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30 weird & fun Hobbiton facts [you never knew]

by Nikos Taskos
32 minutes read

Dreaming of visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand?

Well, at least I did.

It’s the only movie set of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogies still standing. However, behind Hollywood’s most successful film trilogies, there are several stranger-than-fiction facts.

But let’s jump right in and discover them all, shall we?

Blue Hobbit-Hole in Hobbiton Movie Set, New Zealand - Miles with Vibes
(Image © Miles with Vibes)

The secrets of Hobbiton

During the two-hour Hobbiton Movie Set tour, you’ll:

  • discover Peter Jackson’s legendary attention to detail
  • learn filming tricks
  • figure out how movie scouts uncovered Hobbiton and
  • learn some crazy & fun facts about Hobbiton

Trust me, Sir Peter Jackson was very specific about what he wanted to capture.

The lengths he went searching for authenticity and the work he required for props that only appeared in the movies for seconds is remarkable.

the old mill and the lake at hobbiton
Image by Matteo Bergamo from Pixabay

In this article, we have gathered all those fascinating Hobbiton facts as described by the people who were lucky enough to help in turning Hobbiton from fiction to reality.

It’s hard to tell what’s real or fake

Fake beehives, artificially weathered wood and concrete bricks, gardening tools, water wells, lush vegetation, blossoming flowers. It required over 70 builders and designers to complete the movie set.

Your eyes will have a hard time telling the difference between real and fake.

Did you know?

The aged appearance of the garden fences is created by harvesting real mould from a yogurt mix and gluing it over them.

The hobbit-house of the village's baker; the breads in the stand are real (and tasty)
The hobbit-house of the baker; the bread in the stand are real (and tasty) (Image © Miles with Vibes)

The lush vegetation of Hobbiton is 100% real

Did you know there are between 30 and 200 plants around each hobbit-hole?

Before filming, vegetation was allowed to take over and plants were brought in. Additionally, the grass was left untended between pathways giving the impression of an actual living village.

Since all vegetables, fruits and flowers are seasonal, Hobbiton employs 8 full-time gardeners (5 during winter) to keep everything perfectly groomed.

Did you know?

All those goods shouldn’t go to waste. Therefore, the produce of Hobbiton is used in the kitchen of the Green Dragon inn. Make sure to stop by in order to taste authentic Hobbiton products!

The Green Dragon Inn Menu - Pricelist
Original hobbit delicacies for you to try – don’t forget to grab your free pint of ale (Image © Miles with Vibes)

It’s all a matter of perspective

While strolling around you’ll notice that not all hobbit-holes and doors are of the same size. Some are small, hobbit-sized, whereas in others a full-grown human (or better enough, a Wizard) can comfortably step in.

Those different scales were used to create perspective between the various races – the short dwarves & hobbits and the towering wizards. Similarly, the gardens are filled with oversized plants so that the hobbits would appear smaller.

blue door at hobbiton movie set new zealand
Photo by Douglas Bagg on Unsplash

As a general rule, the hobbit-holes used by hobbits and dwarves were built taller, at a 90% scale. On the other hand, Gandalf was portrayed on hobbit-holes that were built at a 60% scale.

But what about the scenes featuring both hobbits and Gandalf simultaneously?

Well, Peter Jackson’s bag is full of tricks; that’s when the split-screen technique came in to save the day.

Did you know?

The tour starts with a walk down a very narrow path, known as Gandalf’s Cutting. In order to make Gandalf look taller, a pony was selected to pull his cart.

Building in Hobbiton Movie set in Matamata, New Zealand
(Image © Miles with Vibes)

Move along… frogs!

In the middle of the movie set, there is an area (The Dell) with a small pond.

But, what happened when a large family of frogs decided to claim the man-made pond?

Well, extreme measures had to be taken since, at times, they were croaking so loud that the actors couldn’t hear each other.

Eventually, Peter Jackson had someone collect the amphibious creatures every morning and relocate them to a different pond within the farm. However, they always made their way back to the pond to carry on «disrupting» the filming.

