Well this trip was on the hit list of things we wanted to do here in Edinburgh. As an Outlander fan it was really cool to visit some of the sites used in that series. There was also some history and great castles for Elizabeth, who I have not converted over yet:)
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| Lizzy cuddles up to the Nick the guide:) |
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| and the driver as well!! |
The tour was done in a minibus with a guide who gave us some great stories history and good jokes to boot. We learnt some great stuff and few sayings that originate here in Scotland like "Botched it" originated from the designer of a bridge which collapsed killing a train load of people. Thomas Botch.
Our first visit was to "Lallybroch" Midhope Castle which was used in Outlander as Jamie's home. His sister and husband in the show stay here with their family while Jamie goes off his adventures. There is just an abandoned old house/ castle which is empty inside. (they charge about $4GBP to visit an empty house! We also get to see Jamie's cave where he hides out at one stage and the creek he jumps into.
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| Lallybrook |
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| Jamie's cave |
Next we ventured off to see Blackness castle used as Black Jack's home in the series. (boo - he is the villain) It was really good to walk about and see this "ship that never sailed". It is built in a shipshape as it suggests. It was used for storing gunpowder and arms. It had a port to unload goods and things through the Watergate.
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| Eerie in the fog |
We then moved on to see Linlithgow Palace where Mary Queen of Scots was born. This is the place that Jamie is whipped and tortured in Outlander. A very gory scene in the show. He gets his hand stabbed to a table with a dagger. It is used a few times in the show for things. Again it is an empty shell which we didn't go into but explored around it.
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| Mary Queen of Scots |
Doune castle was next on the list. This was Castle Leock. This is the place where Monty Python was filmed (Anthrax Castle). You may remember the scene where the French are taunting the English below and hurl a cow down at them. It was also used in Outlander, Winterfell for Game of Thrones, The Bruce and other shows. This was still in original condition having survived undamaged from wars and uprisings. Some great places to poke around in here.
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| Castle Leock |
Lastly we visited Culross which poses as Cranesmuir in the show. It is the place where they drag the woman up and burn her for being a witch and they nail the boys ear to the post for stealing. They also use a garden behind a "palace" which was used as a herb garden in the show.
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| Herb garden and palace |
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| Place of witch burning etc |
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| A village pub |
The day was great 9.30am till about 5pm all up. We stopped in some little villages to poke about have a snack etc. here is one place we stopped.
Till our next blog... Live your dreams.
Rob & Liz
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