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 CaitrÃona 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.”Â