Creative Experiences in Scotland
Please note: the closing date for this tour is 1 April 2022 – grab your space while you can! 🙂
There’s only one thing that’s better than a tour of Outlander filming locations in Scotland…our Outlander Art Experience! Join us on this 10-day Outlander-themed art, crafts and history tour of Scotland and really connect with the land where Jamie and Claire travelled through centuries and lived their love that knew no time nor borders.
With your sketchbook journal in hand, feel the creative flow as we visit Doune Castle (Castle Leoch), Culross (Cranesmuir), the Battlefield of Culloden, Jamie’s Printshop in Edinburgh and much, much more.
Drawing and painting facilitate contact with reality and create a strong bond with places – something that’s more difficult to experience during conventional travel. The stronger the emotion, the deeper it will be remembered in your mind. We work with watercolours, charcoal, graphite and other materials, and integrate treasures we find on our journey, such as oak leaves or feathers.
I loved the Outlander Art Experience. We saw all the obvious Outlander locations and many more. We learned about the Jacobites and Scottish Folklore and Printing and 18thC Herbal Medicine. It was outstanding! Wild at Art Scotland will give you a unique look at the scenery and history of Scotland and you will have such a great time you will be anxious to return. {Diana, California, Outlander Art Experience 2019}
Further highlights of the tour are a kilt and tartan workshop with Rachel Hammerton from a Scottish kilt school and a herbalist session with Scottish herbalist Anna Canning. At the kilt workshop you’ll learn about tartan, kilts and traditional techniques in the art of kiltmaking. To enrich your creative time-travel experience further, the herbalist session in Culross (Cranesmuir) gives you the opportunity to learn about herbal remedies used by Claire and Geillis and how to make your own herbal balm.
A truly authentic experience from which you will leave inspired and refreshed!
This is what we have planned for you* – be prepared to be inspired!
Day 1 – Arrival in Linlithgow (by Edinburgh)
Arrival at hotel in Linlithgow. Welcome reception, introduction to the tour, 3-course welcome dinner. Storytelling session.
Day 2 – West Lothian and nearby area
Linlithgow Palace (Wentworth Prison in Outlander and birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots in real life), overlooking Linlithgow Loch. Hopetoun House (stately home of the Duke of Sandringham (S1); backdrop for Parisian streets, the spare room in Jamie and Claire’s Paris apartment, and the Hawkins Estate (S2)). Midhope (Lallybroch). Blackness Castle (Fort William headquarters of Black Jack Randall).
Day 3 – Edinburgh
Jacobites Exhibition at National Museum of Scotland, Bakehouse Close (Carfax Close, home to Alexander Malcolm’s print shop). Greyfriar’s Bobby. National Portrait Gallery.
Day 4 – Stirling area
Doune Castle (Castle Leoch). Drummond Castle Gardens (ornate park and orchard of the Palace of Versailles in France). Deanston Distillery as indoor alternative (Jamie’s cousin’s wine warehouse on the docks of Le Havre). Possibly Tibbermore Church (Cranesmuir Church, hosts the scene of the infamous witch trial)
Day 5 – Glasgow
George Square (location of Frank’s spontaneous proposal to Claire). Glasgow Cathedral (L’Hopital Des Anges in Paris where Claire volunteers to work). Charles Rennie Mackintosh Centre at The Lighthouse. Willow Tea Rooms.
Day 6 – Kiltmaking workshop
Half day kilt and tartan workshop with talk, demonstration and taster session. Free afternoon.
Day 7 – Culross
Culross (Cranesmuir where Geillis lives. The town also lends its backdrop to the Jacobite encampment and makeshift hospital scenes). Culross Palace Gardens (Claire’s herb garden at Castle Leoch). Garden tour and herbalist workshop led by Scottish herbalist Anna Canning. She will teach us how to make infused oils, herbal balms and creams and you get to take home products created by you – and a handout with recipes for making more once you’re back home.
Had a wonderful tour of Scotland & “Outlander” filming locations, with time to sketch, draw and paint. Informative workshops in printmaking and herb lore, as well. The best part of traveling with Wild at Art was meeting new friends and becoming part of a group with common interests, love of learning and joy of camaraderie. I highly recommend this tour group for travels through Scotland! {Maura, Connecticut, Outlander Art Experience 2019}
Day 8 – Making our way to Inverness
Falkland (substitutes for 1940s (S1) and 1960s (S2) Inverness. Covenanter Hotel stands in for Mrs. Baird’s Guesthouse; Bruce Fountain is where the ghost of Jamie looks up at Claire’s room; Fayre Earth Gift Shop doubles as Farrell’s Hardware and Furniture Store; and Campbell’s Coffee House and Eatery is Campbell’s Coffee Shop). Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore (replicas of 18th century turf-roofed Highland crofts; scenes include when Dougal collects the rent. Visit to learn how Scottish Highlanders lived, built their homes, dressed and more). Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns near Inverness. Overnight stay in Inverness.
Day 9 – Heading back South
Loch Ness. Fort Augustus. Glencoe. Arrive back in Linlithgow. Farewell dinner at the Champany Inn.
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Day 11 – Departure
We say goodbye, but you’ll be taking back a precious sketchbook journal, filled with your artwork, and no doubt you’ll want to come back to Scotland soon! 😉
*This is an outline itinerary and subject to change. This means we may add additional items nearer the time or change things round a bit. But you can be assured that the richness and value of the package will only increase and never decrease.
The Royal Burgh of Linlithgow is a beautiful historic town and the ideal base location for exploring most Outlander locations. Our accommodation Champany Inn is a small family-run hotel with an award winning restaurant.
The elegant bedrooms at Champany are based on the French concept of a restaurant-with-rooms. Decorated in deep homely colours and hung with hunting tartan curtains they offer space to relax and unwind. Ample space, a super comfortable bed, and a large bay window overlooking the garden that offers the perfect seat for a drink to relax before dinner. The spacious bathrooms offer a large bath and separate rain shower. The cooked-to-order Scottish breakfast offers bacon smoked in the Champany smokehouse, fresh farm eggs, homemade Boerewors Lorne sausage, Brechin black pudding and plenty of toast and locally made jams and marmalades. For those looking for a lighter option cereals, Scottish yoghurts and fresh fruits should satisfy all.
Cost: £2910 per person, based on two sharing (plus £590 to have a double room to yourself).
This includes:
This art holiday starts and finishes in Linlithgow (20 mins from Edinburgh Airport). If you’d like to arrive a bit earlier or stay some extra nights after the Wild at Art vacation we can assist you with finding accommodation. Our hotel Champany Inn and other local hotels are extremely busy at that time of year, so please let us know your requirements as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Not included: flights to and from Scotland; meals other than those listed above. Airport transfers can be arranged at an additional cost (approx. £60 return from Edinburgh Airport, contact us for quote from Glasgow). Guests are required to take out personal travel insurance. A non-refundable deposit of £500 secures your space.
Scotland is undoubtedly the star of ‘Outlander.’ I’m so proud of the country and all it has to offer. {Sam Heughan}