25 Sept 2020

Spectacular filming locations in Scotland

A large group of actors, many on horseback, stand on a ridge with a mountain backdrop. White clouds scatter across a blue sky.

Filming ‘The Outlaw King’ at Glencoe in September 2017

Shoot in Scotland and choose from a long list of incredible filming locations with big-screen pedigree and easy access to location services.

Filming in Scotland

Filmmakers, production companies and creatives of all kinds have flocked to Scotland for decades. From Scottish films to global smash-hit TV series, and everything in between, we’ve seen a boom in production in Scotland in recent years. And it’s not hard to see why!

From our amazing landscapes and habitats, to our picturesque towns and historic buildings, Scotland has an abundance of camera-friendly filming locations. We’ve got exceptional crews and homegrown talent, as well as an abundance of stories to tell.

Two actors are filmed in conversation, sitting in chairs in front of a fireplace in a grand drawing room of a stately home. The camera stands and lights can be seen in the foreground, along with a person holding a clipboard.

Filming Season 4 of ‘Outlander’ at atmospheric Newhailes

Filming at our places

National Trust for Scotland properties have been used as locations for every kind of production, including films, TV series, advertising, factual programmes and fashion photo shoots.

Filming at our places comes with lots of perks:

You can choose from a massive variety of locations, including spectacular outdoor settings, historic sites, iconic houses and castles, and ‘working’ buildings like mills and printing works.
Lots of our places have a variety of environments and spaces, so you can shoot different scenes and set-ups at the same location.
Many of our properties already have the facilities and infrastructure in place for crew and crew bases – things like on-site parking and toilets. Wild places like Glencoe and Mar Lodge Estate are easy to reach from Glasgow or Edinburgh.
You can get help and guidance from our property experts, who know our places inside out!
We’ve got a specialist Filming Manager and a friendly, flexible team. We love working with companies and crews to help find the best filming locations and show off Scotland’s amazing history and heritage to the world.

Because we’re a conservation charity, we put all of the money back into our properties. So, by filming at our places you’re helping to support and protect them! The money earned from a recent shoot at Ben Lomond covered all the costs of a new shed (which made the property team very happy indeed).

A red steam train puffs across a long stone viaduct, with tall mountains rising from a green glen in the background.

Glenfinnan Viaduct, where some memorable scenes in the Harry Potter films were filmed

Some of our favourite filming locations

Culzean Castle & Country Park

This spectacular 260-hectare estate is home to a magnificent clifftop castle, as well as formal gardens, woodland, parkland and beaches. It has been a favourite for film crews for decades.

As seen in: BBC’s Flog It (2002–present), The Wicker Man (1973), Channel 4’s Deadwater Fell (2020)

Find out more about Culzean Castle & Country Park

Glencoe

Wild, mysterious, majestic: Glencoe has inspired countless stories and attracted some of the world’s biggest blockbusters over the years.

As seen in: Outlaw King (2018), Mary Queen of Scots (2018), Skyfall (2012), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Find out more about Glencoe NNR

A filming session takes place on a grass lawn in front of a grand castle on a sunny day. A man and a lady stand either side of a painting displayed on an easel, in discussion. A film crew stands in the foreground, with cameras, lights and screens. Behind the easel sit a long row of people on a bench, watching the conversation.

A film crew stand either side of a narrow path in a glen. To the left, two actresses dressed in long dresses walk side by side along the path. Behind them stand camera crews, lighting and other members of a film crew, some in high-vis jackets.

St Abb’s Head

This National Nature Reserve in the Scottish Borders is famous for its towering cliffs and seabird colonies. Crashing waves and rolling headlands combine to create a dramatic atmosphere!

As seen in: Avengers: Endgame (2019), Whisky Galore! (2016), many fashion shoots & advertising (including DAKS and Barbour), Harry Styles’ music video for ‘Adore You’

Find out more about St Abb’s Head NNR

Royal Burgh of Culross

Culross, close to Edinburgh, is a perfectly preserved example of a Scottish town from the 17th and 18th centuries, with whitewashed houses, crow-stepped gables, winding cobbled streets and a striking ‘palace’.

As seen in: Outlander (2014–present), The 39 Steps (2008), Kidnapped (1971)

Find out more about Culross

A photoshoot takes place at the edge of a grassy cliff, with a model walking in a flowing dress and a large group of people standing in front of her. The sky is tinged pink over the sea in the background.

Two actresses, wearing 18th-century costumes, walk along a cobbled street on a rainy day. The house in the background has yellow walls and a tiled roof. The women walk towards a man holding a large cartwheel across the path.

The Georgian House

Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town and designed by famous Scottish architect Robert Adam, this quintessentially luxurious home from the 1700s is filled with period furniture and fittings. It’s the ideal filming location for anyone wanting to capture old Edinburgh.

As seen in: BBC Scotland’s Landward (2020), the BBC’s The Secret Agent (2016)

Find out more about the Georgian House

Falkland Palace

This Renaissance palace has links to Mary, Queen of Scots and a variety of camera-friendly spaces, including the Chapel Royal and one of the oldest real tennis courts in the UK.

