Phoebe Taplin - Outlanders Guide to Scotland

Diana Gabaldon, American author of the Outlander series

Since 18th-century Highland warrior Jamie Fraser and resourceful 20th-century medic Claire Randall first met on screen in 2014, millions of viewers have been swept away to the wild hills and craggy castles of Scotland by the Outlander TV series. The premier to Season Three in 2017 brought in just over 2 million viewers, the highest ever for a season premier on the TV channel on which it was broadcast. You can follow in their footsteps with this guide to the inspiring locations where Diana Gabaldons novels were set and filmed.

Enter Jamie and Claires rugged, ruthless, yet breathtaking world, and let them guide you through their captivating adventure that transcends history. Explore the scenic village of Falkland, which became 1940s Inverness for Claire and Franks second honeymoon, or the sloping lanes and gabled palace of coastal Culross, which became fictional Cranesmuir. Time-travel to the iconic 1960s Pathfoot Building at the University of Stirling, which Brianna and Roger visit, before heading to medieval Doune Castle nearby that doubles as Castle Leoch, seat of the Clan MacKenzie. In Scotland, different eras coexist and collide just as they do in Outlander.

DID YOU KNOW?

Although Gabaldons story is based in Scotland, finding the perfect film location was a difficult decision. Initially Eastern Europe and even New Zealand were among the possibilities.

This book focuses on easy day trips from the characterful cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow themselves packed with Outlander locations. Stroll through the cobbled courtyards off the Royal Mile to see where Jamies print shop was. Or wander through the vaults of Glasgow Cathedral where Claire tends the sick in a Parisian hospital. Then take off to the surrounding hills and beaches to discover cottages and castles, wild woods and whisky-makers.

Learn how to get to these places on your own and discover places that other tourists might miss. You dont have to travel in summer many sights stay open all year round and Scotland has a special charm in every season. Moreover, you dont have to have a car the regular Scottish trains and buses can be part of the fun. Details may change, so check www.travelinescotland.com before you set off. But, wherever you go, youre sure to have an adventure.

EDINBURGHS ROYAL MILE

Every close and courtyard, wynd and alley has its own wealth of stories. In Voyager, third novel of the Outlander series, Claire recalls arriving here: Edinburgh sloped up behind me to the glowering heights of Edinburgh Castle, and down before me, to the gracious majesty of Holyrood Palace.

Outlander fans dont necessarily have to battle the crowds inside Edinburgh Castle, but it makes a grand, historical starting point for a city-based adventure. If you do go into the castle, there are panoramic views from the top, as well as the National War Museum, an exhibition centring on the Scottish crown jewels, and a replica 18th-century prison, which would look all too familiar to the often-incarcerated Jamie.

Set off down the Royal Mile, a collective name for the four roads (Castle Hill, Lawnmarket, High Street, Canongate) that slope down from the castle to Holyrood Palace. The brick Heart of Midlothian on Parliament Square, near the statue of Walter Scott outside St Giles Cathedral, marks the doorway of the notorious former Tollbooth jail where Jamies men are locked up after deserting. Watch for a bit and youll see real-life residents of Edinburgh still showing their contempt for the old prison by spitting into the Heart. The fancy colonnades inside the nearby Signet Library became the Jamaican Governors mansion in Outlanders third season.

The historic fortress of Edinburgh Castle from Castle Rock

A view of the beautiful Whitehorse Close in Edinburgh

To the right of this photograph are the stairs to the entrance of Jamies print shop

A tiny side street on the right after the pub, Bakehouse Close, was the location for Jamies print shop (the fictional Carfax Close) shown halfway through Season Three. Emotional woodwind music plays as Claire climbs the stairway here, past the sign announcing Alexander Malcolm, up to a stone building with a wooden attic. The old courtyard on the left was also used for filming. Edinburgh Museum next to Bakehouse Close is free to visit.

The Canongate lies towards the bottom of the Royal Mile. In the photograph opposite, the building with the clock is the Canongate Tollbooth. It is visible as Claire starts to look for Jamie in Season Three. It is now a museum of social history with exhibits about printing and prisons. The church nearby is the Canongate Kirk, where Colum arranges to meet Jamie in Voyager. Dont miss Dunbars Close gardens next door. This reconstructed 17th-century garden is a peaceful hideaway with great views over Calton Hill.

White Horse Close is an enclosed courtyard off the Canongate at the foot of the Royal Mile. Claire arrives in Voyager when the coach debouched into a yard at the back of Boyds Whitehorse tavern at the foot of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. The real White Horse Close was reconstructed in the 1960s and is full of Scottish architectural features such as crow-stepped gables.

Calton Hill, a popular viewpoint at the end of Princes Street, is located right in the city centre and is an unmistakable landmark with the columns of the National Monument poking above the skyline. It is the site of an annual Beltane Fire Festival at the end of April. Hundreds of performers mark the start of summer and the fertility of the land with a vibrant procession and blazing bonfires. Beltane is the ancient festival that Claire and Frank witness at Craigh na Dun the night before Claire disappears.