VisitScotland unveils ultimate Outlander filming locations guide

Scotland: The Home of Outlander details locations from the romantic drama series, based on the books by Diana Gabaldon, which concluded in May this year. 

The guide is part of a wider campaign to mark the conclusion of the series which has had an extraordinary impact on Scottish tourism, according to VisitScotland. 

Scotland: The Home of Outlander includes:

• 48 filming locations from across all eight seasons
• A timeline on prominent moments in Scotland’s history related to the series
• Features on Gaelic, tartan and textiles, clans and ancestry
• A special section focused on Scotland’s food and drink by Scottish medical herbalist and founder of Herbal Heritage Scotland, Claire Mackay, who was a herbal consultant on the series 

Scotland: The Home of Outlander

A special edition filming locations guide from VisitScotland.

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Since it began airing in 2014, it’s claimed that Outlander’s popularity has coincided with an increase in visits to Scotland, particularly from overseas markets including the USA.

Matthew B. Roberts, executive producer and showrunner on Outlander, writes in the guide: “From day one, the people of Scotland welcomed a small group of Sassenachs from Los Angeles with open arms. They didn’t just let us film here - they embraced us, shared their stunning landscapes and culture, and made us feel like we belonged.”

Outlander filming locations in Scotland: the highlights and impact

Visitor attractions that doubled as filming locations – or those associated with the real history of the series – have experienced a positive impact as the popularity of TV and film tourism continues to rise.

For filming locations featured in Outlander this includes Doune Castle, which starred as the fictional Castle Leoch; Blackness Castle, which starred as the Fort William headquarters of Black Jack Randall; and Newhailes House, which played Governor Tryon’s home in North Carolina, which has seen a massive 8000% increase in visits since 2014.

Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager at VisitScotland, said: “It is our history, heritage, culture and landscapes that have transfixed fans since the Diana Gabaldon books hit the small screen more than ten years ago. Scotland is a big part of the Outlander story, so it feels right to call it the ‘Home of Outlander’.

“In collaboration with Sony Pictures Television we are using imagery from the series mixed with real-life locations as part of a major drive to celebrate the final season and inspire fans to plan a trip to the many regions of Scotland.” 

Duncarron Medieval Village, which is owned by The Clanranald Trust for Scotland, has served as a filming location for a range of productions in addition to Outlander, including Netflix’s Norsemen and BBC docudramas Rise of the Clans and Blood of the Clans.

Chara H. Gallos-Allan, director of Duncarron Medieval Village, said: “Being part of the Outlander family since day one has been a tremendous privilege for The Clanranald Trust for Scotland.

“Outlander has inspired audiences worldwide to discover Scotland’s landscapes, stories and heritage. We hope the ‘Outlander effect’ will encourage visitors not only to step into the world of the series, but also to explore the real history, traditional skills and people behind it – and, hopefully, to experience some of that for themselves at Duncarron.”