Simon Sinkinson chronicles the creative efforts of the Faeries and their Tiny Doors hidden in the grounds of grand gardens and on the edges of highways. But is isn’t just doors you need to keep an eye out for, swimming pools. Bridges and even ships have been spotted. If it makes you a little sad that the tiny doors are really too tiny for humans, you’ll be pleased to find that Simon makes gorgeous follies in people sizes too.

This poster was produced for North Eastern Railway (NER) in 1914 to promote rail travel to the Yorkshire Dales. It depicts a magical scene set in Brimham Rocks, near Harrogate, of faeries and elves dancing in a circle around a rock formation. The fantastic natural rock formations have a wealth of folklore attached to them, and so it seems, quite a few faeries too. There’s no guarantee of a sighting, but you’ll have a splendid day nonetheless exploring all the nooks and crannies of this amazing site.

OK, so we all know faeries like to dwell in ancient hollow hills, but these amazing man-made dwellings may well entice them to move house. We’ve previously featured this ‘hobbit’ house built in Wales, but what about the Little Retreat in Northamptonshire – a little thatched cottage with interiors created with tree branches, pinecones and leaves. Or Jon Brook’s colourful and organic New Hampshire home, or an Earth Lodge in Johannesburg, South Africa. Gnomes might like the Göreme Cave Village in Turkey (known locally as the Fairy Chimneys), or the House of Stone in Portugal. Finally, another real life Hobbit house was built to house the owner’s collection of Tolkein manuscripts, directly inspired by the descriptions in the books. …But never mind the Faeries, I’d quite like to live in these places myself!

(With thanks to Curious Places for originally featuring many of these places. Please visit this amazing blog for a feast of unusual, curious and downright bizarre architecture.)

Nestled in the lush rainforest of Marysville, Australia, is the home of sculptor and painter Bruno Torfs. Bruno has created a magical world in his garden, populated by fantastical figures sculpted by Bruno himself. The garden was a popular tourist attraction but sadly the bushfires that devastated so much of the area in 2009 also destroyed Bruno’s home and garden. Despite this, the desire to share his life’s passion remains strong and the gardens are now reopen and Bruno is steadily creating new works to replace those lost in the fires. A book and DVD are available to buy which tells the story of the garden as it was and as it is now after the rebuilding, filled with beautiful photography and paintings.

On our recent trip to Cornwall we spotted a sign for Carnglaze Caverns on our way to another attraction. As it turned out, that place was closed so we turned back and headed to the Caverns instead. The narrow winding road led through a beautiful wooded valley, and finally up a steep driveway we arrived at our destination. And what a surprise we had! Everywhere you look there are Faeries, peeking out at you from lush foliage. The acres surrounding the Caverns have been lovingly transformed into the most delightful Enchanted Dell, with creative landscaping and scores of Faerie sculptures (many by Enchanted). A woodland walk leads you to discover even more treasures, including a hobbit house and faces carved into tree stumps. In the early summer the carpet of bluebells covers 3 acres – Faerie magic indeed!
The Caverns themselves are fascinating too. They are actually old slate mines and you can now tour the three vast caverns and see the amazing blue/green subterranean lake which fills one of them. The smaller cavern is also used as a venue for concerts and craft fairs. Last year it played host to a Fairy Ball, which I can imagine was very apt for such a lovely place.

San Francisco jewellers Shreve & Co currently have the most amazing holiday window display. A Fairy Merry Christmas features 14 dolls created by Kat Soto set in their own themed environments. Each window illustrates a different fairy poem, contributed by various writers including Sarah Sabatini of The Forest Fairy. The display was created jointly by Jim Cardosa, Brian Henderson and Kat Soto. You can see pictures of all the different Faeries on Kat Soto’s website.

The Forbidden Corner is a four-acre garden of follies and labyrinths situated in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales. Surprises greet the visitor at every twist and turn, statues peek out from beneath leaves and stepping stones can transport you to the underworld where further curiosities await discovery. There are tricks and delights to entertain all ages, but be sure to give yourself enough time to solve all the clues and find every last thing. A day out not to be missed!

A picturesque landscape located in the heart of the Scotland, Glenshee is an area steeped in history and legend. The name Glenshee, or in Gaelic, Gleann Shith, means Glen of the Fairies. It has held this name since time immemorial, and the Glen’s inhabitants were known as Sithichean ai Ghlinnshith or ‘Elves of Glenshee’. The Glen’s ancient meeting place behind the kirk was called Dun Shith (Hill of the Fairies) and is still dominated by a standing stone from the Bronze age. The Coire Shith or Fairy Burn, plunges down the side of Ben Gulabin, the mountain commanding the head of Glenshee and adds still more weight to the glens fairy past. In the 1820’s there existed at the Spittal of Glenshee, a Chapel of Ease many centuries old. When the church was to be re-built some distance further down the glen, the workman woke each morning to find the foundations dispersed and tools scattered. After several unsuccessful attempts and much discussion with the locals, it was decided not to antagonise the fairies further and to build the new church where it had always been! It is said the fairies soon decide whether visitors are welcome or not, and that those accepted will continue to return to the glen for the rest of their lives.

Nestled in woodland overlooking a dramatic stretch of coastline, a break at the Enchanted Manor on the Isle of Wight promises to be an experience to remember forever. The Manor dates back to 1838 and has been lovingly restored by its current owners to provide luxury accommodation, but with a magical difference. The couple have taken inspiration from fantasy artist Josephine Wall, whose art is featured throughout, to create a sumptuous retreat complete with four-poster beds and a spa offering health and beauty treatments. It would make a perfect honeymoon venue to follow up that fairy tale wedding!

Visitors to Cheddar Gorge in Somerset will find something sinister lurking in the caves. The Crystal Quest is a fantasy adventure featuring elves, dragons, evil sorcerers and a host of particularly nasty looking goblins. As you move through the caves the story of the Crystal of Light and it’s theft from the elves by the evil Mordon unfolds, culminating with a battle with a smoke breathing dragon. It is entertaining way to spend half an hour, but don’t expect world-class special effects! The ticket prices includes entry into the spectacular show caves also in the gorge.
In near-by Wookey Hole, another rather impressive cave system, visitors can relax in the newly created enchanted Fairy garden on the banks of the river Axe.