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Midhope Castle, the Outlander location known as Lallybroch, is open to ticket holders on the Hopetoun Estate, about 4 km west of South Queensferry. You can walk the grounds but not enter the tower house. This guide covers tickets, opening times and every way to get there.
Search for Midhope Castle and you’ll struggle to get a clear answer. One page says £3, another £6 – when in reality, the ticket entry price to the grounds is much more.
Wikipedia says access is by permission only. Three official-looking pages give three sets of opening hours.
Most of that is out of date. The facts below come from the Hopetoun Estate and the castle’s own site, with the date I checked them.
In this guide
Midhope Castle at a Glance
Midhope Castle is open daily to ticket holders, with a grounds-only visit for £9.50 per person. The tower house is derelict and closed inside. There is no public transport, so most visitors drive, take a tour or book a taxi that waits. Check closure dates before travelling.
| Detail | Answer | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £9.50 per person | Children under 5 free. Hopetoun Estate. |
| Hours | 9am to 2:30pm daily | Closed on set dates in November and December. |
| Address | Hopetoun Estate, near Abercorn, EH30 9SL | About 4 km west of South Queensferry. |
| Inside | Grounds only | The tower house is derelict and closed. |
| Transport | No public transport | Drive, tour, or a taxi that waits. |
| Hopetoun House | Separate ticket | Not covered by your Midhope ticket. |
| Last checked | 30 October 2026 | Hours and closures can change at short notice. |
Can You Visit Midhope Castle (Lallybroch) in 2026?
Yes. Midhope Castle, the Outlander location known as Lallybroch, is open to ticket holders on the Hopetoun Estate near South Queensferry. Your ticket covers the grounds only: the drive, archway, courtyard, castle steps and a walk along Midhope Burn, where you’ll also see the cave where Jamie hid. The tower house is derelict and closed inside.
Older pages say exterior access is by permission only. That wording is out of date. Booking now works like any other attraction.
Midhope is not Hopetoun House. Hopetoun House is the separate stately home on the same estate, with its own admission. Here’s the thing – a Hopetoun House ticket doesn’t get you into Midhope grounds.
The Hopetoun Estate owns Midhope and sets the dates and prices.
Midhope Castle Tickets, Prices and How to Book
Tickets cost £9.50 per person and children under 5 go free, according to Hopetoun Estate. Book a dated ticket through Citizen Ticket or buy at the gate. The ticket covers Midhope Castle only, not Hopetoun House. The estate can cancel or restrict access at short notice for filming and rebates the price.
The booking page only shows the price once you choose a date. Older blogs still quote £3, £4 and £6. Those figures are stale.
If you are also visiting Hopetoun House, ask about the joint ticket, which has been offered Thursday to Monday.
Hopetoun also runs a guided Outlander tour on Fridays at 11:30, about 90 minutes in 2026, and it includes Midhope Castle.
Can You Just Walk Up to Midhope Castle Without a Ticket?
You can walk up to the gate and take photographs for free, according to the castle’s official site, but you cannot go past the gate without a ticket. Midhope Castle stands on private Hopetoun Estate land with no public transport, and the estate closes it on set dates and at short notice. Book a dated ticket online.
At the entrance you show your ticket at the kiosk. Park in the designated car park and follow the staff.
The estate describes the grounds as a working area. Treat the signs and the staff accordingly.
When I drove there, I parked at the small car park and walked a few steps up the gravel path to the gate. Getting a few pictures of “Lallybroch” from that angle was enough for me, as I wasn’t prepared to spend £9.50.
For many Outlander fans it will be different. They’ll walk around Midhope as part of an Outlander tour that includes the grounds.
The castle’s own site is clear on this: photographs from the gate are free, and going into the grounds needs a ticket, bought on the website or at the castle.
Midhope Castle Opening Times and Closure Dates
Midhope Castle’s official site lists daily opening from 9am to 2:30pm in late 2026. However, the grounds can be closed on specific days. Always check the official calendar the day before you travel, because the estate can close the site at short notice.
The confusing thing is that three sources give three sets of hours. The castle’s own site says 9am to 2:30pm. The booking page says 9am to 3pm. Hopetoun’s page says 9am to 5pm from 27 February 2026, which may be the summer schedule.
