Outlander 1-Day Private Tour

Uncover Scottish history in style on the Outlander 1-Day Private Tour. Sit back and relax while you discover the iconic locations from this renowned TV series.

Without Scotland, there would be no Outlander. Author Diana Gabaldon thought up the idea for her world-famous time travel romance while exploring the country. All aspects of Claire and Jamie’s adventures are rooted in real-life historical Scottish events. And even the breath-taking landscapes and buildings of Scotland bring the story to life on screen. And now you have the opportunity to see where it all began and relive the famous scenes from your favourite TV series.

From 500 per group

Covid-19 safety measures

We're good to go

Check In

This will be a contactless process; your guide will check your name off their list. No handover of vouchers necessary.

We will be doing a temperature check for everyone including the guides. If we are uncomfortable with a temperature reading, the guest will not be allowed join the tour.

Tour Vehicle

Before each tour, the vehicle will be cleaned and sanitised.

Frequently touched points will be cleaned and sanitised throughout the day.

Face coverings will be required to be worn by all guests while in the tour vehicle.

Your guide will be wearing either a mask or a visor. Please make sure you have a mask with you.

In our cars, we will have a protective screen between the driver and back seats.

Hand sanitiser will be available in all vehicles

We will be following Scottish Government guidelines regarding social distancing and guest numbers in our vehicles.

Cancellations/Flexible bookings

If you need to change your booking due to being in contact with someone who has Covid-19, we will change your booking – no fee & no fuss.

Our Partners

We will only be working with businesses who are adhering to the same high-level standards as Mary’s Meanders.

Your Safety and Ours

We will be working hard to keep you safe by implementing these safety procedures. All guests accept personal responsibility for protective covering, personal sanitising and adhering to the social distancing rules.

If at any time Social Distancing & safety measures are not being adhered to, the tour will be cut short with no refund.

If a guest does have a temperature or any of the Covid-19 symptoms (consistent cough, loss of sense of smell/taste) on the tour day, they will not be allowed join the tour. No refund will be given.

By joining the tour, you are confirming that you release the tour guide, driver, and Mary’s Meanders from any and all liability for unintentional exposure or harm due to Covid-19.

Finally, the Mary’s Meanders team looks forward to sharing our love of Scotland with you all again soon!

Tour map

Tour details

  • The entrance fees listed below are for guidance only and can change at any time.

  • Itineraries may also change at short notice due to local events. Times are dependent on local traffic conditions.

  • Many of the locations on this tour have uneven terrain or cobblestones and are not suitable for those with mobility restrictions.

  • Meeting point

    Linlithgow Train Station, Station Road, Linlithgow EH49 7DH.
    20 min by train from Edinburgh,
    30 min by train from Glasgow.

  • Tour departs

    Mon – Fri at 9:00 am (Jan – Dec)

  • Tour ends

    At approx 5 pm back at the meeting point

  • Duration

  • Live guide speaks

  • Travel by

  • Tour type

  • Max group size

    3 persons

  • Tour operator

  • Cancellation policy

    8 full weeks or more before start: full refund minus any third party costs.
    After that time or no-show: no refund.

  • Exclusions

    Food & Drink
    Entry fees
    Gratuities (optional)

  • Extras

    Entry to Blackness Castle (adult): £6.00 pp
    Entry to Doune Castle (adult): £9.00 pp
    Entry to Linlithgow Palace (adult): £9.00 pp
    Entry to Culross Palace (adult): £10.50 pp
    Entry to Midhope Castle: £3.50 pp

  • Things to bring

    Appropriate clothing
    Comfortable shoes
    Cash, credit card, or Historic Scotland Explorer Pass for entrance fees
    Your tour ticket

  • TV series

Full description

The Outlander 1-Day Private Tour combines epic fantasy with the utmost comfort.

This is an exclusive tour, only available to groups of 4 people or less. Because of the small number of people, you can rest assured that your guide will always be available to answer your questions. This personal approach is just one of the great aspects of the Outlander 1-Day Private Tour.

Instead of merely driving guests from one location to another, our guides will join you into the locations and share a wealth of knowledge about the sites and the TV series. We work closely with all visited sites to ensure the entire tour is an experience you will never forget.

Linlithgow Palace / Wentworth Prison
Linlithgow Palace and St Michael’s Parish Church by Linlithgow Loch

Another benefit of the private tour is that you can build your own itinerary. Starting in the morning at Linlithgow Train Station, you might first travel to Linlithgow Palace. The birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, the building is a very important part of Scottish history. However, while it is associated with a real-life Scottish hero, its use in Outlander is less joyous. The exterior of the palace featured in the TV series as Wentworth Prison. Jamie has a horrible experience while imprisoned here, at the hands of ‘Black Jack’ Randall.

Next, you could pay a visit to Doune Castle, known to Outlander fans as Castle Leoch, home of Clan MacKenzie. Then maybe go to the small village of Culross. While strolling through its streets you will be sure to recognise some of the buildings and shopfronts. Culross features numerous times on-screen as the village Cranesmuir.

