THEY say you should never meet your heroes . . . but I can heartily recommend meeting your villains.
At the Night With The Knights special event near Belfast, a crowd of Game Of Thrones fans joined a Q&A session with actors Ian Beattie (sadistic Kingsguard Ser Meryn Trant), Dominic Carter (weaselly Ser Janos Slynt) and Ian McElhinney (noble Ser Barristan Selmy).
Beattie stole the show with hilarious, sweary anecdotes about his time on the HBO fantasy series, with Ed Sheeran the target of some choice barbs.
But all three were amusing and gracious, posing for photos, signing autographs and coming round to chat during our dinner.
It was my first time at the GoT Studio Tour — which is planning more events with stars — and, as a megafan, I was not disappointed with all the costumes, weapons and sets.
Highlights were being able to scan my mug into the Hall of Faces, which Arya Stark’s assassins used to disguise themselves, posing with the giant Wun Wun and, of course, sitting on the coveted Iron Throne.
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Our evening was just one stop on a five-day tour of film and TV locations in Northern Ireland.
We’d started in Londonderry, home to Channel 4 comedy Derry Girls, spotting a giant mural featuring the five hellraising teens and visiting an exhibition showcasing a few sets and props.
From there, we travelled east around the coast, and in fair weather there are few places that can rival the scenery.
It’s easy to see why Northern Ireland is so attractive for filmmakers.
The route was packed with superb locations for memorable Thrones scenes, including:
- Downhill Beach — the clifftop temple where Red Priestess Melisandre burned heretics.
- Portstewart — where Jaime Lannister and Bronn encounter the Sand Snakes in Dorne.
- Dunluce Castle — Greyjoys’ home Pyke, with help from CGI.
- Ballintoy Harbour — where Theon Greyjoy meets sister Yara, and the neighbouring bay, where he is baptised for the Drowned God.
- Carnlough Harbour steps — where Arya Stark crawls to safety after her battle with the Waif.
- Hidden Village of Galboly — which doubles as the Vale of Arryn.
- Cairncastle’s hills — where Ned Stark beheads a deserter in the first episode.
The film scenery isn’t restricted to GoT, as the clifftop ruins at Dunseverick Castle were used for the live-action remake of How To Train Your Dragon.
At the centre of Glenarm Castle’s walled gardens, you can see areas used to film Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, and Thrones spin-off A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms.
Nearby, in Glenarm village, is Steensons jewellers, which made many of the pieces used in GoT, then it was on to Carrickfergus Castle, a key location for Dungeons & Dragons.
I’d recommend having a guide — not just to get to the right places, but because locals love a good chinwag.
You’ll probably hear stories about the cast and crew (occasionally indiscreet, such as the actress despised by fellow thesps, or which actor appeared naked in a hotel lobby), and they are proud to show off their country.
Next stop Belfast, with locations for some of my other favourite non-fantasy TV series including Line Of Duty, which was shooting its seventh season while we were there, the Botanic Gardens where The Fall’s sexy serial killer, played by Jamie Dornan, stalks his victims, and Crumlin Road Gaol, now used for tours and filming.
We stayed in a different hotel every night and not a dud among them, but highlights were Harbourview in Carnlough, a destination whiskey property, and Slieve Donard in Newcastle, with an opulent pool.
South of Belfast we were back into the wild at Castle Ward, which served as the Starks’ seat of Winterfell and features the courtyard where Ned Stark taught his children archery, the stable where Tyrion Lannister romped with brothel beauties, and the window from which Jaime Lannister pushed Bran Stark.
Further around Strangford Lough is Audley’s Castle, a 15th-century tower that doubled (literally, as CGI was used to create two) as The Twins, treacherous Walder Frey’s stronghold.
Finally, at mystical Tollymore Forest, GoT scenes here include the creek where the direwolf pups are found, and where Arya hides from the Gold Cloaks.
Most bone-chilling, though, was the glade where Thrones’ opening scene was shot, where Night’s Watch rangers encounter a pit containing dismembered corpses that are not as dead as they appear.
So our tour’s end had brought us to the start, which just made me want to binge-watch it all again.
To paraphrase Jaime Lannister, the things we do for love of TV . . .
GO: NORTHERN IRELAND
GETTING THERE: EasyJet flies from Birmingham to Belfast from £18.49 each way. See easyjet.com.
STAYING THERE: Rooms at The Walled City Hotel cost from £87 per night. See walledcityhotel.com. Rooms at The Harbourview Hotel cost from £120 per night.
See theharbour viewhotel.com. Rooms at The Bedford Hotel cost from £199 per night.
See thebedfordhotelbelfast.com. Rooms at Slieve Donard Hotel cost from £188 per night. See marineandlawn.com/slievedonard.