The tiny Scottish island where a Hollywood blockbuster was filmed – with ‘magical’ white sand beach
MOVIE buffs considering where to go on their next holiday might want to think about taking a trip to visit a small island in Scotland.
The UK is home to plenty of filming locations from some huge Hollywood blockbusters.
Among those are the Harry Potter films, which were shot at places all over the country.
Included in those locations is Eilean Na Moine, a very small island that played a big part in bringing the books to the screen.
Fans of Harry Potter will recognise it as the location where Dumbledore’s Grave is found.
It’s surrounded by Loch Eilt and was also used for the bridge into Hogwarts, as well as the location of Hagrid’s Hut.
Potter fans have said it’s a great place to visit and also not difficult to find either.
One of them, Third Eye Traveller, explained how she found the island.
She wrote: “This little island is worth seeing if you’re a Harry Potter fan and you wanted to pay your respects to the once-great wizard, Albus Dumbledore.
“The great news for Potterheads is that this is a real filming location and you can actually visit this island for yourself. It’s fairly easy to do on a short drive from Fort William.
“Drive on the A830 road or ‘The Road to the Isles’ all the way over the Loch Eilt. The drive from Fort William is around 23 miles and it will take you approximately 40 minutes.”
Once at Loch Eilt, Potterheads can see the island, with towering trees, sitting in the middle of the water.
It might not appear exactly as it does in the films, with some cinematic wizardry changing it a bit, but fans still say it’s worth a visit.
It is also close to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which is another very famous filming location from the Harry Potter films.
The train is considered to be one of the most iconic images from the films, with the Jacobite Steam Train that travels over the viaduct used as the Hogwarts Express.
Harry Potter isn’t the only magical element of this particular part of Scotland, with Peanmeanach Beach also described in that way.
Three scenic train journeys you can take in the UK
Cornish Coast – One trip that rail enthusiasts seem to love is along a stretch of the Cornish coast and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
The route from St Erth to St Ives only stops at Carbis Bay en route to its final destination, but the views out the window for the whole journey are pretty spectacular.
Another highlight of the journey is that St Ives station is situated right next to Porthminster beach, meaning the sand and sea can be accessed almost immediately.
Meanwhile, the station is less than a ten minute walk into town, where the harbour, shops, galleries and pubs can be explored.
Durham to Edinburgh – Another train route that people in the UK love is the East Coast train line between Durham and Edinburgh, with coastal views and city landscapes among the sights that can be seen out the window.
Newcastle, Berwick, Lindisfarne and Durham Cathedral are all among the highlights on that route.
Scotland’s West Highland Line – While Scotland is home to plenty of famous landmarks and top attractions, it also has one of the most breathtaking train routes in the world.
Scotland’s West Highland Line has previously been dubbed the best rail journey in the world by Wanderlust – and it’s easy to see why.
The journey from Glasgow to Fort William is one of my favourite train routes – and I’ve interrailed through mainland Europe.
With mountain landscapes, serene lochs, wistful moors, and wildlife all visible through the train window, it’s certainly a route all holidaymakers should consider doing at least once.
It’s a deserted settlement at the end of The Ardnish Peninsula and sits just a short drive away from Loch Eilt.
It’s found next to a sandy beach that was once home to more than 150 people.
Its old post office that was built in the mid-19th century and has since been turned into a bothy, now popular with walkers.
Wild Lochaber described it as a “magical section of coast steeped in history from viking times and before”.
Meanwhile, this cave in the UK had a starring role in Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies.
And this triple waterfall featured in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