For winter, go with the castle’s own site. If the timing matters, phone the estate on 0131 605 1745.
How to Get to Midhope Castle From South Queensferry and Edinburgh
Midhope Castle sits on the Hopetoun Estate near Abercorn, about 4 km west of South Queensferry, and has no direct public transport. Most visitors drive to the car park at postcode EH30 9SL. Without a car, take an organised Outlander tour, or book a taxi that waits for the return.
Use the postcode or “Midhope Castle Abercorn” for the sat nav, then follow the estate signs and the staff to the car park.
Whether you’re coming from Queensferry or Edinburgh, you’ll travel along the A904 from the Queensferry Junction just before the Queensferry Crossing. You’ll pass through a small village Newton and then turn right at Abercorn School. The sign post reads: “Abercorn, Hopetoun Sawill, Midhope”.
Our guide to getting from South Queensferry to Edinburgh covers the first leg until you get to the Queensferry Crossing Junction.
Midhope Castle Without a Car: Taxi, Tour or Linlithgow Shuttle
Without a car you have four realistic options: a taxi from South Queensferry with the driver waiting, an Outlander day tour from Edinburgh, Hopetoun’s Friday guided tour, or the Lallybroch Link shuttle from Linlithgow station. A taxi is riskiest: getting a car back from the gate is difficult. The Hopetoun tour and the shuttle include Midhope entry.
If you would rather not sort transport yourself, an Outlander day tour covers Midhope without a car. Pickup is in Edinburgh, not South Queensferry, so allow for getting into town first.
A local taxi driver gave me the one tip that matters: ask the driver to wait, and don’t use Uber. Pickup from the gate is the problem.
If you are based in Edinburgh, our guide to Outlander filming locations in Edinburgh covers the Old Town sites you can walk.
| Option | Cost | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi, driver waits | £25–£45 | 60–90 mins | Door to gate from South Queensferry. Riskiest option: pickup from the gate is very difficult. Ask the driver to wait. Don’t use Uber. |
| Hopetoun Friday tour | £30 for adults, £15 for children | About 90 min | Guided, Fridays at 11:30, includes Midhope. Confirm the 2027 schedule. |
| Lallybroch Link shuttle | From £100 | About 75 min | From Linlithgow station, entry included. Confirm it runs on your date. |
| Edinburgh day tour | £70 | One-day Outlander Tour | Outlander day tour that includes Midhope. Edinburgh pickup. Book here |
What You See at Midhope Castle, and What You Don’t
Your ticket gets you the drive, the archway, the courtyard and the castle steps, plus a countryside walk along Midhope Burn. You cannot go inside the tower house, which is derelict. The visit is entirely open air with limited facilities, so dress for the weather and expect uneven ground.
I haven’t walked the grounds, so I won’t describe the burn walk or the ground underfoot from experience. The shot worth having is the stone arch with the castle behind it, and I got mine from the gate. I took mine from the gravel path just up from the car park.
Hopetoun says the burn walk is where you may find the spot used for Jamie’s cave, and where Rachel meets Arch Bug.
What Was Filmed at Midhope Castle? Lallybroch Scenes and Locations on the Grounds
Midhope Castle is the filming location for Lallybroch, Jamie Fraser’s family home in Outlander. The places visitors can walk – drive, archway, courtyard and castle steps – are the exterior settings. The estate also points to a burn walk where you may find the spot for Jamie’s cave and where Rachel meets Arch Bug.
Only Lallybroch scenes were shot here. One I can source: the 1970s Lallybroch scene in Season 7, episode 3.
Looking for Fort William, Cranesmuir, or the Edinburgh Scenes? Fort William was Blackness Castle, and Cranesmuir was Culross. Jamie’s print shop and Ardsmuir prison were shot in Edinburgh.
Who Owns Midhope Castle, and Does Anyone Live There? History of the Real Tower House
Nobody lives at Midhope Castle. The late 16th-century tower house is derelict and closed inside, on a working part of the Hopetoun Estate, which owns it and runs the visits. It is a Category A listed building, and a stone dated 1582 records its owner, Alexander Drummond, and his wife.
