Sam Heughan on Scotland behind the screen

The Scottish actor invites travellers beyond Outlander's famous Highland locations to the lesser-known Lowlands that shaped him.

If parts of Scotland feel more crowded these days, Sam Heughan knows why. Outlander, the time-travel-meets-historical drama he has starred in for the last 12 years, has given Scottish tourism a massive, Braveheart-esque boost. Millions of international fans now make pilgrimages to filming locations across the country, a phenomenon widely known as the "Outlander Effect".

"I love the story of Outlander, but Scotland is another character in the show," says Heughan of his home nation.

On screen, he plays Highlander Jamie Fraser. Off screen, he hails from the Scottish Lowlands – specifically the under-touristed Dumfries and Galloway region in the south of Scotland. Shooting Outlander has given him a chance to introduce his co-stars, including Caitríona Balfe, who plays time-travelling nurse Claire Randall, to his home country's delights, from its wild landscapes to its whisky culture. The proud Scotsman is such a fan of the "water of life" that he recently bought his own distillery, Galloway Distillery, close to where he grew up. "[Dumfries and Galloway] is an amazing place," he says. "It's always overlooked in Scotland."

Outlander has deepened Heughan's own relationship with the country. "I was living in London as a jobbing actor when I got this role," he explains. "I went back to my homeland and fell in love with Scotland again. Every day, even when it was cold, raining and dark and I was standing on a mountain shooting, I felt very lucky. You can feel the history, such as the Highlanders fighting in great battles." 

The eighth and final season of Outlander is set to premiere on 6 March 2026 on Starz network. "It's going to be hard to say goodbye," he says.

Here's Heughan's insider guide to Scotland.

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Outlander was shot all over Scotland. What were some of your favourite places you filmed in?

Rannoch Moor, [near] the mountain Schiehallion, is where the standing stones are, which Claire goes through in the show.

Schiehallion, the "fairy hill of the Caledonians", has a lot of interesting history. I believe they used the mountain to work out the weight of the world. We shot the standing stones there – it snowed and looked so magical.

Midhope Castle [on the outskirts of Edinburgh] is also a special place, as it's Jamie Fraser's home, Lallybroch. That's the joy of the job: I got to go to places I wouldn't normally visit. From the coast to the Highlands to the Lowlands, there's so much to explore.

How different is the Scotland of Outlander to the real Scotland?

What is on screen is Scotland. It’s amazing that we have places in Scotland where there's no sign of modern culture. You can shoot and it looks like you've gone back in time. Scotland is a beautiful place, quite a romantic place, with amazing history. What you see on camera is fantasy in some ways, but Outlander was based on historical moments and facts, so there are accurate moments in it.

Alamy

Not all the cast were Scottish – Caitríona Balfe is Irish, and Tobias Menzies and Duncan Lacroix are English. Did you enjoy showing them Scotland?

Absolutely. I think they all fell in love with Scotland. We have some dark history but Scotland is a very welcoming place. I'm part Sassenach (English) myself – my mum is English and moved to Scotland before I was born.

Every day felt like a very Scottish experience. We had ceilidhs and dinners. One of the first hills Caitríona and I climbed up together when we were shooting in Berwick was North Berwick Law, a conical hill, which was a really fun experience. We also did things like riding horses across battlefields – you can't get more epic than that.

Did the cast enjoy a few whiskies together?

Yes. We didn't drink while shooting, but occasionally on a night shoot there would be a wee hip flask being sent around, especially after a hard day's shooting. Everyone loves a little Scotch malt whisky at some point.

You play one of the world's most famous Highlanders, but you're actually a Lowlander. What's Dumfries and Galloway like?

Most tourists go up to the Highlands and Islands, but [Dumfries and Galloway] has so much to offer. It's a very ancient land. On a clear day, you can look out from the coast and see Ireland, the Isle of Man and the north of England. It has great history, including hundreds of standing stones and old castles. Whithorn is an ancient area where the Vikings settled.

South of Scotland Destination Alliance

What does it mean to you to be a Lowlander? 

Highlanders were quite isolated, primarily because of the landscape. But Lowlanders had so much interaction with Ireland, the Isle of Man and England, and so much trade with Scandinavia, so Lowlanders are a real mix of people, made up of different cultures. That's what makes the place so interesting.

What else should people check out in the south of Scotland?

Dumfries and Galloway has incredible scenery, from the Otter Pools in Galloway Forest Park to Merrick, the highest mountain in southern Scotland. There are loads of mountain biking trails, including in the Ae Forest. It's a very outdoorsy area, with lots of places to go wild swimming, and lochs for kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding, such as Loch Ken. I love paddle-boarding, mountain biking and camping out here. There's also Galloway Forest Park, a Dark Sky Park, which has amazing skies at night.

Alloway in South Ayrshire is also the birthplace of Robert Burns, our national poet. I love Burns Night (25 January). Haggis, neeps (turnips) and tatties (potatoes) is our national dish – it's eaten on Burns Nights and it's delicious.

What should they eat while they're there?

Cullen skink (creamy haddock and potato soup) is delicious. So many traditional dishes like that are great, and even a tattie scone (potato scone) for your breakfast rolls is quite fun.

We have amazing produce: salmon, beef, venison… I also love Scottish whisky, from smoky Islay whiskies to Campbeltown whiskies, which are a bit different. Each whisky has its own identity.

Galloway Distillery Media

How do you feel about saying goodbye to Jamie Fraser and all the places you filmed in?

It was a huge part of my life. It's why I went back to Scotland and fell in love with it again. It was hard to say goodbye. There will be a lot of bittersweet tears shed when it ends, but I'm ready to do new things.

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