Outlander 6-Day Tour of Scotland

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.

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.

The small and quiet Scottish village of Falkland has streets lined with stone cottages which have been around since the 17th and 18th centuries. The village is home to 28 listed buildings, one of which includes the historic Falkland Palace. Falkland serves as Inverness in the TV series, because Inverness was unsuitable for filming as the buildings and streets were too modern, which was far from the look and feel needed for the show.

We first see Falkland when Claire and Frank arrive in Outlander’s Inverness for their second honeymoon. Here they meet Reverend Wakefield the local minister, and Mrs Baird the owner of the bed and breakfast. Falkland featured streets such as Rotten Row, Sharps Close and Brunton Street. A house in Brunton Street is where Mary Hawkins cared for sick Alex Randall at McGilvrey’s Boarding House.

Dysart Harbour dates way back to the 14th century, and the history behind the location is a rich one. In the 17th century, the harbour grew extensively when an influx in exports of coal and salt to the Baltic regions was agreed. Dysart Harbour is the filming location which became known as Le Havre in the series.

The French Harbour is first seen in the first episode of Season 2 when Jamie and Claire arrive. Upon their arrival, they meet the shows newly introduced villain Comte St. Germain. Although Claire and Murtagh rescue Jamie from the clutches of Black Jack Randall to escape to Paris, none of the filming ever took place in France.

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.

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.

Hopetoun House is a country home in Scotland built in the 16th century for the Hope family, located on the Hopetoun estate which covers an area of 6.500 acres. Outlander followers will recognise the country home as the Duke of Sandringham’s residence.

Hopetoun House was used to shoot the red drawing-room scene in episode 10 of season 1 when Claire blackmails the Duke of Sandringham to ensure Jamie is pardoned. During season 2, we were taken from Scotland to a Paris setting, although none of the footage was ever captured in France! The alleyway behind Hopetoun House was in fact featured as Paris backstreets. Finally, in episode 4 of season 3 Jamie and the Dunsany family arrive by carriage to visit Lady Geneva at the home of the Earl of Ellesmere. The exterior of the Earl’s home was one of many other filming locations at Hopetoun House.

Doune Castle was built in the 14th century to seat Scotland’s uncrowned King Regent Albany, and the medieval courtyards of the castle showcase the regent’s rich tastes. The castle has one of Scotland’s best-preserved great halls and a stunning 100ft (30m) gatehouse.

Doune Castle served as the setting for Outlander’s Castle Leoch and is highlighted in several key scenes across the first season of the show. In the 18th century episodes, Castle Leoch is the home of Colum Mackenzie and his clan. At the beginning of the series, Claire and Frank pay a visit to Castle Leoch on a day trip, only to discover the castle is in ruins. Doune Castle also hosted the scene where Claire, Jamie and Dougal’s party approach the castle courtyard.

Doune Castle is more than just the home of Castle Leoch, as it was also the backdrop of Winterfell in the GOT TV series and was also seen in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Tibbermore Church is set in a captivating walled graveyard and dates back to the 16th century. Its unique raked stone flooring and wooden pews give the church a distinctive feel. Outlander fans will recognise Tibbermore Church as representing Cranesmuir Church in the series.

The Devil’s Mark is where the heart wrenching witch trial was held in the court. Fans will recall the episode showing Claire and Geillis being thrown into the thieves hole to await their trial for witchcraft. The pair are anxiously sat in the docks before Geillis is removed from court and sentenced to death by fire.

Unlike many Outlander filming locations, Tibbermore Church hasn’t changed since its adaption for the TV series. The interior of the church remains in the same state as it was before filming had begun.

The centuries-old Drummond Castle Gardens is one of Scotland’s most prestigious formal gardens. Since its initial development, the site has undergone a series of redesigns with the most recent in the 19th century. Queen Victoria planted a beech tree and yew hedges during her visit in 1842. The Gardens still retains the French style and extravagant feel today as portrayed in the Outlander series.

Drummond Castle Gardens serve as the Gardens of Versailles in Outlander. The first notable episode featuring this location is during Untimely Resurrection in season 2, when Claire and Jamie arrive at King Louis’ Court. You will recall Jamie assisting the Duke of Sandringham to select a horse before Jamie has an encounter with Black Jack Randall. This, of course, results in the two challenging each other to a duel.

Tullibardine Chapel dates back to the 14th century and was explicitly used as a re-reformation chapel established by Sir David Murray. The chapel is one of few medieval churches in Scotland that remains unharmed, but Tullibardine Castle is no longer in existence today.

This is the location where Claire, Jamie, Fergus, Rupert and Dougal take refuge on their journey to Inverness and are ambushed by a group of redcoats. The redcoats believe Claire is a prisoner of the Scots, and demand for her to be released. Shortly afterwards, we see the church once again when the group leave by horseback, but not before Rupert receives a devastating shot to the eye.

Set in the grounds of Glencorse House is where we find the tranquil church called Glencorse Old Kirk. A parish was built in the 16th century and sadly burned down. In its place, however, was the construction of Glencorse Old Kirk some decades later.

This is where Claire and Jamie’s wedding took place and the start of where their adventure truly began. The scene where the two tied the knot was during one of the most memorable episodes of the entire series. It took the production team a long five weeks to ensure the film set was nothing less than perfect.

Glencorse Old Kirk differs dramatically from how it is portrayed in Outlander. The film set was significantly adapted for the series to make it look more rundown, but there’s no mistaking the exterior as the place where Jamie and Claire got hitched.