Guide Highlights 48 Filming Locations Across Scotland
Fans of Outlander can now explore the hit show’s Scottish filming locations thanks to the first dedicated guidebook. Scotland: The Home of Outlander details 48 locations from the fantasy romantic drama series, based on Diana Gabaldon’s books, which concluded in May.
The 40-page guide is part of a campaign by VisitScotland, in association with Sony Pictures Television, to mark the end of a series that has had an “extraordinary” impact on Scottish tourism.
Inside the Guide
Besides filming locations from all eight seasons, the guide includes a timeline of prominent moments in Scotland’s history related to the show, as well as features on Gaelic, tartan and clans. It also contains a section on Scottish food and drink by medical herbalist Claire Mackay, who was a herbal consultant on the series.
Since Outlander began airing in 2014, its popularity in international markets including France, Germany and North America has coincided with an increase in visits from those markets to Scotland, particularly from the US.
VisitScotland and Screen Tourism
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 10 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.”
Economic Impact and Visitor Surge
The body’s promotional campaign saw a £160,000 Home of Outlander digital US campaign launched in the spring, which VisitScotland said generated an estimated £790,000 in hotel bookings and 8,500 flight searches to Scotland. Four carriages on the Caledonian Sleeper train have also been “wrapped” with images from the show – including its central couple, Claire Randall (played by Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (played by Sam Heughan).
VisitScotland credited the show with making a “major” contribution to screen tourism activity in Scotland, worth £161.4 million to Scotland’s economy according to Screen Scotland. Figures from the Moffat Centre show total visitors to all Outlander attractions rose by 41% between 2014 and 2025 – from 2,138,398 in 2014 to 3,016,291 in 2025.
Outlander Effect on Attractions
Doune Castle in Stirling, which featured as fictional Castle Leoch, has seen a 168% rise since 2014. Blackness Castle in Falkirk, which doubled as Fort William headquarters of Black Jack Randall, has seen a 363% rise. Newhailes House in East Lothian, which served as Governor Tryon’s home in North Carolina, has seen a massive 8,000% increase in visits since 2014.
Ms Steele added: “There’s no doubt that Outlander has had an extraordinary impact on Scottish tourism on the global stage and is a clear example of the power of screen tourism. It has provided an important platform to tell Scotland’s story to our key international markets and continues to support our work to grow the value of the visitor economy across Scotland.”
Duncarron Medieval Village
Duncarron Medieval Village in Falkirk, owned by the Clanranald Trust for Scotland, has served as a filming location for Outlander, Netflix’s Norsemen and BBC docudramas. The village’s director, Chara H Gallos-Allan, said being part of Outlander since day one has been a “tremendous privilege” for the trust. “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.”
The guide is available to download from visitscotland.com, with a limited run of print copies exclusively for travellers on the Caledonian Sleeper’s Outlander-wrapped trains. Steven Marshall, head of sales and marketing at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “Our Outlander-wrapped trains have captured the imagination of guests travelling between London and Scotland, creating a memorable start to their journey before they’ve even arrived. We’re delighted to offer guests exclusive printed copies of the guide, helping them explore the remarkable filming locations and destinations that have made the series such a global phenomenon.”
