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Stage & Screen
With its vast mountainous landscapes and outstanding coastlines, quaint fishing villages and fairy-tale castles, this part of Scotland has inspired world-famous story tellers.
Home to some of Scotland’s most notable castles it’s little wonder these settings have stirred the imagination of so many. Aberdeenshire’s clifftop ruin, Dunnottar Castle, inspired Franco Zeffirelli to create the tormented world of his Hamlet. Daniel Radcliffe & James McAvoy even filmed parts of Frankenstein here! The castle even inspired Disney’s Brave. Talking about Disney, have you seen our pretty-in-pink fairy-tale castle, Craigievar? It’s believed that Walt Disney stayed close to the castle and used it as his inspiration to create his iconic pink castle.
Robert Louis Stevenson, when staying nearby at Braemar Castle, began to pen Treasure Island and when Bram Stoker stayed near the dramatic clifftop ruin, Slains Castle, it is said he created Dracula. More recently, Slains Castle featured in the Netflix acclaimed series, The Crown. And with our strong Royal connections it’s clear to see why producers choose this part of the world. Aberdeenshire’s most famous castle is Balmoral – the summer residence of the Royal Family since the 19th century. However, the famous site is regularly ‘impersonated’ by other castles. For example, nearby Cluny Castle and Castle Fraser ‘played the part’ of Balmoral Castle in The Queen starring Helen Mirren.
It’s not just our castles that act as the inspiration and backdrop. The 2016 adapted Whisky Galore features settings from Portsoy and Pennan along the Aberdeenshire coast. And this isn’t the only time Pennan has shot to fame… in fact it’s red telephone box is a tourist attraction in its own right after it starred in Local Hero. Blockbuster worthy Mar Lodge Estate, in Royal Deeside, even featured in the Batman film, Dark Knight Rises and Strathdon featured in Mary, Queen of Scots.
A photograph can tell a thousand words but nothing beats the real thing – pay a visit to one of our famous stage & screen locations and you might just leave inspired to create your own story…