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Making Outlander Outlander Restrospective

This post was written by Andree Poppleton

January 27, 2020

Outlander Retrospective – Final Look Behind the Scenes on Season 4

(First posted at outlandercast January 2019)
It’s over for another year! (sob!) The now famous #Droughtlander is upon us, but not until numerous people, including me, have their final two cents‘ worth on OutlanderSeason 4. This week’s post will be a mash-up of sorts as there were no new locations in “Man of Worth.” I have a few ‘orphans’ left, behind-the-scenes pictures that didn’t really fit anywhere. I wasn’t able to place them, so they were either scenes that were cut or scenes that were never made.

Who knows? It’s interesting when you hear the actors and producers talk, and when you see the “deleted scenes” that start to appear, just how much stuff never makes it to in the final show.

First up for me was this little structure, which we saw when we visited Cumbernauld Glen in mid-January 2018. This was the setting for the little cabin that we now know was the Muellers’ cabin. Being a book reader, of course I imagined the story line of the time when Jamie hurts his back, is immobilised with pain, and Claire ventures out into a snowstorm to rescue him (reckless woman!). She constructs a little shelter over the top of him with hemlock boughs to keep them from freezing, and luckily Jamie discovers that he is able to attempt certain rhythmic warming activities.

Alas, that was one of the gorgeous, sexy, romantic, funny and adventurous scenes they chose not to show. But, maybe they were thinking about it? Or maybe they shot it and discarded it. We may never know. Maybe it will come up in deleted scenes? It also made me realise that we never saw Fraser’s Ridge in the snow. Perhaps next season?

In January 2018, I was in Falkland to watch the Inverness scenes where Roger searches for Brianna and discovers she has gone through the stones. Later that same day there was some Outlander action at a big barn near Falkland. I met intrepid fan Tanya Geekie and her daughter Caitlyn there, and they waited patiently (I wasn’t so patient) for Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe to appear after the filming.

Tanya and I have waited the whole series to figure out what was going on there that day, where we could fit the pictures into my posts. But we never figured it out. It was absolutely freezing cold and Caitriona made a funny tweet at the time.

I asked Sam about it on his #asksam twitter Q & A after the finale but didn’t get a reply. Again, a mystery. But Tanya and Caitlyn were happy to meet up with the stars, who were friendly and gracious as usual.

Tanya was also on the spot at another location down a country lane in Crieff. Her eagle eyes spotted a notice about a car park closure and she took a chance and found the locality. Again, Sam and Caitriona generously hopped out of their cars for a meet and greet, some selfies and some autographs. Tanya is hoping for a hat trick of pics with Sam Heughan during Season 5 filming.

Looking back over my Outlandish year a few things that stand out. The lovely fans I met and friends I made — Outlander seems to have that effect on people. Even though, in the end, it is just books and a TV show people seem to rally round and have a sense of camaraderie in their response to this wonderful saga that touches us all in different ways.

My dear friend Morag and her husband Sandy, gave me the royal treatment and took me to so many Outlander locations, traipsing around the countryside with me. We went to World Outlander day in Falkland pretty soon after I arrived in Scotland.

Gary Dempster was introduced to me by fellow Outlander Cast writer Anne Gavin. Gary accompanied me on Outlander expeditions in all weathers and took the most amazing pictures. We landed in Dunure for a reccie ahead of the filming.

Crafty Christine Lewis who I first met at the Outlander convention in Blackpool England and who now helps me so much from across the seas. A relentless researcher with her finger on the Outlander pulse, she has sent me (us) on more than one wild goose chase but they’ve always been fun.

Linda Reynolds and her husband Brian were such a fun couple of Outlander fans who I met a few times and still keep in touch with as they gear up to follow the Outlander trail in 2019. Linda got up close and personal with Sam Heughan in Glasgow, a dream come true.

I don’t have photos of my other contributors but they are:

Matthew Fairley who I met at Cumbernauld Glen and who shared so many great pics with me.

Kevin who was a relentless Outlander tracker and shared some great pics and videos with me.

