Blackness Castle

Departing central Edinburgh hop aboard an air-conditioned coach and Follow in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire, stop at the beautiful village of Falkland, nestled between the two Lomond Hills in the Howe of Fife. Fans of Outlander will recognize Falkland as the stand-in for Inverness, where Claire and Frank honeymoon. Our 2nd Location of the day will be the village of Culross. Several parts of Culross are used to depict the village of Cranesmuir, predominantly for season 1 of Outlander. During your time here, you'll notice many of the scenes come to life as you step into the actual shooting location of the show. Explore Blackness Castle*, the rich history within the castle walls and learn of its multi-functional history as a lordly residence, garrison fortress, and state prison. Fans of Outlander may also recognize that the exterior posed as Fort William, the foreboding headquarters of Black Jack Randall. The tour continues to the town of Linlithgow, famous for its palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots. Here, outlander fans have the opportunity to see Linlithgow Palace, used as the set for the infamous Wentworth Prison in Outlander. Linlithgow Palace is where Outlander's Jamie was held prisoner and tortured by Black Jack Randall, one of the most intense scenes filmed during the TV series. Enjoy some time for refreshments and exploring before the next stop. Our last location of the day, Midhope Castle, a must for Outlander fans. The Midhope Castle is the external location of the Fraser family home known as Lallybroch. Spend time at the castle for photos and live out your Outlander fantasy On returning to Edinburgh, ask for directions to Bakehouse Close, a location featured in the third series of Outlander as Jamie's print house. *On occasions BLACKNESS CASTLE may be substituted for DOUNE CASTLE *Midhope Castle is only available March-December

Join a local guide and discover some of the stunning filming locations from the hit TV series "Outlander". Admire the views of Doune Castle, Blackness Castle, and the quaint villages of Culross and Falkand on a tour departing from Edinburgh. Set out from Edinburgh early in the morning for a journey to some of the most famous locations from the series. Relive some of your favorite moments from the show as you gain insight into the history of each location from your local guide. Next, travel to Doune Castle, or Castle Leoch, which was also featured as Winterfell in "Game of Thrones" and as the castle in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail". You have the option of entering the castle, or you can simply admire it from the outside. Next, travel to the ancient Kingdom of Fife, an area of great historical importance. Make a stop in Culross, where Claire was accused of witchcraft in the village of Cranesmuir. Admire one of the most complete examples of a typical 17th and 18th-century burgh that remains in Scotland today. For your penultimate stop, head to the charming village of Falkland, which was used as the filming location for 1940s Inverness. Admire some of the 28 listed buildings, which indicates their national historic and architectural significance. Finally, visit Blackness Castle which is perched on a strategic point overlooking Blackness Bay. Then, hop back on the bus and relax on the return journey to Edinburgh.

Time for your own Outlander adventure. You leave Edinburgh and begin following the trail of film locations featured in the Outlander TV Series. First, we travel to the place that needs no introduction: Midhope Castle, known as Jamie’s lovely home Lallybroch. And you'll get a warmer welcome than he did. The cosy interior of the house has been re-created in the film studios. In reality, visitors can’t explore the ruins of the castle but you can sit on the iconic steps of Lallybroch and wait for Jamie or Claire to walk through the beautiful archway in the courtyard. We then journey through the charming countryside to Blackness Castle. It’s an impressive fortress that’s known as the ‘ship that never sailed’ because it resembles a giant stone boat. You have time to walk along the ramparts and explore the fictional headquarters of Jack Randall. Just pray you don't run into him... The next stop is Linlithgow Palace, otherwise known as Wentworth Prison. It’s also where you have lunch, so try local specialities or have a picnic by the loch and take a photo of the ruins of Mary Queen of Scots’ birthplace. Heading north, we journey past Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument to Doune Castle, or as it’s called in Outlander, Castle Leoch. This formidable building represents home to Colum MacKenzie and his clan in the 18th-century episodes. When you visit, you can discover its real story and get an insight into the living conditions of a Scottish earl in the 14th century. There’s also an excellent audio guide describing how this castle was used as a filming location for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Travel back in time once more as your driver-guide takes you to Culross. This virtually unchanged 16th-century village overlooks the sea and poses as the fictional town of Cranesmuir. You have time to visit Claire’s herb garden, explore the palace, or wander the ancient streets while you imagine what life must have been like 400 years ago. From there, we head back to Edinburgh, where we arrive in the late afternoon.

