The Land That Inspired Outlander

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 – Romantic Edinburgh

Wander the atmospheric cobbled streets and narrow wynds of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh’s Old Town, where Claire and Jamie reunited after 20 years. Packed full of history, the buildings here have remained largely unchanged for centuries. Overnight Edinburgh.

Day 2 – Highland Folk Museum

Delve into 18th century Scotland at the Highland Folk Museum, a living history site offering a unique insight into the life of Highland people. With live actors and restored buildings, learn how they lived and worked. Overnight Kingussie/Aviemore.

Day 3 – Research your roots

Roam the streets of Inverness where Claire’s adventure unfolds while on her honeymoon, and if you have roots in the Highlands like Frank did, head to the Highland Archive Centre and uncover your family’s Scottish heritage. Overnight Inverness.

Day 4 – Standing stones

Venture beyond Inverness in search of the mysterious Craigh na Dun, which swept Claire back in time. Clava Cairns could be just the place – it’s one of Scotland’s most evocative stone circle sites. Visit and experience its mystical atmosphere. Overnight Inverness.

Day 5 – Urquhart Castle

Spend a delightful day cruising the calm waters of Loch Ness looking out for its famous and elusive resident – Nessie, and explore the magnificent ruins of Urquhart Castle – a perfect spot for a picnic in a dramatic Highland setting. Overnight Inverness

Day 6 – Culloden Battlefield

Culloden Battlefield, where Claire and Jamie said their goodbyes, is not to be missed. Soak up the rich history and haunting atmosphere, and imagine hearing gunfire on the battlefield. Ponder for a moment and pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the last battle ever fought on British soil. Overnight Inverness.

Day 7 – Clans’ ancestral lands

The romantic and unspoilt towns of Strathpeffer and Beauly are where clans Mackenzie and Fraser of the Highlands once lived. Relax in their picturesque ancestral lands, amongst tranquil rolling hills, or explore the ruins of ancient Beauly Priory, a burial site of many Fraser chiefs and where Claire met the seer. Overnight Beauly.

Day 8 – Dramatic landscapes

A journey along the Caledonian Canal and Great Glen is a romantic one, offering a magical mix of native Caledonian pine forest in Glen Affric, glistening lochs, and enchanting moorland. Enjoy it on foot or from horseback, as the newly-weds did after their wedding, and admire scenic landscapes and great wildlife along the way. Overnight Fort Augustus.

Day 9 – Glenfinnan Monument

Set amidst superb Highland scenery, Glenfinnan Monument near Fort William is a tribute to the Jacobite clansmen who fought alongside Bonnie Prince Charlie in the 1745 Jacobite Rising. At the visitor centre, learn about this fascinating and tumultuous chapter in Scotland’s history. Overnight Fort Augustus.

Day 10 – Historic Edinburgh

No Outlander experience will be complete without a visit to the National War Museum at Edinburgh Castle, the Palace of Holyroodhouse or the National Museum of Scotland – all great sources of information and inspiration about Scotland’s dramatic past. Overnight Edinburgh.

Filming Information

Among the filming locations are the Palace of Holyrood House and the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, where protagonists Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser meet with Bonnie Prince Charlie; Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness, where the characters go in search of the loch’s most famous resident; and Fort William, which also plays a key role in Gabaldon’s novels.

In addition, attractions such as Culloden Battlefield, the Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore, and the Clava Cairns standing stones near Inverness, believed to be the inspiration for the fictional Craigh na Dun – the site where Claire is mysteriously swept back in time.

The TV adaptation of the books includes scenes filmed at two of Historic Scotland sites: Blackness Castle, which was used for scenes depicting Fort William, and Doune Castle which stood in for the fictional Castle Leoch.

Outlander follows the story of Claire Randall (played by Caitriona Balfe), a married English combat nurse from 1945 who, while on her honeymoon in Inverness, is mysteriously swept back in time to the 18th-century Scottish Highlands.

There she meets Jamie (played by Scottish actor Sam Heughan), a chivalrous young warrior, with whom she becomes romantically entwined.

The National Trust for Scotland has produced a very good Outlander map. Have a look!