Edinburgh: filming locations of 2 productions

EXT. CULROSS – CULROSS

Culross

as Cranesmuir

The 17th-century royal burgh on the Forth is the village where Geillis Duncan lives; the Mercat Cross square is where the boy's ear is nailed to the pillory; Culross Palace's garden is Claire's herb garden at Castle Leoch.

NOTEThe ochre-coloured palace and the Study are the two buildings on screen; the rest is real houses with real residents – keep off the doorsteps.

EXT. BLACKNESS CASTLE – BLACKNESS

Blackness Castle

as Fort William

Black Jack Randall's headquarters: the courtyard where Jamie is flogged in season one and the scene of his rescue. The castle also appears in season three as a prison.

EXT. MIDHOPE CASTLE – ABERCORN

Midhope Castle

as Lallybroch

The 16th-century tower house on the Hopetoun estate is the exterior of Jamie's family home, Lallybroch, in every season. The interior is a set.

NOTEThe tour operators know the closure dates; on your own, check the Hopetoun estate's list of closure dates before you drive out, or you will find a locked gate.

EXT. FALKLAND – FALKLAND

Falkland

as 1940s Inverness

The village square with the Bruce Fountain is where Frank sees the ghost of Jamie looking up at Claire's window in the first episode; the Covenanter Hotel is Mrs Baird's guesthouse, Fayre Earth is the chemist.

EXT. LINLITHGOW PALACE – LINLITHGOW

Linlithgow Palace

as Wentworth Prison

The entrance and corridors of the ruined royal palace are the prison where Jamie is held by Randall at the end of season one.

EXT. HOPETOUN HOUSE – SOUTH QUEENSFERRY

Hopetoun House

as The Duke of Sandringham's house, Paris streets, Ellesmere

The grand 18th-century house does several jobs: Sandringham's residence in season one, the streets of Paris in season two (the stable courtyard), and Ellesmere in season three. Midhope is on the same estate.

EXT. ABERDOUR CASTLE – ABERDOUR

Aberdour Castle

as The monastery of Sainte Anne de Beaupré

Jamie recovers from Wentworth in the French abbey in the season one finale – filmed in the castle's vaulted rooms.

EXT. BO'NESS AND KINNEIL RAILWAY – BO'NESS

Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway

as 1940s and 1960s railway scenes

Claire's arrival in Inverness by train and later station scenes were shot at the heritage railway's Bo'ness station.

EXT. VICTORIA STREET AND GREYFRIARS KIRKYARD – EDINBURGH

Victoria Street and Greyfriars Kirkyard

as Not a filming location – the inspiration for Diagon Alley

Nothing was filmed in Edinburgh. The city is where J. K. Rowling wrote the early books; the curved, colourful Victoria Street is widely taken as the model for Diagon Alley, and the graves of Thomas Riddell and William McGonagall are in Greyfriars Kirkyard.

NOTEThe walking tours here are literary, not film, tours – which is fine as long as you know that before you book.