We begin our day in Edinburgh, departing from the Royal Mile and taking in some of the sights of Scotland’s capital as we head to our first stop of the day; Midhope Castle*. This 16th century Tower House was the backdrop to Lallybroch; Jamie Fraser’s family home. Spend time here for photos and soak up the atmosphere and keep an eye out for Jamie, just in case. From there, we continue onwards to Blackness, home to Blackness Castle. In Outlander, Blackness Castle is used as the set for Fort William, the headquarters of Black Jack Randall. It has also appeared in Hamlet and is known as “the ship that never sailed” due to its distinctive boat-like shape that protrudes into the Forth. Look down the Forth towards Edinburgh and see all 3 Forth Bridges, representing three centuries of Scottish engineering and connecting the Lothians with the Kingdom of Fife. Our Outlander tour travels west, to the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, where you will the opportunity to visit Linlithgow Palace, Outlander’s Wentworth Prison. The palace was originally used as a relaxing retreat for the Royal Family on journeys between Edinburgh and Stirling Castle. Its impressive towers overlook stunning scenery. We will also spend enough time here in Linlithgow for you to get some lunch and explore the town. After a short journey further westward, we will arrive at Callendar House near Falkirk, it was used as the kitchen in the Duke of Sandringham’s home in season 2 of the show. This beautiful mansion has traditional Scottish architecture with elements resembling a French Renaissance chateau. We then travel north across to the other side of the Forth and visit the Royal Burgh of Culross. The small village is arguably the best example of a 17th Century village in Scotland. The gardens here feature as Claire’s herb garden, and the Mercat Cross in Outlanders’ Cranesmuir Village. We then return to the other side of the Forth and visit Hopetoun House, which features in Outlander as the Duke of Sandringham’s home. This stunning stately home is situated on over 100 acres of designed landscape and reflects some of the brilliant work of Scottish architects Sir William Bruce and William Adam. On our return journey to Edinburgh in the evening, we will pass by the Forth Bridges. These three bridges are used to connect the Lothians to the Kingdom of Fife and represent three centuries of Scottish engineering, with the newest bridge, the Queensferry Crossing having only been completed in 2017. After this, we return to Edinburgh where our Outlander tour comes to an end. Please note from October 2024 this tour will have a new itinerary, which will visit the following places: Tuilyies Standing Stones Culross Doune Castle Linlithgow Blackness Castle Midhope Castle (in Summer) Forth Bridges (in Winter and when Midhope Castle is not accessible)

Your Outlander adventure starts in Edinburgh in the morning and begins with a visit to Midhope Castle, the real-life Lallybroch and home to Jamie Fraser. Next, you stop at Doune Castle, or the real-life "Castle Leoch" to Outlander fans. As one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Scotland, Doune Castle has also appeared in Game of Thrones, Outlaw King and Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Over in the ancient Kingdom of Fife, you visit colourful Culross, which starred as "Cranesmuir" in Outlander, where Claire and Geillis Duncan were accused of witchcraft. Afterwards, you travel to Falkland, the setting for 1940s Inverness. Explore the quaint streets or chase Jamie’s ghostly figure around the village square. Our final Outlander filming location is the impressive Blackness Castle, featured as Fort William in the series, arriving back in Edinburgh early evening.

We leave Glasgow and begin to follow the trail of the best-known film locations featured in the Outlander TV Series. The journey takes you past Stirling Castle and the Wallace Monument to Doune Castle**, or as it’s called in Outlander, Castle Leoch. This formidable building gives you an insight into the living conditions of a Scottish earl in the 14th century. You can also listen to an excellent audio guide about how this castle was used as a filming location for Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Heading north, we stop for lunch at the small town of Falkland to relive the first scenes of the show, where Falkland represents 1940’s Inverness. See if you can recognise the familiar sights such as Mrs Baird’s Guesthouses and the Bruce Fountain. Midhope Castle* is your next highlight. The cosy interior of the house has been re-created in the film studios. In reality, visitors can’t explore the ruins of the castle, instead, you can sit on the iconic steps of Lallybroch and wait for Jamie or Claire to walk through the beautiful archway in the courtyard. We then travel the short distance to Blackness Castle. It’s an impressive castle that’s known as the ‘ship that never sailed’ because it resembles a giant stone boat. You have time to walk along the ramparts and explore the fictional headquarters of Jack Randall. Then, travel back in time once more as your driver-guide takes you to charming Culross. In Outlander, Culross posed as the fictional village of Cranesmuir and the home of Geillis Duncan and her ill-fated husband, Arthur. Look carefully while exploring the town's cobbled streets and you may find Claire’s herb garden behind the impressive historic Culross Palace. After a glimpse into landscapes and stories that inspired Outlander, we return to Glasgow in the early evening.