That’s when the new job role was created!

Hobbiton Movie Set and the surrounding Waikato region as seen from Bag End
Hobbiton Movie Set and the surrounding Waikato region as seen from Bag End (Image © Miles with Vibes)

Did you know?

Frogs aren’t native to New Zealand. They were introduced from Australia in the 1860s; the species found in Hobbiton are known as the Green and Golden Bell Frog.

The fake steel giant in disguise

There is no chance someone could notice that the massive 26-tonne oak sitting atop Bag End is fake.

The tree is made of fiberglass and all its 200.000 artificial silk leaves were imported from Taiwan.

Can you imagine how many weeks it took them to individually wire each leaf to the tree? Even today, after a strong wind, any leaves that fall off are collected and stapled back on.

To make matters worse, Jackson thought the shade of the leaves wasn’t quite right. So all of them were repainted by hand. It took around 15 hours of work per day for 10 continuous days for a prop that only aired for 10 seconds.

Did you know?

The great oak featured in the first trilogy was real but it had died by the time The Hobbit went into production. Therefore, a fake tree was constructed, a replica of the original.

The fake tree above Bag End - the weirdest
The fake tree above Bag End, one of the weirdest facts about Hobbiton [Photo by pinterest.com/KEricBeastie]

13.000 sheep didn’t make it through casting

Even if the Alexander farm had approximately 13.000 sheep, none of them made it to the big screen.

Peter Jackson thought they look too modern so all of the farm’s livestock had to be removed during filming. Instead, 39 Suffolk «stunt» sheep, a British breed with black faces and legs, were brought from the South Island to replace them.

Suffolk sheep used in Hobbiton Movie Set
Suffolk sheep used in Hobbiton Movie Set

Apple and pear trees bearing plum fruits?

In the last chapter of The Lord of the Rings (The Grey Havens), Tolkien mentioned that children “sat on the lawns under the plum trees and ate, until they had made piles of stones like small pyramids or the heaped skulls of a conqueror”.

Naturally, Peter Jackson desired to put a bit of this detail into the movie. Apparently, New Zealand’s plum trees were too big for the little hobbit children. Instead, apple and pear trees were planted; as soon they fully bloomed the fruits were stripped and replaced by artificial plums.

Don’t remember the scene?

Well, despite all the hard work, the scene never made it to the final cut.

A path leading to the Green Dragon's inn back entrance
The Green Dragon inn is a place for true Hobbits and a highlight of the tour (Image © Miles with Vibes)

Mind your head, wizard!

In the first movie of the original trilogy, Ian McKellen, the actor that portrayed Gandalf, smacked his forehead in Bilbo’s ceiling.

Word around the internet has it that the banging was an unscripted accident. Indeed, it was unscripted, but it wasn’t an accident at all.

According to Ian McKellen on his website “Peter (Jackson), for once, is wrong. The head-banging was my idea but I’m glad if it seemed spontaneous, the aim of all actors”.

After the intended bump, he carried on with the scene professionally and stayed in character, so the director kept it in.

Did you know?

Peter Jackson in the DVD commentary says that it all was an unplanned accident. Well, he must be forgetting that moment, or most probably, he was totally convinced by Ian McKellen’s unrivaled acting ability.

Being drunk on the job is fun!

Peter Jackson wanted to make Bilbo’s 111th birthday party scene look authentic so he let the actors participating drink real alcoholic beverages. However, that not only impaired their performance but also made a couple of actors fell ill.

Therefore, a special brew, called SobeRing that contained only 1% alcohol, was created exclusively for the crew.

Did you know?

“Harrington’s SobeRing Thought” is a handcrafted ale brewed in Christchurch specifically for the Lord of the Rings movies. It was later released to the public remaining available up until today.

Barrels full of ale within the Green Dragon inn at Hobbiton
Barrels full of ale inside The Green Dragon crafted for real Hobbits (Image © Miles with Vibes)

Are you hobbit enough?

