Grand Tour of Great Britain: Outlander TV Locations
Any Outlander/Diana Gabaldon fans out there? Or more specifically, any Outlander-TV fans out there? Well, if you are either you may enjoy some of the photos I took on my day touring Outlander locations.
While most of our tour group was visiting Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond, places Jay and I had visited on our last trip to Scotland, we decided to book a day trip to visit some of the locations used filming the Outlander TV Series.
We booked a private tour with Gordon Doyle through Viator. When we met up with Gordon, we found out that he was an extra in one of the scenes of the Battle of Preston Pans.
While we didn't visit all the locations on the map above, we hit quite a few.
Linlithgow Palace
We started with Linlithgow Palace, the birth place of Mary Queen of Scots. It was a stop for royals traveling from Edinburgh Castle to Stirling Castle.
Doune Castle
This castle was famous long before Outlander. It was built as the home of Regent Albany, ‘Scotland’s uncrowned king’. It has been the location for many films and TV shows including Game of Thrones (Winterfell) and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Outlander fans know it as the fictional Castle Leoch – home to Colum MacKenzie and his clan in the 18th century. It also features in the 20th century episode when Claire and Frank visit the castle in ruins on a day trip.
Culross
Our next stop was to Culross. This village has maintained it's 17th and 18th century feel and was one of the reason it was chosen for Outlander.
For Outlander fans, it's Cranesmuir, home to Geillis Duncan. Behind the impressive Culross Palace is where Claire's herb garden at Castle Leoch is located.
Geillis Duncan's house.
The Mercat Cross was where the young lad who stole a bannock was nailed by his ear.
The stone building was used for the "witch trial"
The staircase can be seen where Claire went to attend the sick not demonized boy.
The town also lends its backdrop to the Jacobite encampment and makeshift hospital scenes.
We take a lunch break at the Red Lion, as tracing the footsteps of 18th century characters can make you very hungry, Sasannach. If you go for lunch be sure to check out all the bathrooms!
Back on the road we make a stop at some REAL Standing Stones.
Bad news folks, Kinloch Rannoch (Craigh na Dun) is fake.
Looking for a stone circle to explore? try heading to the Ring of Brodgar in Scotland's Orkney Islands. Or visit Rannoch Moor in Perthshire, which is the background as Claire and Frank enjoy their second honeymoon, following the end of the war.
The Covenanter Hotel stands in for the cosy Mrs. Baird's Guesthouse.
Fort William headquarters of Black Jack Randall, as well as featuring in the heart-wrenching scene of Jamie's incarceration.
In 1740, Jamie Fraser is arrested at Lallybroch while trying to defend Jenny, taken to Fort William and brutally flogged by Jack Randall. Randall offers to cancel the second flogging if Jamie will give himself to him. Jamie refuses.
Jamie's father Brian Fraser dies a few days after watching Jamie receive his second flogging.
When Jamie recovers from his second flogging he is extracted from Fort William by some friends and during his escape the soldier who gave him the first flogging is killed by Jack Randall. Although it wasn't Jamie who killed him, he is blamed and a price of ten pounds sterling put on his head as a murderer, forcing him to live as an outlaw and unable to return home to Lallybroch.
Directly after his escape from Fort William Jamie is taken to Dougal's house to recover and Dougal tells him that Jenny is pregnant to Jack Randall and living with another English soldier.
In 1743, when attempting to escape to Craigh na Dun while Jamie goes to see Horrocks, Claire ends up in the hands of Jack Randall at Fort William where he tries to rape her but she is rescued by Jamie.
Lallybroch, also known as Broch Tuarach, is the small estate that belonged to Brian and Ellen Fraser, and whose ownership passed to Jamie Fraser after his father's death. According to Jamie, the land is fairly rich and offers opportunity for fishing and hunting. Lallybroch supports about sixty crofts, as well as the small village, Broch Mordha. Jamie's family home is the manor house on the estate.
Season 4 filming is about to begin and Gordon tells us he's signed up to be an extra again. Good Luck Gordon! (Polmont Park filming has begun, I guess we were a couple of weeks too early. Dang.)
Back to Edinburgh for us and a carpet picnic awaits in our room.
Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh for Newcastle with a stop at Alnwick Castle.
Falkland, Inverness in the 1940s.
As is happens we pull into town and park in the exact spot that the honeymooning Frank and Claire park in in Season One.
The Bruce Fountain is where the ghost of Jamie looks up at Claire's room.
Fayre Earth Gift Shop doubles as Farrell's Hardware and Furniture Store.
Campbell's Coffee House and Eatery is Campbell's Coffee Shop in the show.
On to Blackness Castle
A 15th century castle that looks like a ship that "never sailed" on the Firth of Forth. For Outlander fans it's Fort William.
Jamie's father Brian Fraser dies a few days after watching Jamie receive his second flogging.
When Jamie recovers from his second flogging he is extracted from Fort William by some friends and during his escape the soldier who gave him the first flogging is killed by Jack Randall. Although it wasn't Jamie who killed him, he is blamed and a price of ten pounds sterling put on his head as a murderer, forcing him to live as an outlaw and unable to return home to Lallybroch.
Directly after his escape from Fort William Jamie is taken to Dougal's house to recover and Dougal tells him that Jenny is pregnant to Jack Randall and living with another English soldier.
In 1743, when attempting to escape to Craigh na Dun while Jamie goes to see Horrocks, Claire ends up in the hands of Jack Randall at Fort William where he tries to rape her but she is rescued by Jamie.
Our final stop is Midhope Castle.
Outlander fans recognize this as Lallybroch.
Lallybroch, also known as Broch Tuarach, is the small estate that belonged to Brian and Ellen Fraser, and whose ownership passed to Jamie Fraser after his father's death. According to Jamie, the land is fairly rich and offers opportunity for fishing and hunting. Lallybroch supports about sixty crofts, as well as the small village, Broch Mordha. Jamie's family home is the manor house on the estate.
The building is used for exteriors as it is pretty much in ruin at the moment but it's was still a treat to be able to see it up close and personal.
Back to Edinburgh for us and a carpet picnic awaits in our room.
Tomorrow we leave Edinburgh for Newcastle with a stop at Alnwick Castle.
Lots more photos for you to enjoy: Outlander Locations.
Grand Tour of Great Britain with Go Ahead Tours