Start your day at the point of departure in Edinburgh. Here, you will meet your friendly and informative guide as you board your comfortable minivan or coach. Once you hop aboard and settle in, you will set off to your first destination of the day, Culross. Culross is one of Scotland’s most picturesque towns situated at the shore of the Firth of Forth. This village of cozy cottages is presided by a characteristic yellow-colored Palace and the ruins of a Cistercian Abbey. Wandering along its charming, peaceful streets is like traveling through time. Outlander lovers will easily recognize Cranesmuir, the closest village to Leoch Castle, where Geillis Duncan used to live with her husband. You will also identify the gardens of the Palace, like Claire's Garden. Both the village and the view you can appreciate from this spot are delightful. Follow your trip to Culross with a journey to Calendar House, a residence which has served as host to many famous individuals including Mary, Queen of Scots, Cromwell and Bonnie Prince Charlie. Doune Castle. Afterwards, make you way to Duone Castle. Located at the junction of two rivers and surrounded by beautiful forests, Doune Castle has always been a strategic location since the Roman Age. The fortress you will visit dates back to the 12th-century and was featured in Outlander as "Leoch Castle", the home to clan MacKenzie in the 18th-century. Your third stop is the magnificent Linlithgow Palace, one of the main residences of the Scottish monarchs during the 15th and 16th-century. Nowadays, the majestic Palace is located next to an enchanting lake and is surrounded by meadows and forests. Participants will recall that it is here that Jamie is tortured by Captain´Black Jack’ Randall. Whilst in Linlithgow you will enjoy a lunchtime stop, where you can enjoy delicious local food. The final stop of this tour is Blackness Castle, which was used in Outlander to represent Fort William, where Jamie had received lashes from Captain Randall and where Jamie’s father died.

Day 1 Our first stop is Midhope Castle, the external location for Lallybroch, the family home of Jamie Fraser. This 15th-century castle is largely intact outside, but sadly derelict within. Your next visit will be to Blackness Castle, overlooking the Firth of Forth. The castle was used as the backdrop for Fort William. Onwards to Doune Castle, better known as Castle Leoch, home to Colum Mackenzie. The castle has also made appearances in the Monty Python and the Holy Grail film. Next, into the Highlands and through Glen Coe with a quick stop at Loch Ness before arriving at your overnight accommodation in Inverness. Day 2 Step back in time 4000 years ago at Clava Cairns, the inspiration for Craigh na Dun. Then, continue to Culloden Battlefield, the scene of the last battle fought on British soil. Discover a living history at the Highland Folk Museum and its various time period scenes. Relive one of the first scenes when Jamie's ghost looks up in Claire's room at Outlander's Inverness: Falkland Village. Your final stop on the tour will be the village of Culross. Here you will have an hour to explore the streets, which you will recognize as the town of Cranesmuir in the first season of the show.

Enjoy a sightseeing cruise on the Firth of Forth, departing from South Queensferry. Admire the sight of the Three Bridges and the imposing Blackness Castle from the water, with live onboard commentary throughout. Board the boat and set off on the cruise. Admire the views of Blackness Castle, a historic fortress located on the Firth of Forth, near the village of Blackness. Pass Limekilns village, as mentioned in Robert Louis Stevenson's "Kidnapped." Take fantastic photos of Blackness Castle, which has recently grown in popularity, due to it being featured most notably in the hit television series “Outlander,” where it served as a backdrop for key scenes. Admire the sight of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Forth Bridge, up close from the boat. Keep a look out for local marine wildlife including seals and puffins.

Enjoy a 2-day tour encompassing the very best of the Scottish Highlands. Admire spectacular mountain scenery as you are transported in a comfortable mini-coach from Edinburgh to the Highlands, where you will discover the magic and charm of this beautiful region. Admire Glenfinnan Viaduct (the 'Harry Potter' bridge), Britain’s highest mountain Ben Nevis, explore the magical Loch Ness, visit Britain’s northernmost city Inverness, and discover Scotland’s violent history at Glencoe. Detailed itinerary Day 1 Leaving Edinburgh the tour passes Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument on our 2 day adventure into the stunning Scottish Highlands. As you continue north the mountains and lochs provide a dramatic backdrop for the journey to Glen Coe. After lunch visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Apr-Oct only) which famously features in several Harry Potter movies as the Hogwarts Express train crosses the bridge. Historically this stunning viewpoint also marks the spot where Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) landed on mainland Scotland and raised his standard prior to the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion. As we travel along the Great Glen admire Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and then along the banks of Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle. Stay overnight in Inverness, the northernmost city of the United Kingdom and the pretty capital of the Highlands. The tour provider will contact you for your preferred accommodation choices once you have booked. The accommodation is reserved for you and should be paid for on arrival.  Day 2 After being collected from your accommodation it's only a short drive to Culloden Moor where the Jacobites were finally defeated by government soldiers in 1746, the last battle to be fought on British soil. You will have time to walk on the battlefield and learn more about this tragic event that killed 700 Highland clansmen in 3 minutes. From there, visit one of Scotland's most evocative and sacred prehistoric sites, the nearby 4,000-year-old stone circles and burial mounds at Clava Cairns. As you drive south through the Cairngorms National Park, you'll hear about the flora and fauna of this wonderful wilderness which was officially protected in 2003 and is the largest national park in the British Isles. After lunch in one of the charming villages inside the national park, arrive at the lively Highland town of Pitlochry. During your break here there is an option to visit the Blair Athol Distillery (sorry, no children under 8). Alternatives include a short walk to the famous hydro electric dam and salmon ladder, or Black Spout waterfall. Your final stop is a gentle riverside walk through Big Tree Country at Dunkeld, a beautiful way to finish the tour all seasons of the year. Return to Edinburgh by the iconic Forth Rail Bridge.