Ever thought of making an acting career as a hobbit?

Well, according to the official casting requirements you had to be “five-foot-two and round-of-face”. Around 2.500 auditions were needed until the final hobbit-crew was selected, entirely composed of local New Zealanders.

Ever watched a sunrise in reverse?

Of course! Remember the scene in “The Fellowship of the Ring” where Gandalf and Bilbo view the party preparations smoking a pipe, right after sunset?

Apparently, Bag End faces east (the sun always sets to the west). So the crew had to get up at 02:30 AM and film a sunrise, so they could play it in reverse.

It took Peter Jackson 7 sunrises to get the scene right. During the supposed last shooting a distant barn was spotted, so they actually had to redo it for a 7th (and final) time.

sun set with pink clouds in front of a tree at hobbiton movie set
Photo by Rafael Leão on Unsplash

Did you know?

If you paid close attention to the original cinema scene, you could spot birds flying backward; unfortunately, it has been removed shortly after.

That attention to detail

Five hobbit-holes were built over the hill, just in case the camera catches a glimpse of them accidentally; apparently, it didn’t.

How many hobbit-holes can you visit?

Even if it’s wonderful to think that hobbit-holes are actual houses with tea rooms, polished chairs, cellars and dining halls, there is nothing inside. Only the facades are real.

All the items and the actual interior of the hobbit-holes were designed and filmed in a studio in Wellington.

Did you know?

There is only one hobbit-hole you can actually step in and get a shot. And guess what? It’s not Bag End.

The hobbit-hole of Sam - ring-bearer, elf-lover and Frodo's best mate
Stay close to your tour guide – some wonderful facts about Hobbiton will be revealed during your visit (Image © Miles with Vibes)

Unique job opportunities were created during filming

Paths between the clotheslines on top of the hobbit houses had to be naturally worn. It’s a real village we are talking about, after all, right?

That’s why a lady was employed to walk between paths for some weeks just to make sure they seem just right. Another man was hired to light bee’s wax on the hobbit residences so that there is real smoke emitting from the chimneys.

The lush vegetation of Hobbiton Movie Set in New Zealand
Making sure the paths in Hobbiton appear to be well-worn could be part of your daily work routine (Image © Miles with Vibes)

Animal kingdom

During filming, more than 25 species of animals were inside Hobbiton. Besides, 3 specially trained vets traveled all the way to New Zealand from the United States to take care of them.

That one permanent resident of Hobbit village

Thrown out from a truck in a bag when she was only 6 weeks old, Pickles was rescued and adopted by one of the gardeners working in the movie set. The hobbit cat is a special little creature roaming the village, making sure no one steps on the flower beds.

Once per day, the cat heads down to the Green Dragon inn to get a taste of authentic Hobbiton cuisine; sometimes she may be also found sleeping happily in front of the fireplace. It was a love/ hate relationship with Peter Jackson as she kept getting in the way during filming.

Did you know?

Several pictures of the cat are being taken to publish a children’s book “Pickles goes to Hobbiton – Happiest Cat Ever”.

Pickles, the hobbit cat is resting in front of a hobbit hole
Pickles the hobbit cat is the only resident of Hobbiton

Who owns Hobbiton?

Russel Alexander, the unofficial “lord of the Shire” is the general manager of Hobbiton Movie Set Tours with Peter Jackson owning just about half of it.

Hobbiton attracts its own wildlife

It all began with some ducks making their way to the pond by the Old Mill, soon to be followed by swans and eels. They all made Hobbiton, their home.

Not all hobbits live in wealth

How can you say which hobbits are richer? Well, the lower down the hill a hobbit lives the poorer he is. That’s the reason Bag End, the Bagginses’ residence, with its manicured gardens and lucrative rooms, sits on the very top of the hill.

The Bag End's impressive entrance in Hobbiton Movie Set
Bag End, sitting on the top of The Hill, is the most luxurious smial in the Shire (Image © Miles with Vibes)

A record worth beating

How many pictures can you shoot in two hours? The current record for the most photographs taken during the tour is 3.500 pictures. Would you care to try beating this?

