New Zealand on a Very Tight Budget Day 27

This story happened on: 13/03/2017

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I think I may actually have died and gone to heaven! how else can I explain a day of such unparalleled perfection as today?
We awoke to.....a glorious sunrise and clear blue skies. It was an early start as we were booked on the 8.40 tour of The Hobbiton Film Set and we were both very excited. The early bird definitely catches the Wormtongue! With only one tour ahead of us and ours only half full there was not another one scheduled for about 30 minutes after - yet when we left they were arriving in double loads at 10 minute intervals.
We assembled at the Travellers' Rest and boarded the bus to Hobbiton a bit like they do in the Jurassic World film. We then drove across acres of rolling farm land to the set.
This set is not the one built at the same location for Lord of the Rings which was all plywood and polystyrene but the one built for The Hobbit Trilogy in proper wood and stone to last. I think the owners of the farm drove a pretty hard bargain second time around.
It is utter perfection to every tiny detail. Our guide James was informative and entertaining and I think was keen to point out that this was a film set and not a theme park. Its got more to do with Capability Brown than Disneyworld. It has however been extended and the planting alone is a joy. We learned a lot of behind the scenes stories and ended up with cider at The Green Dragon pub where the barmaid told me that between 300-400 people are employed at the location.
I had that same feeling as I did that wonderful September afternoon the first time I went to The Globe Theatre and saw a perfect production of As You Like It. I just didn't want it to end.
By 11.30 we were all done and dusted and leaving. Hard to follow that up really. Fortunately just down the road is North Island's highest waterfall. At 153 metres in two cascades it made an impressive sight at the end of the 45 minute climb to the lookout. We passed through some very nice small towns on our way to our campsite a beautiful park with great views and a swimming pool and dined on steak and ale pies purchased at The Green Dragon - not even the chainsaw, the yappy dog or the rather boisterous party of elderly walkers from Rotorua could dent such a perfect day!

4 comments

Bakers2 commented on 05/05/2017 08:52

Bakers2

Motorhomer

Commented on 05/05/2017 08:52

Interesting to hear about the changes at Hobbiton, we went when it was just the remains of the original set - it was delapitated plywood with only the house that you have yourselves photographed at the door, it certainly wasn't furnished! (Must have been 2009) That and the big tree plus the orchard, which had apparently had thousands of the correct (according to the book description I cant remember whether they were apple and should be plum or cherry or similar) sort of leaves, the trees own stripped off and thousands of silk leaves attached. That's when I understood why film making costs silly money. There was also strict restrictions that the guides were not allowed to dress as characters too. Is that still the same? There were some very sorry looking hobbit house fronts in the hills. I understand that all Lord of the Rings sets were raised to the ground after completion of filming and only heavy rain saved what there was then as it was to dangerous to use the machinery to demolish it. I have some photos but putting them on here for comparison is too much faffing, I want to enjoy my life 😉

Interested to know which waterfall you visited as the highest in the North Island?

Assuming you returned from Auckland you're approaching the airport fast 😮

Tabby commented on 05/05/2017 14:24

Member

Tabby

Commented on 05/05/2017 14:24

Yes, as i said, the original set was demolished and replaced with the permanent Hobbit Holes of which there are more than 30 - but they are all just facades - the interior shots are of the Green Dragon Inn. The tree above bag end is not real either. The guides had Hobbiton uniforms of casual polo shirts etc. We visited Wairere Falls which is just a few miles to the north. We did fly home from Auckland - but we still had the coromandel to explore before we get there, Here are a few more photos.