Last Updated on 31 October 2023 by Colette
This post features gifted experiences
The Watercress Line is a heritage steam railway linking four heritage stations covering ten miles of beautiful Hampshire countryside and run by volunteers.
October half term is Wizard Week at Watercress Line and as such there were lots of spooky activities to keep the kids entertained when we visited earlier this week!
Although children were encouraged to dress up as their favourite scary character and take part in the fancy dress competition, this was something we served as a) I’m just not a fan of fancy dress and b) Watercress Line wasn’t the first place we were visiting that day and c) we had a long drive home to do after our Watercress Line visit!
Because we were staying at Watercress Lodges, it made sense to start our Watercress Line experience at Ropley. Now, whilst there was a timetable of events on the Watercress Line website, I hadn’t really looked at it ahead of time and it was more good luck than good management that all our timings seemed to work quite well. I would suggest if you are planning on joining the Watercress Line for Wizard Week (or any other special event) than you plan ahead to make the most of the activities at each station.
So, we hopped aboard at Ropley choosing to head to Alresford first – mainly as this was the first train that was coming and also because it was the furthers point on the line in that direction. We thought it made sense to head to one end and then work our way back to the other.
As it was, Alresford was one of the busier stations in terms of activities with a Harry Potter themed carriage to visit and wizardly crafts to try. Amy thought the wizard was great fun and he was definitely fully in the spirit of the event!
We didn’t stay too long at Alresford before hopping the next train back again and opting to stay on for the full ten mile stretch of the Watercress Line before heading back to Ropley Station just in time for a magic show!
At Ropley you could also walk in the footsteps of Harry Potter over the famous railway footbridge where Harry received his Hogwarts Express ticket in the film (it has been relocated from London Kings Cross to Ropley)!
Although there were wand making sessions at Ropley, these were an extra cost and, as we were pushed for time, I treated the girls to a wand each from a lovely gentleman selling “flying supplies” from his stall at Ropley Station!
One of the things we loved about boarding the Watercress Line for Wizard Week was that you are free to hop on and off the Wizard Express at any of the four heritage stations on the line so you could easily spend all day pottering back and forth if you heart so desired!
Excitingly, Watercress Line is a dog friendly site and dogs can travel for free so Poppy was able to experience her first ever steam train ride though I’m not sure she’d be too keen to repeat the experience if I’m honest!
Of course Wizard Week was a special event for October half term and has now finished but I noticed that they do Steam Illuminations from the end of November!
Book your Watercress Line visit.
You can read about what else we got up to on our stay in Hampshire here:
Gilbert White’s House and Gardens
Visiting National Trust Hinton Amper at October half term
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