Are you into cosplaying?

Always dreamed of entering Hobbiton dressed as Gandalf riding your own cart filled with fireworks?

Well, you might want to put your plan to a halt because it is specifically prohibited to re-enact scenes from the movies within the movie set. However, many groups of cosplayers are quietly roaming around taking pictures.

Board with lost item announcements and sale opportunities in Hobbiton
Fancy a new wheelbarrow? Or maybe you stumbled upon an iron hammer? (Image © Miles with Vibes)

More interesting & weird facts about Hobbiton

  • 21 marriage proposals were made on Hobbiton since tours have begun.
  • The locals named the mountain behind the movie set, Mount Hobbit.
  • Bilbo’s eleventy first’s (111th) birthday cake caught real fire and had to be extinguished!
  • The thatch that can be found on the roofs of the pub and the mill was cut from rushes around the Alexander farm.
  • The length of the grass within the village was regulated by having sheep eat it during or before filming.
  • The set for the first trilogy along with the 8 km tarmac road leading to the Alexander farm was built by the New Zealand Army.
  • Up to 400 people were on-site daily; three times per day, a two-course meal was served to all the crew and cast.
  • Not all fireworks during Bilbo’s party were artificial; real ones were also fired.
  • Almost 40% of the visitors haven’t seen the movies.

The Green Dragon inn exterior in Hobbiton Movie Set
The amount of work done to bring Hobbiton from myth to reality is impressive (Image © Miles with Vibes)

More questions about Hobbiton?

What is Hobbiton know for?

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were filmed on Hobbiton Movie Set. However, there are many more things that the hobbit village is known for! Read all about it here!

How old is Hobbiton?

The first tours of the Hobbiton Movie Set were in 2002, with thousands of more people visiting since. Read the weird history of Hobbiton here!

How many hobbit holes are there in Hobbiton?

There are 44 hobbit holes dug into the emerald hillside. But how many can you actually visit? Learn here!

Does anyone live in Hobbiton?

Weirdly enough, yes. But, it’s not a human! Read about the permanent resident of Hobbiton here!

Is Hobbiton man-made?

100% man-made, built of permanent materials. But it wasn’t always the same! Learn more about the fun history of Hobbiton here!

Still many secrets for you to uncover

44 hobbit-holes, lying amongst emerald hillsides and luscious gardens are waiting to be explored. Seriously, it doesn’t feel like anything else you have ever visited.

My main takeaway, after visiting the movie set, is that Peter Jackson is clearly a perfectionist.

His attention to detail and the depths he dived to bring Hobbiton to life are truly spectacular. Along the tour interesting behind-the-scenes facts about Hobbiton were revealed and I had the chance to speak with people that had participated in the actual filming of the movie trilogies.

Hobbiton is a location like nothing you’ve ever seen and an experience you won’t find anywhere else.

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies are indeed a success story but the stories behind their filming is another, legendary one.

Hobbiton is located in the North Island at Waikato region approx. 178 km from Auckland and 74 km from Rotorua. it’s one of New Zealand’s biggest tourist drawcards, so make sure to book ahead.

Quick Hobbiton Facts

Farm Area: 1.250 acresGardens: 2.3 km and growing
Farm Livestock: 13.000 sheep, 400 beef cattleParty Tree: 70 – 80 metres tall
Official Website: Hobbiton Movie Set ToursProduce: ales, cider, ginger beer, fruits, vegetables, lamb, beef, wool

All images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.



Do you know any other weird facts about Hobbiton? Leave your thoughts below!


2 thoughts

Sophie Pearce 24th Feb 2020 - 12:37

Amazing article! I did not know half of the tips that you wrote about here! Especially mixing the yoghurt and glue! So funny! Sophie x

Reply
Nikos Taskos 24th Feb 2020 - 21:52

Hobbiton tour guides can share some exciting stories if you are not too busy chasing hobbits around!

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