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BookDiscover the Magical Movie & Book locations in the Scottish Highlands.
The Highlands have their fair share of Movies and Book locations. This should be no surprise when you consider the outstanding scenery, which provides a stunning backdrop for the cameras. Rugged, unspoiled landscapes, striking castles, fabulous architectural features, such as the Glenfinnan Viaduct, have all had movie goers jaws dropping for decades. The Scottish Highlands offer a little magical escapism, we hope this brings backs memories and perhaps you will visit us later.
Blockbusters Filmed in the Scottish Highlands
Here is a short but amazing list of magical movies that have been filmed in Scotland and the Highlands.The Crown, Outlander, James Bond the latest being Skyfall, Harry Potter (2001 – 11), The Outlaw, Mary Queen of Scots, Brave, Loch Ness, Braveheart, Rob Roy, Flash Gordon, The Dark Knight Rises, Space Odyssey 2201, The World is not Enough, MacBeth, Local Hero, Whisky Galore and there are more, with more coming soon!
Why are the Highlands so Popular with Hollywood?
If you’ve ever visited the Highlands, then you will have experienced first hand the breath taking beauty of the scenery. The Highlands are a land of ancient landscapes, gruesome history and luckily the Highlands has retained its rugged, stark unspoiled natural beauty. A mix of gorgeous coastline with silver sands common to the Caribbean, lush green forests surrounding intense deep dark glistening lochs and so much more. It’s no wonder that Scotland continues to be a popular choice for many magical movie Hollywood movies.
Explore Some of these Magical Movie Locations
1. Harry Potter – Fort William, Glenfinnan, Steall Falls
Harry Potter, it is no wonder that JK Rowling, a fellow Scot, couldn’t fail to be moved by the beauty of the Highlands. The stunning Glenfinnan Viaduct, inspiration for the Hogwarts Express, is the most iconic symbol of Scotland’s natural wonders in the movie series. However Harry Potter lovers, can tell you of so many more fabulous locations dotted all over the Highlands which provided the stunning back drop to Harry’s adventures. If you want to experience the Hogwarts Express for yourself then you need to book a journey on the Jacobite Steam Train, which departs Fort William trains station daily. You too can travel along that gorgeous route, fly by the Glenfinnan monument, where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard over the viaduct towards the fishing village of Mallaig.
When you return to Fort William you may want to stretch your legs, you can hike through the Inner gorge to the Steall Falls. This stunning waterfall is featured in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It’s a lovely trek, winding your way along narrow paths through the forest, climbing steadily until you open out into the Glen.
Perhaps you can hop on the train to Glasgow from Fort William and take in the stark, striking landscape of Rannoch Moor. This famous spot is the back drop of the scene where the Death Eaters enter the Hogwarts express!
2. TV Series – The Crown, Ardverikie Estate & Rothiemurchus Estate
The Crown has captured attention across the globe, showcasing some of the stunning Scottish landscape. The Royal family’s love of Scotland is well documented and you can follow in famous footsteps through this hit Netflix series. Take time to explore these different landscapes and the locations of the tv series. The Baronial Estate of Arverikie at Kinloch Laggan in the Highlands, has a long and strong history of movie appearances, it is now wonder it was chose to represent Balmoral Castle scenes of The Crown. The estate is open to the public however there is no on site parking but nearby with a short walk. See here for full details on the Ardverikie Estate. The series also filmed at the Rothiemirchus Estate in the Cairngorms just a short drive from Inverness. Make sure you check out this location, it is a dream outdoor activity location, you can take in the surroundings whilst walking, a Hairy Coo Safari, Off Road Landrover Driving and Fishing to name a few.
3. James Bond & Skyfall – Glencoe & Glen Etive
Even the modern fast moving world of spy James Bond couldn’t resist the temptations of the Scottish Highlands. It couldn’t be more fitting the such a rugged character would return to his fictional home in the movie Skyfall. James would return to Skyfall lodge situated in Glencoe. Glencoe has a long and bloody history its where the MacDonalds were betrayed and has seen much bloodshed over the centuries
Glencoe’s neighbour Glen Etive is also a famous movie location, featuring in Braveheart and Skyfall. Perhaps you didn’t know that Ian Fleming, James Bond creator, owned a family lodge in Glen Etive, it seems appropriate that his character James Bond would return to Glencoe to his home!
4. TV Sensation Outlander – Inverness & the Surrounding Area
Are you an avid Diana Gabaldon reader or do you eagerly wait the next episode of this blockbusting tv series? If yes then you will be hooked on the ancient and mysterious standing stones, the dramatic castles and stunning Scottish scenery.
INVERNESS
Inverness is where the scenes set in the 1940s take place: it’s where Claire and Frank visit after their long separation during the second world war and where Frank looks for his missing wife after she is transported to the Jacobite era. Today, Inverness is known as the unofficial capital of the Highlands and is a popular destination for people wanting to experience Highland culture and enjoy the amazing nature that surrounds the city.
CLAVA CAIRNS
The Highlands are the home to the mysterious and magical standing stones of Claire and Jamies’ love story. Claire gets sent back in time after she wanders to Craigh Na Dun, a mystical stone circle that acts as a portal between her own time and the 1700s. While Craigh Na Dun is a fictional place, similar stone circles can be found in many places in the UK. The Clava Cairns are located a few miles outside Inverness, making it the likeliest inspiration for Craigh Na Dun since Claire goes missing while on holiday in Inverness.
The Clava Cairns are a Bronze Age monument used for burials. It comprises of cairns, standing stones and rocks arranged in circles that once housed the dead. Located near Culloden Battlefield, it’s easy to visit both on the same trip. The site is quiet and beautiful, you can sit in the tall grass and spend some time imagining the lives of the people buried here more than 4000 years ago and what the various stone arrangements might have signified to them.
