Around a fifth of tourists coming to Scotland now state that they’ve come because they’ve seen Scotland in TV and film. It’s no surprise that productions like Outlander and Game of Thrones have hugely boosted Scotland’s tourism industry.
Pretty Falkland in Fife doubled as 1940s Inverness in Outlander
Glencorse Old Kirk in Penicuik will appeal to romantic Outlander fans
One of the beauties of ‘set-jetting’ – visiting the film locations of your favourite movie or series – is that you can easily create your own location itinerary. Our properties in Perthshire are perfectly placed for an Outlander Tour, so here’s how to build your own – all locations are around an hour or less from Perth.
Just 18 miles from Perth takes you to Falkland in Fife, which appears in the first series as the perfect stand-in for 1940s Inverness. Make sure to look out for the local shops and hotels that appear in the series – Falkland’s Covenanter Hotel became Mrs Baird’s Guesthouse, while the Fayre Earth Gift Shop was transformed into Farrell’s Hardware and Furniture Store through whose windows Claire gazes. You might also recognise the Bruce Fountain, the landmark where Frank encounters the ghost of Jamie in the first episode.
Just 37 miles or 44 minutes’ drive from Perth and you can be in Hopetoun house, which appears in the Outlander series as the stately home of the Duke of Sandringham. Described as ‘Scotland’s Finest Stately Home’ you may find Hopetoun House a much more impressive façade in real life, as portions of the buildings were digitally removed in the TV series. The real house retains much of its 18th century furniture and wall coverings and, situated in pretty South Queensferry, is worth a day out in its own right. Details on how to visit here: http://hopetoun.co.uk/
It’s just 43 miles, or a picturesque hour and 12 minutes, in the car to the Dunalastair Estate in Kinloch Rannoch, Perthshire. You may recognise the landscape here as that in which Claire disappeared amongst the standing stones of Craigh na Dun. Though you won’t find the film set’s stones anymore, you will witness the majestic scenery that provided the backdrop to the dramatic episode. Encircled by Munros, nearby Rannoch Moor is an evocative place – a true wilderness that is well worth a visit. For more information, see: http://www.kinlochrannoch.com/
The more romantic among us won’t mind the one-hour drive to Glencorse Old Kirk in Penicuik, where Outlander’s Jamie and Claire get married. The 17th century kirk is definitely a church that time forgot, with a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere, set in the foothills of the Pentlands. Avid fans might be interested not only in visiting but getting married here – find out all about it on their website: http://www.glencorsehouse.co.uk/
And if you want a short city visit, jump on the train for the one-hour journey from Perth to Glasgow Queen Street. Leave the station and you’ll immediately find yourself facing George Square, which was given a 1940s makeover for Frank’s marriage proposal to Claire. This impressive square has become a favourite for locations scouts in recent years, appearing in both Cloud Atlas and World War Z. The architecture is stately and beautifully preserved, and the surrounding streets offer some great dining too. For more information, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Square
Hopetoun House, near South Queensferry
Photo credits: Falkland Fife: By Kim Traynor (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Glencorse Old Kirk: james denham [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Hopetoun House: By Mehmet Karatay (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons.