the lake is to the south of the castle, while the front doors leading to the giant fortress face generally to the west, flanked by pillars on which stand statues of winged boars. a road runs around the lake to the village of hogsmeade, where the railway station is located. the grounds are quite extensive, taking in the large forbidden forest with enough open space that folks in the castle hardly ever notice what might be lurking within those clearings of creeping vines, tendrils, and towering trees.