I am part of a couple of Facebook groups who exchange post cards and letters. This year I have managed to meet some of them when they have been in Edinburgh.
Linda Calamusa
Laura Baldwin
With some of my Outlander friends I was a tour guide. We visited Midhope Castle and Culross.
Regina Behm and Candy Dell
Saskia Henneke
Last Autumn the Outlander crew were spotted filming at New Hailes House near Musselburgh. I have never been in the house, yet, but regularly enjoy a walk-in the grounds plus coffee and cake at the cafe!
In season 2, Glasgow Cathedral was used as a filming location for L’Hospital des Anges. They used the nurses chapel in the lower part of the church for where Claire recovered after losing Faith.
Glasgow Cathedral stands near the heart of Scotland’s largest city. It’s the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Protestant Reformation of 1560 virtually intact. Source – Historic Scotland
A little known location for series was Deanston Distillery. One of their warehouses was used as Jarrod’s warehouse in Le Harve.
Deanston Distillery sits on the banks of River Teith eight miles north of Stirling. Deanston Distillery started life in 1785 as a cotton mill designed by Sir Richard Arkwright, and remained as such for 180 years until it was transformed into a distillery in 1966. The constant supply of pure water from the River Teith contributed to the decision to turn the mill into a distillery and Deanston is now the only distillery in Scotland to be self-sufficient in electricity, with power generated by an on-site hydro-energy facility. Deanston sits in the Highland single malt region of Scotland and produces whisky which is handmade by ten local craftsmen, un-chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at a strength of 46.3% ABV. Source – Deanston Distillery.
I could not take photos in the warehouse but here are some photos from outside.
My husband asked me if there were any locations I hadn’t visited yet and I mentioned Dysart Harbour, so we decided on a jaunt over the Forth Road Bridge into Fife. Upon arriving in Dysart it is a drive down some very steep roads to the harbour but when we got there we were reward by the beautiful harbour.
It is a beautiful harbour with very friendly people – everyone said hello as we passed them by. A reminder of what the harbour looks like on screen.
After a walk around the harbour we went for coffee in the Harbour Masters House – well worth a visit.
Fife Today – Fans Flock to Dysart
Earlier this year Outlander was filming in Edinburgh in Bakehouse Close just off the Royal Mile. I didn’t manage to visit when the crew were in town but a few weeks after they left I visited the close.
I believe the close was used for the print makers fire.
Today Bakehouse Close in the Canongate is perhaps the best preserved Old Town close, and a visit here gives a good impression of what living in the old city must have been like.From a legal document of 1762 we know the complete mixture of people who used to live here, including Lord Adam Gordon; David Doig, merchant; William Dunbar, weaver and Ewen, a letter carrier. Source – Edinburgh World Heritage
On a damp Saturday in August I drove through to Kilmarnock to visit Deans Castle. It is situated in Deans Country Park. The castle was used in season 2 in episode 8 – “The Fox’s Lair”.
Dean Castle, home and stronghold of the Boyd family for over 400 years, is open all year round to visitors and is one of Ayrshire’s greatest free attractions. The Keep, dating to around 1350, and the Palace or Place, built about 100 years later, house outstanding displays of historic weaponry, armour, plus medieval tapestries and more.
The restored 15th century Palace was spectacularly restored from ruins by the 8th Lord Howard de Walden in the 1930s in keeping with the interior design of the 16th and 17th centuries and even re-using original 17th century fixtures and fittings taken from Balfour House, Fife. It is clear why Dean Castle has been regarded as one of the finest restored medieval castles in Scotland.
The 8th Lord Howard de Walden inherited Dean Castle in 1901. He was a man of many interests and during his life he built up one of the country’s finest collections of arms and armour which are now housed within Dean Castle, alongside his father-in-law’s collection of rare and important early musical instruments.
With permanent displays, changing exhibitions and regular events, from live music to medieval mayhem, Dean Castle has something for everyone. Source – Deans Castle
In Vengeance is Mine, the last scene takes place in the kitchen of the Duke of Sandringham’s house.
This scene was filmed in the kitchen of Callendar House in Falkirk. Check out an article from the Falkirk Community Trust
I visited today and was able to take photos. The kitchen has costumed interpreters which creates an exciting interactive experience with samples of early-19th century food providing added taste to stories of working life in a large household.
Callendar House is worth a visit. I loved finding out about the history of the house especially the Jacobite connection.
Members of the Livingston family were raised to the peerage as Earl of Linlithgow (1600), Earl of Callendar (1641), and Earl of Newburgh (1660). They played an important part in the history of the area, but their hold on the lands came to an abrupt end in the 18th century when James Livingston, 5th Earl of Linlithgow and 4th Earl of Callander, was forced into exile abroad because he had sided with the “Old Pretender”, son of King James II of England (James VII of Scotland) in the Jacobite Rising of 1715. The Callendar estates were forfeited and purchased by the York Buildings Company, who leased the house back to the earl’s daughter, Lady Anne Livingston, from 1724.[3] Lady Anne gave hospitality to Bonnie Prince Charlie before the Battle of Falkirk in 1746, but after his defeat at Culloden, Lady Anne’s husband, the Earl of Kilmarnock, was beheaded for treason. After Lady Anne’s death in 1747, her son James Hay, 15th Earl of Erroll (1726–1778), remained at Callendar House until his death. Source – Callendar House
Midhope Castle is on the Hopetoun Estate. A vehicle pass can be obtained from the Hopetoun Farm shop which is situated off A904.
Note from Hopetoun Estates –
As from Monday 8th August when you pick up your vehicle pass from Hopetoun Farm Shop there will be a small charge of £2 per guest in your group (excluding the guide). We already know that the average group size visiting the castle is 3-4 guests so we feel this is not an unreasonable amount to charge. Any funds raised will go towards further improvements in the Midhope area including a new information board on Midhope’s history arriving soon.
Hopetoun Estates have been very accommodating with Outlander visitors, this small charge can help improve information and access to Midhope Castle. Please remember to get your pass.
In 1689 the Battle of Killiecrankie was fought between Jacobites, led by Viscount Dundee, and Government troops, led by General Hugh MacKay. The battle was part of the first Jacobite Uprising that took place after King James VII & II was deposed and King William of Orange took the throne.
After the Scottish parliament decided, at a convention in Edinburgh, to support King William many people were upset and opposed the decision. John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee was one such man. He was a lowland Scot and Episcopalian and had been made commander of all of Scotland’s forces under King James. Leaving the convention he set out to summon another convention in Stirling, this one in King James’ name. On 13th April 1689 Dundee raised the Stuart Royal Standard on Dundee Law marking the start of the first Jacobite Rising.
1st Viscount Dundee
Following this Dundee headed north to raise an army against King William and for…
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My Outlander Adventure 