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Glencoe lies in the Scottish Highlands to the north of Argyll and nearing the border of Lochaber, in the National Scenic Area of Ben Nevis and Glencoe. Famous for its beauty, wildlife and rich cultural and historical heritage, Glencoe is celebrated the world over as a natural wonder and Scottish geographical icon. Filmmakers have been taking note of this for decades. Glencoe has featured in countless productions throughout the years, from MTP’s very own spot ‘Eternal Love’ for Mercedes, to Outlander, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Highlander. Whilst Glencoe has long been a production hub, 1993 saw it catapulted on to a global stage with the success of Oscar winning films Rob Roy and Braveheart. It has since featured in some of the biggest Hollywood productions, including Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Skyfall, and Outlaw King. Yep, it’s a pretty big deal! Read on to check out some of the reasons why productions can’t get enough of bonny Glencoe.

1. It’s beautiful

We know this one’s a bit obvious, but, seriously, it’s beautiful! Renowned for its mountainous and wild terrain, Glencoe offers the perfect dramatic backdrop for any film production with its craggy mountains, wooded valleys and uninterrupted panoramic views. Its remote position and clarity of unpolluted air also offers a light that French director Bernard Tavernier once described as impossible to recreate with any amount of studio manipulation. It’s not hard to see why directors keep coming back to capture a slice of Glencoe’s unspoilt natural beauty and scene-stealing magic in their productions. 

2. It’s diverse

Glencoe is no one-trick pony. Wherever you look the eye is met by something new, from rivers, waterfalls and the Glencoe Mountain resort, to open valleys, mountain peaks, and wooded straths. This is good news for any film production. Glencoe offers a wealth of filming opportunities and landscapes in one location – why not film on a ski slope in the morning and Loch Leven by afternoon with limited travel and kit-moving headaches? Glencoe is also a stone’s throw from a wealth of stunning and famous locations used in countless film productions, The Three Sisters (Mary Queen of Scots), Rannoch Moor (Trainspotting) and The Glenfinnan Viaduct (more commonly known as The Harry Potter Bridge). Filmmakers really are spoilt for choice.

3. The A82

The dramatic A82 road, famously featured in Skyfall after Bond and M’s escape in that Aston Martin DB5, makes an appearance in nearly every ‘Greatest UK drives’ compilation out there. Spanning from Glasgow to Inverness via Fort William, the stretch of the road between Tyndrum and Glencoe offers stunning mountain scenery that cuts through the glen with incomparable views. It’s no wonder productions from Skyfall to Under the Skin, are making the most of the A82’s cinematic good looks. You can also catch the A82 in MTP’s spot Eternal Love for Mercedes by Dorian & Daniel, with drone footage capturing the wides of the stunning landscape. What’s more, the A82 road connects Glencoe to major cities and transport hubs in the North and South of Scotland, from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Inverness, making it fantastically convenient and accessible for film productions. Dorian & Daniel truly show off the areas surrounding Glen Coe with some wonderful drone footage capturing the wides of the landscape and tracking shots of the Mercedes.

4. It’s a chameleon

The Scottish Highlands make up a small part of an ancient mountain range, known as the Caledonian Mountains, remnants of which can still be found in East Greenland, Ireland, Norway, and Eastern North America. With volcanic origins, Glencoe’s formation is also geographically similar to mountainous landscapes found the world over, including the Alps, Himalayas, and areas of New Zealand. Can’t take your production all the way over to Norway or New Zealand? Bring them to the Highlands and Glencoe. Glencoe is the perfect doppelgänger for multiple international locations, offering productions other-worldly views right on the UK’s doorstep that are equally budget, COVID and logistically friendly.

5. It’s easily accessible

Just 65 miles from Glasgow and 89 miles from Edinburgh, Glencoe is easily accessible by road, rail and bus service. Whether training to Fort William, taking the frequent Citylink bus services, or driving that A82, Glencoe is Glen close! This is a bonus for any film production, making Glencoe an ideal creative and logistical hub for crew travelling nationally and internationally.

So, what are you waiting for...?