The 16th-century tower house, Midhope Castle, is another popular stop on the Outlander 1-Day Private Tour. It is used to represent Lallybroch, the home of Jamie Fraser. While you can’t explore inside the building, the outside of the building does lend itself to a great holiday snap!

Outlander: Midhope Castle / Lallybroch Castle
Outlander: Midhope Castle / Lallybroch Castle

However, you’ll probably find your best photo opportunities at Blackness Castle.

There is so much about this building that urges you to take photos. First is its sheer enormous size. Next is its peculiar, boat-like shape. Finally, if you still have space on your camera, you’ll want to grab a few shots of the scenic landscapes visible from the castle walls. While you bask in this euphoric, natural beauty, you might even forget that this is Outlander’s Fort William. A place of darkness and treachery.

Apart from the historical landmarks, the Outlander 1-Day Private Tour will also show you some of what modern Scotland has to offer. This tour will be sure to take in the iconic Forth Rail Bridge, the towering horse-head Kelpies, and much more. All in all, providing you with an exclusive and jam-packed experience like no other!

Did you know…

… that we have had the great honour to take Diana Gabaldon – the famous author of The Outlander saga – together with a few lucky fans on a special tour to selected Outlander locations? The event was organised by VisitScotland in recognition of Diana’s contribution to Scottish tourism with her books and subsequent TV series.

Diana Gabaldon with Emma and Anne
Diana Gabaldon (center) with Emma and Anne

Buying a Historic Scotland Explorer Pass (adult: £35 – £45) gives you free admission to over 70 properties in Scotland, including Blackness Castle, Doune Castle, and Linlithgow Palace.

Locations (7)

2. Linlithgow Palace / Wentworth Prison

Linlithgow Palace by Night
Linlithgow Palace and St Michael's Parish Church by Linlithgow Loch

The impressive Scottish Linlithgow Palace dates back to the 12th century and is the birthplace of the Scottish Monarchs Mary Queen of Scots and James V. Due to its eerie exterior Linlithgow Palace serves as Outlander’s Wentworth Prison where Black Jack Randall captures, rapes and tortures Jamie during his incarceration.

This is also where Claire pretends to be a relative to convince the jailer to let her visit Jamie. The jailer promptly declines before Claire leaves and throws up before Murtagh swiftly picks her up. The spiral staircase that Claire descends trying to avoid the redcoats was also shot at Linlithgow, as was a later scene where Claire searches the prison cells.

4. Culross / Cranesmuir

Culross / Cranesmuir
Culross Palace and Gardens in the Royal Burgh of Culross

The picturesque village of Culross has been around since the 17th century, featuring a mustard yellow palace, rustic village homes and is lined with idyllic cobbled streets. Culross is the setting for Cranesmuir used in many scenes of the Outlander series.

Culross first appeared in season 1, painted as a dull and grey looking town during filming. After shooting the Outlander scenes, the village was painted back to its original white colour. In the centre of Culross we find the town square with the Mercat Cross and the home of Geillis Duncan in Cranesmuir. This is where Geillis was sentenced to burn as a witch and where Jamie and Claire rescued the young thief when his ear was pinned to a post.

6. Midhope Castle / Lallybroch (Apr - Oct)

Outlander: Midhope Castle / Lallybroch Castle
Outlander: Midhope Castle / Lallybroch Castle

The breathtaking Midhope Castle dates back to the 16th Century. The castle exterior remains intact however the interior of the structure has been neglected and has decayed extensively. The centuries-old castle was the home of Jamie Fraser known as Lallybroch. Jamie’s parents left him ownership of Lallybroch, but the castle was also home to Jamie’s sister Jenny, her husband and their children.

Lallybroch is first introduced in a flashback scene in season 1 episode 2, when Jamie attempts to save Jenny from the clutches of the Redcoats but instead gets captured and taken to Fort William. We then see Lallybroch further in episode 12 when Jamie and Claire return to the castle and a disagreement erupts with Jenny before settling in for the following few episodes. Some episodes later an encounter with ‘The Watch’ sees the characters having to leave Lallybroch.

Please note that Midhope Castle is occasionally subject to closures for estate activity.

7. Blackness Castle / Fort William

Blackness Castle / Fort William
Blackness Castle / Fort William

Blackness Castle is a 15th century-old fortress built by the Crichton family. It has been used as a royal residence, a prison and a weapons store. Due to its unusual shape, it is often referred to as ‘the ship that never sailed’.

When selecting a filming location for Outlander’s Fort William, Blackness Castle is the setting for Black Jack Randall’s stronghold. This is the scene where Jamie was whipped and tortured during his incarceration was filmed here, filling fans with genuine compassion for Jamie.

This is also where Jamie’s father passed away after watching his son facing punishment. During the mid-season finale of series one, Blackness Castle was used when Claire was held captive by Black Jack before Jamie breaks into Fort William to rescue her.

Not only did Blackness Castle showcase the backdrop of Fort William, but also captured scenes from 1990’s Hamlet and 2019’s Mary Queen of Scots.

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