10 Stunning Outlander Locations From Season One (part one)

Barry Pickard
Oct 31
7 min read

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Author: Barry Pickard

Hi, I'm Barry, the owner of Tailor-Made Itineraries and I have been designing bespoke self-guided tours for adventurous and curious travellers since 2015. I am a history graduate with a passion for travel.

I created this blog to show, through my own adventures, how you can have an incredible travel experience as an independent traveller, giving you the information to navigate the world with confidence.

Roslin Glen Country Park

Glasgow City Chambers

Conclusion

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Where exactly can you visit the real Outlander filming locations in Scotland? The answer will transport you through centuries of Scottish history, just like Claire's journey through the standing stones. The soft crunch of heather beneath your boots echoes across the dramatic peaks of Glencoe, while the musty scent of ancient stone mingles with Highland air at 4,000-year-old Clava Cairns, and the distant cry of seabirds carries across the ruins of Blackness Castle where Jamie faced Black Jack Randall's brutal whip.

I'm Barry Pickard, and I've been designing bespoke Scottish itineraries for independent travellers since 2015. As both a history graduate and devoted Outlander fan, I understand the magnetic pull these locations have on viewers who've fallen in love with Jamie and Claire's story. When I set out to visit every major Season One filming location, I wasn't prepared for how powerfully these places would affect me – standing in the actual courtyards where pivotal scenes unfolded, touching the same stone walls that framed the characters' most dramatic moments.

Scotland truly is Outlander's third main character, and each location tells its own story beyond what you see on screen. The hollow echo of footsteps in Linlithgow Palace's roofless halls, the gentle splash of water against Culross's preserved 17th-century harbour walls, the imposing silence that settles over Midhope Castle's weathered facade – these aren't just backdrops, they're living pieces of Scottish heritage that shaped both the show and centuries of real history.

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You've found the definitive guide to experiencing these iconic locations firsthand. I'll share the exact details you need to visit each site, from the practical logistics of reaching remote Glencoe to the insider tips for exploring Hopetoun House's grand interiors. This isn't just a list of filming locations – it's your roadmap to stepping into the world of Outlander while discovering the authentic Scotland that inspired Diana Gabaldon's epic tale.

Don’t forget that Tailor-Made Itineraries delights in creating bespoke self-guided tours. So, if visiting any of these locations appeals to you, reach out to me by email. I would be more than happy to design a self-guided tour around your requirements incorporating the locations of Outlander, or indeed, a general tour of Scotland itself.

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Glencoe

Viewers begin to fall in love with Scotland as soon as the opening credits to Outlander roll. The captivating landscape on show is the rugged and awe-inspiring Glencoe and hooks the viewer immediately. Although it doesn’t actually feature in any episode scenes, Glencoe is still a must for fans, indeed any visitor to Scotland. The scenery of Glencoe has been fashioned by millions of years of geological and geomorphologic processes is now regarded as some of the finest ‘wild’ landscape in Scotland.

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Clava Cairns

The standing stones which transport Claire to the 18th century are not actually genuine, having been created especially for Outlander and filmed near the small Perthshire village of Kinloch Rannoch. The inspiration for these mythical stones of Craigh na Dun, however, is believed to be the 4,000 year old Clava Cairns. Located close to the historic battlefield of Culloden, these Bronze age complex of cairns and standing stones captivate the visitor and it is easy to see how the Clava Cairns would have stimulated the imagination of Outlander writer Diana Gabaldon

Midhope Castle

Perhaps the most iconic castle in the Outlander Series, Midhope Castle takes the guise of Jamie’s ancestral home of Lallybroch. Just a half hour car journey from the centre of Edinburgh, Midhope Castle is located on the Hopetoun Estate near Hopetoun House. The interior of this 15th century castle is in a derelict state, but the outside walls are still in good condition.