CULLODEN MOOR & BATTLEFIELD
Culloden Moor and Battlefield is just a short drive from Inverness city center and plays an important role in Outlander. In season one, it’s one of the places Claire and Frank visit on their second honeymoon in 1945. And in the season one finale, it’s where Claire and Jamie say their tearful goodbyes before the bloody Battle of Culloden in 1745 – a battle Claire tried in vain to prevent.
Culloden Battlefield is a popular tourist attraction commemorating the tragic battle that left 1600 men dead – 1500 of them Jacobite rebels loyal to Bonnie Prince Charlie. The visitor centre has a 360-degree battle immersion theatre that lets you have an idea of what it would have been like on the battlefield. Guided tours are held on the field to visit the memorial cairn and the graves of the Jacobite soldiers who lost their lives here.
CASTLE LEOD
As die-hard fans of the show might already know, Castle Leod is the inspiration behind the fictional Castle Leoch in Outlander. This is where Jamie takes Claire after she is transported to 1743. Both of the fictional castles are home of the Mackenzie clan, though the Mackenzies featured in Outlander are fictional characters. In the show, Doune Castle, located near Stirling, acted as a stand-in for Castle Leoch.
Located 20 miles outside Inverness, Castle Leod is still home to the Mackenzie family. Just like its fictional counterpart, Castle Leoch played an important role in the Jacobite uprising of 1745 and history is everywhere in this well-preserved Highland castle.
Castle Leod is open to visitors for guided tours during a good number of open days organised throughout the year. Some of these are organised by the current Mackenzie Clan Chief, John Mackenzie, Earl of Cromartie himself. The castle is also a popular wedding venue for those who want to feel like true royalty for a day.
NEWTONMORE SOUTH OF INVERNESS
The Highland Folk Museum has a small collection of turf-roofed crofts that are replicas of 18th-century originals. This makes it a great filming location for period scenes. It stands for the Mackenzie village that is heavily featured in the fifth episode of season one, as Claire, Jamie and Dougal’s men visit the village to collect rent from its residents.
Most buildings are open to visitors, with furnished interiors, offering a glimpse to how many Highlanders lived from the 1700s all the way up until the 1950s. Located in Newtonmore, the Highland Folk Museum makes for a great stop on a day trip in the Cairngorms National Park. The drive to the open-air museum takes about an hour from Inverness and entry is free.
5. Outlaw King – Cairngorm National Park – 45 Minutes South of Inverness
The new Netflix blockbuster the Outlaw King, brings the Scottish Highlands front and center. You too can visit the Rothiemurchus Estate, this fabulous spot is in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. This beautiful location boasts a turbulent history, in the Outlaw King series the estate appears many times, particularly the battle with the MacDougalls. Loch an Eilein (loch of the island) is hidden in the forest, it has been voted the UK’s best picnic spot. It is a stunning place and in the loch sits a little island with 13th century castle ruins.
Just a little south of Rothiemurchus is Glen Feshie by Kincraig. This beauty spot hosts remanants of the ancient Caledonian Pine Forest. This fabulous landscape is the famed spot where famous artist Sir Edwin Landseer painted his landscape “The Monarch of the Glen”. You will be familiar with this area if you have watched the TV series, the area features as the Great Glen, a highland hill and a highland glen in the Outlaw King.
6. Brave – Urquhart Castle
Brave tells the story of Medieval Scottish princess Merida, a free spirit whose refusal to get married sets in motion a series of events that threaten the peace between the clans. While this beloved Disney Pixar film is animated, many of the backdrops used in the film were inspired by real places in the Highlands.
In particular, Urquhart Castle on the shore of Loch Ness was a massive inspiration to the film creators when they visited Scotland for ideas back in 2006 and 2007. The film was a big hit and went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. You can also use Inverness as a halfway point to the Isle of Lewis where the Standing Stones of Calanais were also one of the inspirations for this mythical tale.
7. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – Ardverikie Estate
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen as the title tells us is indeed set in Yemen however the story begins it’s journey in Scotland. A supremely wealthy Sheikh wants to bring his favourite hobby Salmon Fishing in Scotland to his homeland in Yemen. The Ardverikie Estate features in this movie, it provides the loch side house and backdrop to this lovely tale of believing in your dreams.
8. Local Hero – Camusdarach Beach & Penan
Finally a list of Scottish films wouldn’t be complete without Local Hero, this classic film is a firm favourite with us! The movies it all stunning setting, scottish ceilidhs and is full of colourful characters, who come to appreciate the quirky nature of a Highland village. The filming locations include the truly stunning beach on the west coast of the Highlands – Camusdarach beach, near Morar and the Aberdeenshire village of Pennan, a rugged yet enduring wee village set into the cliffs.
Planning Your Own Trip to these Magical Movie Locations in the Highlands
The area around Inverness as well as the wider Highlands area offer a huge amount of fascinating places to visit for movie fans. For some more inspiration for planning your trip, check out the Visit Scotland website and our blog Best Books & Films Set in the Highlands, plus our explore pages as lots of suggestion and tips.
Stay with Us
Inverness makes for an excellent base for discovering these magical movie locations, plus you can get a real flavour for the turbulent history of Scotland and explore many original historic sights. The Palace Hotel & Spa is located in Inverness city centre, on the bank of River Ness with fantastic views of Inverness Castle. Opened in 1890, our hotel is not quite Jacobite, but its castle-inspired towers with conical roofs and overall Baronial style will make you feel like you’re a character in a period drama of your very own. Make sure you check out your Seasonal Specials at the Palace.
To book your accommodation for your movie adventure, email Palace or call us on 01463 22 32 43 to #bookdirect
Our Outlander Images is Original Source: Sony Pictures Television many thanks Visit Scotland for sharing
