Outlaw King: The Scottish filming locations you can visit

Coming to Netflix on Friday 9 November, new film Outlaw King tells the story of Robert the Bruce's war of liberation he waged against the English occupation of Scotland.
(Photo: Netflix)(Photo: Netflix)
(Photo: Netflix)

by Alex Nelson

It might not have a true Scot in the titular role, but the film was shot entirely within Scotland, according to the geographical boundaries of the time in which it was set.

So although some scenes were filmed in Northumberland, they would have come under the rule of Scotland in Robert the Bruce’s day.

The Netflix film used many Scottish locations (Photo: Netflix)The Netflix film used many Scottish locations (Photo: Netflix)
The Netflix film used many Scottish locations (Photo: Netflix)
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According to VisitScotland – who offer tours of some of the locales - the film used 45 different Scottish locations in its production.

Here are some of the best that you can visit to relive the film for yourself.

Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s ruined medieval castle is thought to have been used for a battle scene in the film, with eagle-eyed photographers spotting both star Chris Pine and co-star James Cosmo wearing battle-gear in the area, as well as several extras firing off flaming arrows in September 2017.

(Photo: Netflix)(Photo: Netflix)
(Photo: Netflix)

The castle wasn’t in existence during the time of Robert the Bruce, but the producers ignored a little bit of historical inaccuracy for an impressive filming location.

Dunfermline Abbey

Dunfermline Abbey – now the real-life final resting place of Robert the Bruce after he was buried there in 1329 – was partly closed in September 2017 for the filming of Outlaw King.

Linlithgow Palace and St Michael’s Parish Church

The West Lothian palace will be familiar to Scottish TV and film viewers as the location used to stand in as Wentworth prison in Outlander.

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It was closed late last August for filming, and the nearby Parish church was also closed off.

Glasgow Cathedral

Medieval armour and horses were brought to the 800-year-old building last year, as the crew shot scenes for the historical drama, with Chris Pine being spotted on set multiple times.

Mugdock Castle, East Dunbartonshire

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The production team behind the Netflix film went so far as to build a medieval village around the historic Scottish castle, constructing six medieval huts ahead of Chris Pine filming scenes there in November 2017.

Plans for the pop-up village also included a temporary stable for 50 horses used during a battlefield film sequence.

Inverbeg, Loch Lomond

Quick witted photographers managed to snap pictures of cast members clasping hot water bottles tight as they filmed scenes on the shores of Loch Lomond last year.

Glasgow University

You might not be able to access the University of Glasgow’s iconic cloisters unless you’re a student there, but it’s interesting to see the way in which they were transformed into a grand banquet hall, laying on a feast fit for a king in the film.

Blackness Castle

The filming that took place at Blackness Castle late last November may have been the most arduous of the lot, as temperatures plummeted to below freezing during a cold snap.

One extra was suspended in an iron cage over the side of the building, exposing her to the elements as it took a few takes to get certain scenes just right on the south shore of the Firth of Forth.

Berwick-upon-Tweed

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The Northumberland town may not be in Scotland now, but during Robert the Bruce’s lifetime it was.

Berwick Quayside was turned into the Port of Glasgow, while the Old Bridge has been transformed into London Bridge for the shoot.

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