The realm of hobbits was hidden from sight, down in its own mini valley of the rolling hills of Matamata.
The farmer of the land must be laughing now since the day that Peter Jackson flew over the site in his helicopter and chose the site. After the making of the first LOTR movie in 1999 the Alexander family agreed with the film rights company to halt the deconstruction of the site so that they could do tours to interested tourists.
Many of the hobbit holes were demolished with only some remains to see but with the making of The Hobbit in 2012, they reconstructed the whole set and this time it was left behind permanently.
It really was like walking into the movie - the details were incredible, from the lichen on the fences, the washing hanging on the line (the size of the hobbit that lived there), the real vegetable garden, to the relocated oak tree with thousands leaves wired on by hand.
With over 40 hobbit holes (the majority of which weren't featured in the movie), the Green Dragon Pub where we enjoyed a hobbit ale, and the working water mill, it felt like we could just move in!
Sadly the rooms behind the hobbit home doors were just a 1 metre space behind the facade...not quite room for a kitchen, sofa and bed!
So after persuading Julia that we really couldn't live here, we drank up our hobbit ales and waved our goodbyes to Bilbo Baggins.
The view up to Bag End and the kidnapped oak tree (13th Dec 2013)
The farmer of the land must be laughing now since the day that Peter Jackson flew over the site in his helicopter and chose the site. After the making of the first LOTR movie in 1999 the Alexander family agreed with the film rights company to halt the deconstruction of the site so that they could do tours to interested tourists.
Making ourselves at home (13th Dec 2013)
Many of the hobbit holes were demolished with only some remains to see but with the making of The Hobbit in 2012, they reconstructed the whole set and this time it was left behind permanently.
It really was like walking into the movie - the details were incredible, from the lichen on the fences, the washing hanging on the line (the size of the hobbit that lived there), the real vegetable garden, to the relocated oak tree with thousands leaves wired on by hand.
Hobbiton's newest baker (13th Dec 2013)
With over 40 hobbit holes (the majority of which weren't featured in the movie), the Green Dragon Pub where we enjoyed a hobbit ale, and the working water mill, it felt like we could just move in!
A hobbit sized pint down in the local (13th Dec 2013)
Sadly the rooms behind the hobbit home doors were just a 1 metre space behind the facade...not quite room for a kitchen, sofa and bed!
Julia moves in (13th Dec 2013)
So after persuading Julia that we really couldn't live here, we drank up our hobbit ales and waved our goodbyes to Bilbo Baggins.
That is so cooooolll!!!!! I can't wait to be a hobbit for an afternoon :) x
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