Rob Roy | 1995
- Locations |
- Scotland
- DIRECTOR |
- Michael Caton-Jones
Dour version of the historical legend, enlivened by Tim Roth’s Oscar-nominated villain. Unlike Braveheart, the other Scottish epic of the same year, Rob Roy was filmed entirely in Scotland.
The opening shots are the landscapes around Kinlochleven, at the eastern end of Loch Leven in the Scottish Highlands. It’s a few miles south of Fort William.
Further to the northwest, the cottage of Rob Roy (Liam Neeson) and Mary (Jessica Lange) was built specially for the movie at Bracorina, on the northern shore of Loch Morar (it was dismantled after filming).
It’s quite a way to the east to find the home of the Marquis of Montrose (John Hurt), with its elegant 17th century gardens, which is Drummond Castle Gardens, west of the Muthill Road, Muthill, about two miles south of Crieff. The Castle was built by John, 1st Lord Drummond, but it was the 2nd Earl, a Privy Councillor to James VI and Charles I, who transformed both the gardens and the castle. The keep still stands, but the rest of the castle was restored and largely remodelled by the 1st Earl of Ancaster in 1890. As you might guess from the name, the castle is not open to the public, but you can visit the gardens.
About a further 25 miles east, the village square is the courtyard of Megginch Castle Gardens, on the A90 between Perth and Dundee. Once again, you can visit the gardens, but only by appointment.
Back to the Western Highlands, north of Fort William is the bridge from which Rob Roy plunges as he’s about to be hanged. It’s Chia-Aig Falls Bridge (also known as Caig Falls), at the eastern end of Loch Arkaig, just to the northwest of Achnacarry. If you’re looking for a romantic woodland spot to get hitched, this is a licensed site for civil and religious ceremonies, operated by the Forestry Commission.
The ‘gambling den’, where Rob Roy finally faces Cunningham, is way to the southeast. In fact, it’s a few miles southeast of Edinburgh in Midlothian. Crichton Castle, two miles south of Pathhead, was residence of the Crichtons and later home to the Earls of Bothwell. It’s now a Historic Scotland property and open to visitors during summer months.