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Culross

Culross is a village and former royal burgh on the north banks for the Forth estuary. Said to have been founded by Saint Serf during the 6th century, Culross is used as the set of the fictional town of Cranesmuir, the settlement next to Castle Leoch where Claire meets Geillis Duncan and local priest Father Bain. Culross has been preserved and restored by the National Trust for Scotland since the 1930’s, and is an enchanting little village to walk around. Once a prosperous town, being a busy port and then a centre of the coal mining industry during the 16th and 17th centuries, boasting the world’s first coal mine in the world to extend under the sea, Culross is Scotland’s best preserved example of a 17th and 18th century town.

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Culross Palace

Within the village of Culross is the appealing palace of Culross. The palace gardens are used as the herb garden at Castle Leoch and the palace Withdrawing Room doubles as Geillis Duncan’s parlour. Culross Palace has also been used extensively in season two of Outlander, with its High Hall featuring as a Jacobite meeting room, its King’s Room being used for a bedroom scene, and the kitchen and pantry being used as a tavern.

Blackness Castle

The imposing fortifications of Blackness Castle have been described a the “ship that never sailed”, as it has an uncanny resemblance to a ship being launched into the Firth of Forth. This Royal castle, built in 1453, doubled for Fort William, and is the Outlander location which boasts the infamous scene where Jamie receives a whipping from Black Jack Randall.

Linlithgow Palace

The infamous Outlander scene at Wentworth Prison, where Jamie was attacked and tortured by Black Jack Randall, is filmed in the 15th century Royal residence of Linlithgow Palace. Strategically placed on the road between the two fortresses of Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle, Linlithgow Palace was an elegant building which unfortunately now lies ruined and roofless following an all-consuming fire in 1746. It is still a great building to explore today though and you can still visit this building where Scottish Royalty, such as James V and Mary Queen of Scots grew up. When visiting the Palace, also plan to spend time in the quaint town of Linlithgow itself as it has a number of other attractions to visit, such as St. Michael’s Parish Church and the Annet House Museum.

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Hopetoun House

Hopetoun House is an extensive 17th century stately home, designed by William Bruce and William Adam. Used in Outlander as the home of Duke of Sandringham, the impressive Red Drawing Room of Hopetoun House was used for the meeting between the duke and Jamie. Outside, the scene where Jamie duels with one of the McDonald clan is filmed at the rear of the house. Also, the rear steps of the house were used for a sword fight scene and the courtyard behind the Stables Tearoom features regularly as a Parisian street location in Season 2. Incidentally, when you visit the house, make sure you visit the tearoom, as we can guarantee a lovely meal!

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Roslin Glen Country Park

Located below the historical Rosslyn Castle and the mystical Rosslyn Chapel, which was made famous by another successful author, Dan Brown and his novel The Da Vinci Code, Roslin Glen Country Park is a beautiful and wild little park. It is in this park where Jamie argues with Claire after rescuing her from Black Jack Randall at Fort William.

Glasgow City Chambers

This impressive Victorian building on George Square has served as the headquarters of local government in Glasgow since it was constructed in the 1880’s. More importantly for Outlander fans, Glasgow City Chambers was the location used for Frank’s proposal to Claire. When visiting the City Chambers, make sure you take one of the two daily tours of the building’s interiors, and you will be able to marvel at the opulent carrarra marble staircase amongst other things.

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Conclusion

Visiting these Season One Outlander locations revealed something magical that the television screen can't fully capture – the weight of centuries pressing down through Highland mist, the stories whispered by ancient stones, and the raw beauty of a Scotland that exists far beyond any fictional narrative. From the geological grandeur of Glencoe that opens every episode to the intimate courtyards of Culross Palace where Claire and Geillis shared their secrets, each location offers independent travellers a chance to walk in the footsteps of both fictional characters and real Scottish history. Whether you're drawn by Outlander's romantic drama or Scotland's authentic heritage, these sites prove that sometimes the most compelling travel experiences come from following stories that capture our imagination and lead us to places we never knew we needed to explore.