'The Key' - An Outlander Road Trip from Edinburgh

Episode 16: ‘The Key’ (Season 2)

Let me take you home to Lallybroch – we’re going on an Outlander road trip to film locations near Edinburgh!

‘The Key’ is a story for Outlander fans. From Preston Mill to Lallybroch, we’ll explore some of the Outlander film locations near Edinburgh.

We’ll explore the real-life history of these locations, hear how they were used in the TV programme and how you can immerse yourself in Outlander while on tour in Scotland.

After the story, I’ll tell you some of my top tips for visiting Outlander film locations in Scotland.

TRANSCRIPT

BIG THANKS to Scott Kyle for being a guest on the show!

Connect with Scott on Twitter: @scottjkyle1

As a thank you, we made a donation to support Scott’s acting workshops.

Resources

Find out where to find all the Outlander locations in Scotland.

Buy my Outlander’s Scotland itinerary and tour all the locations yourself!

Disclaimer: All information provided in this podcast is based on personal travel experiences. Companies mentioned in the story or tips were active at the time of release. If you listen to episodes at a later point, note that this information may have changed in the meantime.

Credits

Written and hosted by Kathi Kamleitner.
Produced and edited by Fran Turauskis.
Cover Art illustrated by Lizzie Vaughan-Knight.
All original music composed by Bruce Wallace.
Additional sound effects from Zapsplat, Pond5 and SoundBoard.
All photographs by Kathi Kamleitner.

Tips for visiting Outlander Film Locations in Scotland

Preston Mill

Preston Mill lies on the outskirts of East Linton, a small picturesque village in East Lothian – just a stone’s throw from Edinburgh. It is owned and maintained by the National Trust for Scotland. Even though it is fully functional, it is no longer used to mill oats any longer.

Two different Outlander scenes were shot here at Preston Mill. First, the iconic scene where Jamie jumps in the water to fix the water mill and has to hide below the surface while Claire and Jenny speak to a group of redcoats. And second, the room where Claire and Geillis discuss their options at the Cranesmuir witch trial was shot in a side building of the mill.

You can visit the exterior Preston Mill on your own, but if you want to take a look inside and learn about the history of a mill, book a guided tour which lasts approx. 45 minutes to an hour. It’s worth spending a bit of extra time, exploring the paths behind the mill or the village of East Linton.

Glencorse Old Kirk

The Old Kirk at Glencorse House is where Claire and Jamie tied the knot in Outlander season 1. The house lies south of Edinburgh, at the feet of the Pentland Hills.

Glencorse House is privately owned and not generally open to the public, but if you book in advance, Sarah – one of the owners – is happy to show you the church. The house is also a wedding venue, so if you’re looking to plan an Outlander style wedding in Scotland, look no further!

Blackness Castle

Blackness Castle stands in for Fort William in the Outlander show. Remember the scene where Captain Jack Randall brutally flogs Jamie in a courtyard filled with gawking villagers? That was shot here at Blackness Castle.

The castle lies on the edge of the Firth of Forth, overlooking the water. It’s shape has often been compared to that of a boat – hence its nickname “The Ship that Never Sailed”. From the top of the castle walls and the central tower, you can see the three bridges across the water – the iconic red Forth Railway Bridge, the old road bridge and the new Queensferry Crossing.

You can visit Blackness Castle, which is a Historic Environment Scotland site, yearround. In the shop you’ll find lots of Outlander souvenirs and books.

Lallybroch (Midhope Castle)

Lallybroch is Jamie Fraser’s ancestral home. It’s a must-see on any Outlander road trip. Presumably, it’s supposed to be somewhere in the heart of the Highlands, but the exterior scenes of Lallybroch were actually shot at Midhope Castle, a ruined castle near Blackness.

While the interior is in a pretty bad state, you can roam the exterior of the building to your heart’s content. There is a small fee to be paid at the car park.

Other Outlander sites near Edinburgh

Of course, there are many more Outlander film locations near Edinburgh:

The village of Culross in Fife was used as the fictional village of Cranesmuir. You may recognise the market cross form the witch trial scenes. The garden at Culross Palace was used to film Claire’s herb garden at Castle Leoch.
Another Outlander film location in Fife is the village of Falkland, which was used as Inverness in the first season.
The harbour of the coastal village of Dysart was used to shoot the scenes of Jamie, Claire and Murtagh arriving in Le Havre, France in season 2.
Hopetoun House near Midhope Castle was the set for multiple Outlander scenes – from the interior of the home of the Duke of Sandrinham to Parisian street scenes.
A little further afield, Doune Castle near Stirling was used as Castle Leoch, the home of Clan Mackenzie.

Outlander tours from Edinburgh

There are several tour companies that offer Outlander tours from Edinburgh: Mary Meanders, Rabbie’s, Timberbush Tours, Highland Explorer Tours – to name just a few.