Famous Filming Locations in the
Scottish Highlands

The Scottish Highlands have provided stunning backdrops for some of the most iconic scenes in film and television. From Harry Potter to Monty Python and Macbeth, the region’s dramatic landscapes have brought magic and history to life on screen.

🎬 Harry Potter Filming Locations

Several key scenes from the Harry Potter series were filmed across the Highlands:

• Glencoe (near Fort William)
  This striking valley was used for the exterior of Hagrid’s Hut in The Prisoner of Azkaban and appeared in later films as part of the Hogwarts grounds.

• Loch Shiel & Loch Eilt (West Highlands, near Glenfinnan)
  These beautiful lochs stood in for Hogwarts’ Great Lake, particularly in The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet of Fire.

• Glenfinnan Viaduct (along the A830, near Fort William)
  This iconic curved railway bridge is the route of the Hogwarts Express, especially memorable in The Chamber of Secrets and The Goblet of Fire. You can view it from the road or take a ride on the West Highland Railway Line.

• Steall Falls (near Ben Nevis, close to Fort William)
  The dramatic waterfall was used as the site for the Triwizard Tournament in The Goblet of Fire.

• Rannoch Moor (off the A82 between Bridge of Orchy and Fort William)
  This wild, open landscape was featured in Deathly Hallows Part 1, where Dementors board the Hogwarts Express.

• Loch Morar, Loch Arkaig, and Loch Shiel
  These lochs were digitally blended in the films to create the sweeping views of the Great Lake near Hogwarts.

🎥 Monty Python and the Holy Grail

• Doune Castle (near Stirling)
  This castle stood in for several castles in the film and is also well-known for its roles in Game of Thrones(Winterfell) and Outlander (Castle Leoch).

• Glencoe
  Apart from Harry Potter, Glencoe was also used in Monty Python for outdoor scenes, including the Bridge of Death. It has also appeared in Skyfall, Braveheart, and many more films.

• Castle Stalker (Appin, Argyll and Bute – about 20 miles north of Oban)
  This small island castle appeared as the "Castle of Aaaargh" in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It sits just offshore in Loch Linnhe, halfway between Oban and Glencoe.

🎭 Macbeth & Lochaber’s Historical Connection

The Highlands region of Lochaber (centered around Fort William) gets its name from the Gaelic for “loch of the marsh” (from “Abar” meaning marsh). A nearby area called Blàr Mòr, known for its marshland, is likely the source of the name.

In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the character Banquo is titled Thane of Lochaber, representing a noble landowner in the region. Though Banquo is a semi-historical figure, the play reflects real Scottish geography and feudal titles. Macbeth was written in 1606 and first performed for King James I at Hampton Court.