My Love Affair with the Shire and the Hobbit Hole of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins

The first time I have set foot in New Zealand, I was wowed by its natural beauty and the beckoning landscape has forever captivated me of its furtive glances of incredible scenery. My love for the New Zealand countryside has been rekindled by The Last Samurai and my love affair has reached its full height when I religiously followed The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I can remember the very moment my life was touched by the Hobbits of the Shire, their uncomplicated and well-ordered life, the round doors of their beautiful homes, and those big baby blue eyes of Frodo Baggins.

The Hobbiton is the place in the Shire where the hobbits live in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Hobbit. Hobbiton is described by Tolkien as inhabited by an uncomplicated and ancient little people, shy of `Big Folk’ and preferring well-ordered and well-farmed countryside.

After the filming of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the Hobbiton movie set has returned to its natural state but the homes of the Hobbits and their favourite haunts like the Party Tree, the remnants of the reconstructed oak tree and Bag End, the famed Hobbit Hole of Bilbo Baggins and Frodo are left alone and still standing beautifully against the backdrop of the spectacular views across the Kaimai Ranges from the rolling green hills of the farm, which is a working sheep and beef unit.

There are a lot of Hobbiton Tours available and tour guides will escort you through hobbit holes and some structures from the film set within the ten-acre site, recounting fascinating details of how the Hobbiton set was created.

The tours packages range from $58 to $245 (with light lunch). You can check and compare prices with First Light Travel, Red Carpet Tours, Hobbiton Tours and Tiki Touring.  The location of the set is at Matamata which is an easy two-hour drive from south of Auckland. Most of the tour operators have their own buses so it is best to call and enquire beforehand.

It was written that the Hobbits are a merry folk who love nothing better than a good party, preferably with many helpings of food. And what a better way to enjoy food like the Hobbits than in the Shire’s Rest Cafe after a walk around Hobbiton. You can devour their delicious meals and hopefully like a Hobbit, will always have room for more. Putting up your feet (hopefully, without thick curling hair) to relax is entirely optional.

Beautiful photo credits to Captain Chaos and c@rljones.