Our Scotland trip seems like it was just yesterday! In case you missed it, Logan and I had a 1 week-long Scottish adventure based out of Edinburgh. In Part 1, I cover the first 3 days of our stay (including my surprise proposal!). Click here to read Part 1 of our trip to Scotland!
In part 2, we’ll be covering the 4th day of our trip- which was incredible. We decided to branch out of the city for an Outlander adventure tour and explore several castles, villages, and even a bit of the highlands. If you love history, Outlander, and castles, this is the post for you.
Day 4 of our Scotland Trip
Day 4 of our trip was going to be entirely different than the rest of it at that point. I was probably the most excited for this day. Why? Because we decided to leave Edinburgh and go on an Outlander film locations tour! Everyone who knows me will know that I love Outlander. For those who don’t know, it’s a popular book-turned-Starz series.
Outlander is about WWII nurse Claire Randall, who, on her honeymoon in 1940s Scotland, accidentally travels back to 1743 Scotland. She meets a rebellious highlander named Jamie Fraser, and the rest is quite literally history. I won’t spoil you- but I will recommend you watch it! It’s my favorite series of all time. When I found out there were tours of Outlander filming locations, I knew we had to do it. And don’t worry- even if you’re not a fan of Outlander, you would love this tour and all of the history, scenery, and Scottish culture it provided.
Outlander Film Location Tour
I found this tour through the company Viator, a TripAdvisor company. Viator offers a wide variety of tours in cities across the world- so even if you’re not adventuring in Scotland, there’s something for you. This is the Outlander tour we decided on.
The tour is a full day- nearly 9 hours. Travel is via a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach. It’s a small group tour, which made it a lot more personable. On the schedule were five stops:
- Midhope Castle (Lallybroch)
- Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison)
- Doune Castle (Castle Leoch)
- Culross (Village of Cranesmuir)
- Falkland (1940’s Inverness)
Stop 1: Midhope Castle
Our first stop on the tour was my favorite- we were seeing Midhope Castle. Famously used as Lallybroch (Jamie Fraser’s home in Outlander), Midhope Castle was built in the 1500s as a home to the Lindsay family. Unfortunately, the inside is completely in ruins today, however the outside remains in good condition. The castle is on the outskirts of Edinburgh, so if you’re visiting the city, I highly recommend the short drive. It felt like stepping back in time to 1740s Scotland- it nearly felt like I was in the Outlander universe. I may have a fiance now, but I was still looking out for a certain 18th-century, red-headed highlander. The estate looks just as it does in the show, and Logan and I were definitely recreating some scenes.
Stop 2: Linlithgow Palace
Linlithgow Palace is an absolute hidden gem. It was used in Outlander as Wentworth Prison (for some of the most gruesome scenes in TV, I think. If you’re an Outlander fan, you’ll know what I’m talking about). Aside from Outlander, Linlithgow is rich in Scottish history itself: King James V and his daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, were both born there. And my favorite fun fact from this place? When times of celebration were happening, the fountain in the Palace’s courtyard flowed with wine, not water.
Stop 3: Doune Castle
Probably the most recognizable location on this tour, Doune Castle wasn’t just used as Castle Leoch in Outlander. It’s also been featured as the Stark home of Winterfell in Game of Thrones, as well as in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Located in central Scotland, Doune Castle served as a medieval stronghold in the 1400s. While it was a working fortress, Mary, Queen of Scots visited during her reign. You can even see the room she stayed in.
Stop 4: Culross
A quaint port village located in Fife, Scotland, Culross served as the village of Cranesmuir in the first season of Outlander. Additionally, Culross Palace (a bright yellow merchant’s house built in 1611) was used as a tavern in season 2. The Culross Palace Gardens were also used as the herb garden of Castle Leoch, which Claire uses to collect medicinal plants before leaving Castle Leoch in season 1. The entire village was beautiful, but the gardens were especially so. We took some time to have lunch here before heading to our next and last stop on our Outlander adventure tour.
Stop 5: Falkland
The village of Falkland is located in Fife, Scotland. It was used in Outlander season 1 as 1940’s Inverness (and in season 2 as 1960’s Inverness). You can visit the shop where Claire buys her first vase, then the fountain where Jamie’s ghost appears, and even stay in the real Mrs. Baird’s Bed and Breakfast, although it’s called the Covenanter Hotel in real life. Of course Logan and I recreated the first two scenes mentioned! While admiring the Outlander filming locations, you can simultaneously admire more of Scottish history. Across the street sits Falkland Palace, which was built in the 1300s. The palace was one of Mary, Queen of Scots’s favorite places in the world. During her reign, she visited several times and occasionally played tennis there (evidently, it’s one of Britain’s oldest tennis courts).
Back to Edinburgh
The visit to Falkland was our last stop on the Outlander film locations tour, and we finally headed back to Edinburgh for the evening. Overall, I highly recommend the tour for several reasons:
- Incredible Outlander film locations
- Easy transportation around Scotland
- Our guide provided excellent information- both about Outlander and Scottish history
- Great value for money
Even if you aren’t a fan of Outlander, I think you would enjoy this tour.
Dinner at Edinburgh Street Food
We arrived back in Edinburgh around 6:30 pm and it was time for dinner. We decided to head to Edinburgh Street Food because a local had given us the recommendation a few days earlier- and we were so glad we listened to him!
ESF is a unique dining experience- they offer a ‘casual global eating experience’. Basically, there’s 10 different food vendors and 3 different bars in ESF. You pick your table, scan the menu on the table, and you order and pay for your food right there. They’ll deliver your orders right to your table. Logan decided on pizza, and I had an amazing pasta carbonara- the drinks were excellent too. We both highly recommend it.
Scotland Trip Part 2:
Part 2 of our Scotland trip was filled with all things Outlander, history, and castles. Although we only covered 1 day in this part, it was still full of adventure. Let me know in the comments below whether you would take an Outlander adventure tour- and let me know which part of our Scotland trip has been your favorite so far! Stay tuned for the third and final part of our 1-week trip to Scotland.
I would definitely take the Outlander tour again! It was one of my favorite days but it’s hard to pick which is my favorite day because they’ve all been incredible!
It was definitely one of my favorite days too! The whole trip was the best!