The Outlander, Palaces & Jacobites Experience

Our Edinburgh Outlander Tour

We begin our day in Edinburgh, departing from the Royal Mile and taking in some of the sights of Scotland’s capital as we head to our first stop of the day; Midhope Castle*. This 16th century Tower House was the backdrop to Lallybroch; Jamie Fraser’s family home. Spend time here for photos and soak up the atmosphere and keep an eye out for Jamie, just in case.

From there, we continue onwards to Blackness, home to Blackness Castle. In Outlander, Blackness Castle is used as the set for Fort William, the headquarters of Black Jack Randall. It has also appeared in Hamlet and is known as “the ship that never sailed” due to its distinctive boat-like shape that protrudes into the Forth. Look down the Forth towards Edinburgh and see all 3 Forth Bridges, representing three centuries of Scottish engineering and connecting the Lothians with the Kingdom of Fife.

Our Outlander tour travels west, to the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, where you will the opportunity to visit Linlithgow Palace, Outlander’s Wentworth Prison. The palace was originally used as a relaxing retreat for the Royal Family on journeys between Edinburgh and Stirling Castle. Its impressive towers overlook stunning scenery. We will also spend enough time here in Linlithgow for you to get some lunch and explore the town.

After a short journey further westward, we will arrive at Callendar House near Falkirk, it was used as the kitchen in the Duke of Sandringham’s home in season 2 of the show. This beautiful mansion has traditional Scottish architecture with elements resembling a French Renaissance chateau.

We then travel north across to the other side of the Forth and visit the Royal Burgh of Culross. The small village is arguably the best example of a 17th Century village in Scotland. The gardens here feature as Claire’s herb garden, and the Mercat Cross in Outlanders’ Cranesmuir Village.

We then return to the other side of the Forth and visit Hopetoun House, which features in Outlander as the Duke of Sandringham’s home. This stunning stately home is situated on over 100 acres of designed landscape and reflects some of the brilliant work of Scottish architects Sir William Bruce and William Adam. Plus, if you travel with us on a Wednesday, you get exclusive access to Hopetoun House when it would normally be closed to the public as it opens especially for our groups.

On our return journey to Edinburgh in the evening, we will pass by the Forth Bridges. These three bridges are used to connect the Lothians to the Kingdom of Fife and represent three centuries of Scottish engineering, with the newest bridge, the Queensferry Crossing having only been completed in 2017. After this, we return to Edinburgh where our Outlander tour comes to an end.

Itinerary from October 2024

From October 2024, our Outlander tour from Edinburgh will have a bit of a new look.

Departing from Edinburgh in the morning, we will head north across the Firth of Forth towards the Tuilyies Standing Stones, much like the ones we frequently see in Outlander, used as markers of where travellers can pass through and travel in time.

From there, and no doubt after a few attempts at time travel, we head towards the Royal Burgh of Culross. This picturesque village is a textbook example of a 17th century village in Scotland. You might recognise the village from Outlander, as it feature as Claire’s herb garden, and the Mercat Cross in the show’s Cranesmuir Village.

We continue towards Doune Castle, which featured as Castle Leoch in Outlander, the seat of Clan MacKenzie. You might also recognise this medieval stronghold from many other different films and tv programmes such as Game of Thrones and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. On our way, we will pass the historic and imposing Stirling Castle, which sits proudly over the city of Stirling, high on volcanic rock. You can visit Stirling Castle on our Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies tour from Edinburgh.

Our tour then heads south, towards the Royal Burgh of Linlithgow, where you will have time to grab some lunch, and also visit Linlithgow Palace, Outlander’s Wentworth Prison. The palace, with it’s impressive grounds overlooking stunning scenery, was originally used as a relaxing retreat for the Royal Family on journeys between Edinburgh and Stirling Castle.

From Linlithgow, we travel to Blackness, home to Blackness Castle, affectionately known as “the ship that never sailed” due to its triangular shape, which juts out into the Forth. In Outlander, Blackness Castle is used as the set for Fort William, the headquarters of Black Jack Randall. Look down the Forth towards Edinburgh and you will be met with a view of the 3 bridges that span the water.

Our final stop of the day depends on the time of year that you travel. In the summer months, we will continue to Midhope Castle. This 16th century townhouse was the backdrop to Lallybroch, Jamie Fraser’s family home. Spend time here for photos and soak up the atmosphere and keep an eye out for Jamie, just in case. Should Midhope be closed for filming, or if your tour is in winter, we will instead continue to the Forth Bridges. Spanning 3 centuries of Scottish engineering and innovation, these impressive structures connect the Kingdom of Fife to the Lothians and serve as a vital transport link for the country.

Then, your Outlander tour will return to Edinburgh where you can stay in town and explore some of the city centre’s sights. Or, just head back to your accommodation and binge some more Outlander.