Category A is the top listing category in Scotland. The castle stands about 4 km west of South Queensferry.
Is Midhope Castle Worth Visiting? Who It Suits and Who Should Skip
Midhope suits Outlander fans who want to stand in the Lallybroch courtyard and accept an exterior-only visit. It suits less well anyone expecting a castle interior or an easy bus journey, because the tower house is closed and there is no direct public transport. Weigh it against the £9.50 ticket.
My honest answer: at £9.50, not on its own. The picture worth taking is the stone arch with the castle behind it, and a few frames of that is the whole prize. You can get it from the gate without paying.
If I were going, I’d fold it into a Hopetoun House tour rather than make the trip for Midhope alone.
Skip it if:
- You want to see inside the tower house.
- You are relying on a bus.
- You have a short port call and no pre-booked transport.
Go if:
- You want to walk the grounds and stand in the courtyard, not just photograph the arch from the gate.
- You are pairing it with Hopetoun House or Blackness for a tour-style Outlander day.
Seeing Midhope Castle With Hopetoun House, Blackness and Culross
Midhope Castle pairs with other Outlander sites around the Firth of Forth. Hopetoun House is a few miles away and needs separate admission, Blackness Castle stands in for Fort William, and Culross is across the Forth. Our guide to Outlander filming locations near South Queensferry shows how to combine them.
Hopetoun House
Hopetoun House is the stately home on the same estate, a few miles from Midhope, and it has its own admission and its own opening times. If I were going to Midhope, I would make it part of a Hopetoun House tour rather than a trip on its own.
Blackness Castle
Blackness Castle stands in for Fort William and is run by Historic Environment Scotland. When I was there in mid-October, three tour coaches were parked up at once.
Culross
Culross is across the Forth in Fife and has its own Outlander guides.
Midhope Castle FAQs
These answers cover the questions visitors ask most about Midhope Castle: whether it is worth visiting, whether anyone lives there, whether you can walk up, and what was filmed. Each answer reflects the Hopetoun Estate’s published information, last checked on 30 October 2026.
Is Midhope Castle worth visiting?
Only if you want to walk the grounds at £9.50. My view: not on its own. Photos of the arch and castle are free from the gate. Skip the ticket for an interior or a bus trip, and pair it with Hopetoun House.
What was filmed at Midhope Castle?
Midhope Castle is Lallybroch, Jamie Fraser’s family home in Outlander. Visitors can walk the drive, archway, courtyard and castle steps, plus a burn walk. The scene-by-scene detail is in the section above.
Can you go inside Midhope Castle?
No. Tickets cover the grounds only. The tower house is derelict and closed inside, so the visit is entirely outdoors: the drive, archway, courtyard, castle steps and the walk along Midhope Burn.
Is Midhope Castle the same as Lallybroch?
Yes. Lallybroch is the fictional name in Outlander, and Midhope Castle is the real tower house on the Hopetoun Estate used to play it. You will also see it searched as Mid Hope Castle or Midhope House.
How much does Midhope Castle cost?
Tickets are £9.50 per person and children under 5 go free, according to Hopetoun Estate. The ticket covers Midhope Castle only, not Hopetoun House. The booking page shows the price once you pick a date.
Is Midhope Castle open in winter or January?
Late 2026 hours are 9am to 2:30pm daily, with closures on set dates in November and December. January is not currently bookable, so confirm with the estate before planning a trip.
Can you reach Midhope Castle by bus?
No. There is no public transport to the gate. Visitors drive, take a tour, or book a taxi that waits for the return, because getting a car back from the gate is difficult.
Does a Hopetoun House ticket include Midhope Castle?
No. Hopetoun House admission is separate from Midhope Castle, and a Midhope ticket does not get you into the house. A joint ticket has been offered from Thursday to Monday, so ask when you book.
Scott Gibson grew up in South Queensferry and runs queensferry.net. The Forth and Edinburgh guides come from lived experience — tender days at Hawes Pier, cruise traffic, the shortcuts into the city. For the wider Scotland cruise ports, he draws on friends in some of the port towns alongside port, operator and transport sources — so the detail holds up on the ground, not just on paper. Clear directions, real timings, no brochure fluff.