It's the two towers you notice first, poking shyly out of the trees like turrets on a secret film set. Then, as the back road winds towards distant mountains, you finally see other signs that you have arrived at the estate Gollum built. There's the imposing brick entrance. The gatekeeper's lodge. The earth-moving machines building an ornamental lake worthy of Capability Brown. Through the trees you catch glimpses of the house and wonder if all the rumours can be true. [More]