Outlander castle opens to visitors for first time in more than a decade

A castle which featured in the hit series Outlander is opening to visitors for the first time in more than a decade.

Balvaird Castle in Perthshire, which featured in last year’s Outlander prequel Blood of My Blood, is now open for guided tours.

It’s the first time the inside of the castle has been accessible to visitors for more than a decade.

The building doubles for Castle Leathers in the show, the ancestral seat of Simon Fraser, played by Tony Curran, who is the grandfather of Jamie, played by Sam Heughan, from the original series.

Cared for by Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the castle is a late-15th-century tower house, built in 1495.

Set within the Ochil Hills, visitors can enjoy stunning views from the roof walk and hear stories about the history of the castle.

Anne-Marie O’Reilly, regional visitor and community manager for Central Scotland at HES, said: “Balvaird Castle is visually stunning, and it’s entirely understandable that it landed a starring role on Outlander: Blood of my Blood.

“The castle has so much to offer, from wonderful scenery to its fascinating history, and we’re excited to welcome visitors inside for the first time in over ten years.”

The castle is currently undergoing conservation works, meaning the internal part of the tour requires each visitor to wear a hard hat and high-visibility vest.

Accessibility may be a challenge for some visitors, as the tour route includes uneven surfaces, a spiral staircase, and, weather permitting, access to the roof walk.

Tours are available on selected dates from Wednesday, July 15, to Saturday, August 22.

For more information and to book tickets, visit historicenvironment.scot/whats-on.