As seen in: Outlander (2014–present), Silent Witness (1996–present)

Find out more about Falkland Palace & Garden

An actor wearing a Georgian costume and white wig holds up a crystal ball to the camera. Light is reflected from the crystal, sending rays across the image. A woman dressed as a maid and carrying a silver coffee pot stands in the background, in front of a wooden dress and long red curtains.

An actor and actress, wearing 1940s costumes, smile at each others as they walk towards a shop across a cobbled pavement. An old black car can be seen in the background, as can a large stone fountain in the middle of a square. The man wears a long grey coat and bowler hat; the woman wears a blue wool coat.

Inverewe

This unique coastal oasis in the north-west Highlands is home to exotic plants and iconic Scottish wildlife. It’s an inspiring setting with majestic views in every direction.

As seen in: the BBC’s Beechgrove Garden (1978–present) and Grand Tours of Scotland’s Lochs (2017–present)

Find out more about Inverewe

Pollok House

A grand country house and country park ... situated right in the heart of Glasgow. Luxurious furnishings, tiled passageways and a vast servants’ quarters take you back to the Edwardian era. It’s no surprise people call it ‘Scotland’s answer to Downton Abbey’.

As seen in: BBC One’s The Victim (2019), Unleashed (2005)

Find out more about Pollok House

A view of a terraced garden in full bloom beside a loch on a sunny day. Gravel paths lead through the garden, and a couple walk along one. Tall pink flowers grow in the foreground. Mountains can be seen in the distance on the other side of the loch.

Filming takes place in a parterre garden. A long camera rig hangs over the full width of a garden, where a black marquee has been set up in the far corner. The parterre garden has box hedges filled with colourful flowers. Tall trees can be seen in the background.

Castle Fraser

A breathtaking 17th-century castle and one of the largest tower houses in Scotland! This castle becomes a portal into old Aberdeenshire, with original portraits and ornaments creating an authentic atmosphere.

As seen in: The Queen (2006)

Find out more about Castle Fraser

The Tenement House

A four-room flat frozen in time, this original Glasgow tenement house was built in the 1800s. It still has many original fittings, including a coal-fired kitchen range and working gas lights (which you can still hear hissing). This is the perfect place for period pieces and stories set in the early 20th century.

As seen in: the BBC documentary ‘Coming Oot!’ A Fabulous History of Gay Scotland

Find out more about the Tenement House

Culloden

Culloden Battlefield, near Inverness, is where the 1745 Jacobite Rising came to a brutal end. It now offers the chance to experience the atmosphere and beauty of this iconic site, and tap into the unique history through our Visitor Centre and property team.

As seen in: Outlander (2014–present), BBC ‘Culloden’ documentary (1964)

Find out more about Culloden

An exterior view of Castle Fraser in the summer, with the round tower seen at the back. The various turrets across the roof can be seen. Sheep graze in a field in the background.

A kitchen in a tenement flat, displayed as it may have looked in the mid-20th century. A large wooden table stands in the middle of the room, with mixing bowls, weighing scales and a rolling pin laid out on top. A black cooking range stands at the side, with cloths hanging from a washing line suspended in front. A sink with wooden cupboards beneath stands in front of a large sash window.

An actor dressed as a man in the 1940s stands on a bleak moor, with hills seen in the far distance behind him. He wears a brown fedora-type hat with a belted brown overcoat.

Preston Mill

This working mill in picturesque East Lothian, not far from Edinburgh, boasts a unique style and bags of historical charm. It’s one of a number of our buildings that celebrate Scotland’s rich industrial heritage, and is a great place to get both interior and exterior shots.

As seen in: Outlander (2014–present)

Find out more about Preston Mill

Mar Lodge Estate

This spectacular outdoor property is home to towering mountains, pine forests, and everything else that the Cairngorms are famous for. Don’t forget your wide lens!

As seen in: The Dark Knight Rises (2012), BBC’s Winterwatch (2012–present)

Find out more about Mar Lodge Estate

Preston Mill is surrounded by grass meadows. It has orange stone walls with a conical roof, that leans slightly to the side.

A couple of people stand at the edge of a snow-covered field, in conversation. In the distance can be see a large lodge building, with a film crew outside. In the far distance are tall snowy mountains, against a bright blue sky.

Famous Scottish films

All kinds of films have been shot in Scotland, from British indies to Hollywood blockbusters. Films like Trainspotting, Skyfall, Braveheart and Highlander, along with hit TV shows like Shetland, have all told Scottish stories and helped put Scotland on the movie-making map.

Now we’re attracting some of the biggest productions on the planet, from the Marvel Avengers movies to World War Z and the hit TV series Succession. Which means that when you choose Scotland as your next filming location, you’ll be in good company!

For more information on filming at Trust properties, contact filming@nts.org.uk

Filming and photoshoots

Find out more about our spectacular range of locations.

Find out more

Featured Places

Place

Glencoe National Nature Reserve

Dramatic mountains, rare beauty and haunting history in the heart of the Highlands

The Highlands

Place

St Abb’s Head

Breathtaking coastal headland with dramatic cliffs, famed for its seabird colonies

Scottish Borders

Spectacular filming locations in Scotland

Filming in Scotland

Filming at our places