Leader comment: How Harry Potter has usurped Bonnie Prince Charlie

Bonnie Prince Charlie would have been delighted. Hundreds of thousands of people, all flocking to Glenfinnan where he famously raised his father's standard at the start.
A special train travels over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct (Hogwarts Express)A special train travels over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct (Hogwarts Express)
A special train travels over the famous Glenfinnan viaduct (Hogwarts Express)

A rise of nearly 60 per cent in the number of visitors to the Glenfinnan Monument visitor centre, taking the total to almost 400,000, may have something to do with the popularity of TV show Outlander, set during the Jacobite rebellion.

However, visitors report it is a certain bonnie young wizard who is actually the main attraction. The Glenfinnan Viaduct, crossed by the Hogwarts Express as it took Harry Potter to school, has become almost a place of pilgrimage for fans from all over the world.

Hide Ad

Crowds of people gather even on wet Tuesdays in October to take a selfie with the famous bridge in the background – and then they pop in to see the visitor centre and have a cup of tea.

So in addition to persuading a generation of young children to read more books, JK Rowling can add helping people from all over the world to learn about Scottish history to her list of achievements.

Related topics: