“If most of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
— Thorin Oakenshield / J.R.R. Tolkien
On the other side of the world is an island of rolling green hills where it’s summer in January, the birds are always singing, the roads are simple and beautiful, and you’ll find a fine selection of meat pies wherever you go.
You might think I’m describing somewhere out of fantasy. But New Zealand is quite real, a Shangri-La for globetrotters and outdoorsmen alike — but also for movie lovers and those whose hearts lie within J.R.R. Tolkien’s tales of Middle-earth, whether on the screen or the page.
Once a traveler is greeted by giant stone dwarves inside Auckland International Airport (with signs that say “On loan from Middle-earth, do not touch”), one can check out the sprawling coastal city with its own bootleg Space Needle, or head north to subtropical jungles crowded with exotic birds and stretches of long, beautiful beaches.
But for the sake of things concerning Hobbits, you would head about three hours south toward the city of Rotorua, the best place to make camp for a trip to the very real Hobbiton.
With a population of about 72,000, the city sits at the edge of the massive Lake Rotorua, amidst rolling hills and redwood forests. It also lies atop an expansive geothermal area that runs throughout and beyond the city, giving the town a bit of a rotten egg smell in some places. But this doesn’t deter visitors from the natural hot springs, geysers, geothermal parks and wildlife exploration in this unimaginably beautiful region.
This is also the home of the Tamaki Maori village and cultural experiences — a must-do in Rotorua, where anyone can gain a wealth of fascinating knowledge about New Zealand’s indigenous people.
Matamata lies an hour northwest of Rotorua, a region where the highways traverse picturesque rolling hills and farmlands full of sheep. As you drive up to the Shire’s Rest on North Buckland Road, you’ll find a nice café, an ice cream stand and a gift shop full of “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” related loot that will empty the wallets of the most avid fans. There, visitors can check in and catch a bus to the Alexander family farm — the shooting location of Hobbiton and parts of the Shire for the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films.
The bus goes under a hill and over a hill, then through a tunnel of lush gardening as you enter Hobbiton — a climbing hill of Halfling-sized circular doors leading up to the most famous hobbit hole of all: Bag End. Unfortunately, humans can’t enter these tiny homes — or fit inside them, for that matter.
Each Hobbit had a specific trade, as evidenced by their homes’ exteriors. The small details of the cheese monger’s house, the beekeeper’s side yard full of honey jars and wicker hives, tiny details of the landscaping are meticulously cared for by people who have as much love of this little place as any citizen of Middle-earth.
Bag End is the really fun sight — the place where it all began for those who still imagine it, with the grand oaken door of Bilbo Baggins’ home. On a bench outside, the former resident seems to have left his pipe and journal open on the bench. And a sign reading “No Admittance, Except on Party Business” sits on the gate outside.
The last stretch of the banquet tour winds down to the other side of the hill, across a stone bridge to the Green Dragon Inn. On the way, you might cross paths with Miss Pickle, Hobbiton’s adorable resident cat.
At the finely detailed and crafted English-style pub, those on the banquet tour get a free drink of ale, hard cider or ginger beer (with the option to start a tab), plus an all-you-can-eat feast of roast chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, stuffed squash, stewed sausages, breads, cheeses, lamb and more — enough to stuff a hundred Hobbits to the gills, and comfortable enough to make travelers truly feel at home.
George Haerle holds a bachelor’s degree in creative writing for media and lives in Cosmopolis. This is the first of two articles based on his recent travels.
