Midhope Castle

Choose your most convenient departure point in central Edinburgh from a list of locations, then hop aboard an air-conditioned coach and head to your first 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 before heading to the next stop, Blackness Castle. Explore 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. Visit Culross next. 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. Following 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. The last stop of the day is at the viewpoint of South Queensferry. Admire the Firth of Forth and the three magnificent bridges that link Edinburgh to Fife. Stretch your legs and take some final photos. On returning to Edinburgh, choose to be dropped off at Bakehouse Close, a location featured in the third series of Outlander as Jamie's print house.

Departing Edinburgh at 08:45 AM, you will be taken on a journey to some of the most famous locations from the hit series such as Doune Castle, the seat of Clan MacKenzie and the historic Linlithgow Palace. Your guide will give you an insight into the history and stories of each location, making this the perfect trip for those looking for a quick Outlander fix. Leave the capital behind and drive west, view Linlithgow Palace before stopping at Doune Castle, also known as Castle Leoch. You’ll have time to explore the grounds of this historic castle (please note Doune Castle is currently closed due to structural inspections), which was also featured as Winterfell in Game of Thrones and in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Next, your journey will take you to the 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. This is the most complete example of a 17th and 18th-century burgh in Scotland today. Your lunch stop will be in the village of Falkland, which was used for filming 1940’s Inverness. With over 28 listed buildings, it gives a good representation of this period. Your final stop is at Midhope Castle, the real-life Lallybroch. Arrive back in Edinburgh at 5:30 PM.

After leaving Edinburgh at 9:15 AM you will travel back in time as your driver guides you over the Queensferry Crossing 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. You will journey 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. Your next stop is Linlithgow Palace. Here you have time to enjoy beautiful views to the Forth bridges, have a picnic by the loch, and explore the ruins of Mary Queen of Scots’ birthplace. If you’re feeling brave, you can visit the spot where that gruesome Outlander scene took place. You 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. Midhope Castle is your next highlight. Unfortunately, visitors are unable to go inside the castle, but Jamie’s lovely Lallybroch home is still an essential photo opportunity for any fan of the show. Before heading back to Edinburgh, you will have a final stop in the colorful harbor area of South Queensferry, and will return to Edinburgh by approximately 5:45 PM.

Depart Edinburgh and journey northwest to Midhope Castle (April 1 to September 24), site of Lallybroch Castle in the time travel TV series "Outlander." Next, stop in the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow and enjoy a photo stop at Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison in "Outlander"), originally a royal retreat between Edinburgh and Stirling Castle. Continue to the 14th-century country pile of Callandar House, where ties to Rome's northern frontier in Europe at the Antonine Wall have been traced. Following in the footsteps of Claire and Jamie, visit Falkland, Outlander's Inverness. Many of the streets here were used as filming locations in Outlander, including when Claire sees Jamie's ghost. Move on to the Royal Burgh of Culross to discover a tiny village nestled on the coast of Fife. Arguably the best example of a 17th-century Scottish village, the gardens at Culross were featured in "Outlander" as Claire's herb garden, as was the mercat cross (market cross) from Cranesmuir Village. Saunter along the cobblestone streets and see the quaint Biscuit Café before stopping for photos at Tuilyies Standing Stones (time permitting). End the day at South Queensferry for beautiful views over the Forth and photos of the Forth Rail Bridges.

Day 1 Your first visit will be Blackness Castle overlooking the Firth of Forth. The castle was used as the backdrop for Fort William and then Wentworth Prison (or as it in known, Linlithgow Palace). 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. Stop for lunch and a taste of whisky at the charming little distillery of Deanston. Next, into the Highlands and through Glen Coe with a quick stop at Loch Ness before arriving at your overnight 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. Finally, explore the outside of Lallybroch at Midhope Castle. There will be a quick photo stop before arriving back in Edinburgh.

The tour leaves Glasgow and begins following the trail of the best-known film locations featured in the Outlander TV Series. You journey 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, your next stop is the small town of Falkland to relive the first scenes of the show, where Falkland substitutes 1940’s Inverness. See if you can recognize the familiar sights such as Mrs. Baird’s Guesthouses and the Bruce Fountain. Please note, however, that between October 1, 2019-March 31, 2020, the tour will not be stopping at Falkland Palace. Next is the charming village of Culross. In Outlander Culross posed as the fictional village of Cranesmuir and the home of Geillis Duncan and her ill-fated husband, Arthur. Exploring the town’s cobbled streets is like taking a step back in time. Look carefully and you may even find Claire’s herb garden behind the impressive, historic Culross Palace. Midhope Castle is your next highlight. Unfortunately, visitors are unable to go inside the castle, but Jamie’s lovely Lallybroch home is still an essential photo opportunity for any fan of the show. You 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. Your final stop of the day is Linlithgow Palace. Here you have time to enjoy beautiful views to the Forth bridges, walk by the loch, and explore the ruins of Mary Queen of Scots’ birthplace. And if you’re feeling brave, you can visit the spot where that gruesome Outlander scene took place. From here it’s a short drive back to Glasgow where you'll arrive around 6:30 PM for an evening of rest after a day of adventure.

Meet at 8:45 AM before making your way to the beautiful village of Culross where you will stay for 30 minutes. Culross was the filming location for the black kirk, Crainemuir and the gardens of Castle Leoch.  Afterwards, make your way to the historic town of Falkland which was Inverness in the show. Stay here for 1.5 hours as this is also the lunch stop. Here, you have an excellent choice of cafes, takeaways and restaurants. Then, make your way to the impressive Doune Castle, the MacKenzie Castle. On the journey, you will pass through the beautiful Perthshire countryside. On arrival at the castle, you will be given 1 hour to explore.  It is now time for the piece de resistance as you embark on the trip towards Midhope Castle, otherwise known as Lallybroch in Outlander. Midhope Castle sits on the private Hopetoun Estate. It is a ruin and great care must be taken to enjoy your visit as not to disturb the residents and businesses. You will stay here for approximately 20 minutes and there is a donation box on the site. It is not always possible to visit due to the nature of activities on the estate but you will be informed of changes as soon as they are received.  As per the books and TV series, you then make your way for Blackness Castle. It featured as Fort William in both Season 1 and 2. You will stay at this delightful castle for around 1 hour.  You will then make your way back to Dalmeny, a short distance from the castle before heading back to Glasgow. You will arrive at around 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM depending on traffic. 

Whether you're a highlander or a sassenach, this tour has something for every fan of the show and books. Your guide cannot wait to show you the locations and inspiration for the Outlander world that Diana Gabaldon created. On your travels you will take in the Duke of Sandringham's home, the French home that Claire and Jamie occupied. You will visit Castle Leoch, the Grand Palace of Versailles, the train station where Claire and Frank said their goodbyes, the prison headquarters of Captain "Black Jack" Randal,l as well as the many breathtaking landscapes as you travel from site to site. This will be an adventure you will never forget as you too will be transported back to the 1740s just as Claire was. You may even be lucky enough to actually watch the Outlander show being filmed. The outlander tour contains filming locations from season 1, 2, and 3, and also from the books Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager. This is full day tour and will last up to 8 hours depending on traffic. This will allow you plenty of time for photographs and to visit the filming locations (where access is permitted).