to look good every single day.
Obviously the highlight was the hobbit holes. They all had their own doors with little details around them, washing on the line, a bench by the fence, pumpkins on the step. I loved that they weren’t just lined up like a row but spread out all over the hillside at varying levels so you continued to find more as you walked.
Some were hidden behind fences or trees where you almost had to look for them. Our guide told us which hole was featured in what scene but frankly, I didn’t remember most of them. What I did take away was that there’s a lot of attention paid to making each one seem lived-in (even though none of these are actual functioning buildings).
Continuing on our way down the ridge (and through additional gardens), I noticed a whole lot of cabbage growing in tidy rows. I also saw a potter’s table set up with clay pots and laundry drying over a vegetable garden. Every few steps there was another hobbit hole to look at.
Not only did the tour not feel rushed, it wasn’t too slow either, we stopped frequently so that I could snap photos and take everything in. Fair warning: By the halfway point of the tour, I had already forgotten which door belong to what, but who cared? It was all part of one big picture that made the whole hillside worth seeing.
As we came around a rise, we could see down into the valley. Hills rolled out in every direction except for the bottom where there was the lake. I didn’t realize there was a working farm beyond the set until the guide told me.
I stopped for a minute to look at the scenery. A couple of trees were in bloom and some hobbit hole were scattered along the way. Good timing, I thought.
Next we went to Bag End. Apparently they built the tree on top of it piece by piece from an artificial tree for the movies. Our guide told us all that.
Then I stood outside the gate looking up at it. It looked convincing enough even though I knew it wasn’t real. Bag End as a whole impress me more than I thought it would.
Perhaps it is because it’s the most recognized hobbit hole.
Continuing down another path we doubled back and past some more hobbit holes and a small workshop area where timber and tools was left out. One of the doorways had banners hanging from a pole. I wasn’t sure if this was just for decoration or for a specific scene, but it helped make these feel like real hobbit homes.
At this stage I gave up on taking photos of all the doors and just went along with everyone.
Inside, one of the hobbit holes was open and we walked through it. The rooms were tiny and stuffed with props. There was a bedroom with a little bed next to the window, a kitchen with a black range, a pantry stacked to the ceiling, and a cellar full of barrels.
None of it was functional but it all looked convincing. I crouched down to fit through the doorways and tried to imagine what it would be like to live in such a tiny space. It was cosy in a way, but I’m not sure I’d last longer than a weekend.
Continuing on we went down to the lake and past the stone trolls in the bushes (you’d never know they were there unless you knew about them). Then we saw the Green Dragon Inn and the mill across the lake. They were exactly on the shore, with thatched roofs, and the lake reflecting it all back.
We crossed the small stone bridge and made our way up to the inn.
After that, it was back to the Green Dragon (which is also the last stop of the tour) where everyone receives one free drink with their ticket. By this point, I was hungry so I paid an additional amount for the beef and ale pie. It wasn’t bad (nothing special), but it filled me up and hit the spot.
After that, I took a seat outside on the lawn and watched as the other tourists milled around and snapped pictures. Overall, the entire tour lasted approximately two hours, which seemed sufficient. To be honest, I would of happily stayed longer exploring on my own.
However, the guided tour ensured that I didn’t skip anything significant and moves along at a good pace. As for Hobbiton, I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it more than I had expected. It’s a moddern movie set after all, and I was half expecting to feel like an idiot walking through a field on a tour of a movie set…
But the landscape and the detail they put into it made it work. It’s worth visiting if you’re at all interested. Have you visited Hobbiton yet, or do you have it on your list?
If you’ve made the drive out there, I’d be interested to know what you thought about it.