Papa Bob, a pseudonym, but she knows who she is (wink!). Papa Bob was the first to see Murtagh on location … scoop!!

and Susanne Evans who sent me those great pics of the Mohawk Village.

Snaphammy photography shared some great close-up pics of Fraser’s Ridge and the Highland gathering at Pollok Park.

Nicole Boyle was on the spot when River Run was under construction.

Carol Murray happened to be passing by when the riverboat scenes were being shot in the car park at the Outlander studios in Cumbernauld.

Kevin Ashe noticed some strange goings-on at his local park in Polmont and got some great pics of the preparation and the filming of the graveyard scene … and a night time sighting of Rollo on set.

Cynthia Shultz and Annika Neumann were there at Newhailes House when the scenes with Sam Heughan and Tim Downie aka Governor Tryon were being filmed.

Chloe Christine Toye was at Cumbernauld Glen and captured a great picture showing the detail of John Bell’s costume while he was coming up for a break.

For their wonderful images of the filming at Culross, Julie Windmill, Lee Jenkins and local photographer Graham Harris Graham. When visiting Culross you can call in at Grahams studio where you’ll see many images with an Outlander twist.

Fiona Hendrie was on the spot when the Quincy Myers camp was being set up at Beecraigs Country Park, and we had a habit of bumping into each other at several filming locations – a keen fan there!

And finally, the four women who can give you your own Outlander experiences when you visit Scotland. Each of them shared really great pictures of Outlander filming with me.

Sam Thomson and her husband run Edinburgh Tour Guides and they provide all sorts of great Outlander-related tours.

Angela Gourlay runs the delightful B & B Parkhead House inside the grounds of Hopetoun House. She was there when the grounds of Abercorn Church were being prepared for the scene where Bree kneels at Frank’s grave.

Pauline Duncan runs the Northlands B&B at Pitlochry, the ideal place to stay when you’re checking out Faskally Forest, the location of the Mohawk Village.

And last but not least Mary Mackay of River Edge Lodges near Perth, where you may be able to stay in the lodge where Bree and Roger didn’t have sex.

And thanks to you for reading throughout the series. Hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed going to the locations, meeting all those lovely people and putting together the posts.

What was your favourite location in Outlander Season 4?

Making Outlander Outlander Restrospective

This post was written by Andree Poppleton

January 27, 2020

Outlander Retrospective – Behind the Scenes in Episode 412, ‘Providence’

(First posted at outlandercast in January 2019)
I reckon that when Claire gets her eyes and surgeon’s hands on Roger next week her diagnosis will be fractured clavicle. #PoorRoger. He is having a VERY difficult time and we are all hoping for a miracle next week.

In this week’s emotion-packed Outlander episode 412 we saw four locations: River Run, Wilmington, the Mohawk Village and the forest scenes with Claire, Jamie and Ian on their quest to locate Roger. With my #BTS radar and enjoyment of all things that go on in the background to make the show, I was thrilled to see Barry Waldo’s posts on Instagram this week. He showed us the inside set that Gary Steele and his team created for River Run. Who knew that the verandah was created on a stage complete with a painted backdrop of the view out to the river. Wow! Couldn’t resist adding those here as they are so interesting.

The scenes with our intrepid threesome searching for Roger — and that heart-rending voiceover by Jamie — were filmed at Cumbernauld Glen on that sunny day when we watched the filming last May. Matthew Fairley spotted the three weaving in and out of the trees on horseback.

And for Wilmington, here are a few more shots from Matthew from his recent visit to the site, as well as a couple of aerial shots of the “town.”

I saw on social media that someone has dubbed Fergus and Marsali, the 18^thcentury Bonnie and Clyde! Hope we’ll see them arrive to settle at the Ridge before the show ends.

The most exciting and traumatic scenes this week were in the Mohawk Village, Shadow Lake. Back to Faskally Woodnear Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands.

A most magnificent part of the world. The day we were there, a beautiful summer’s day in June, we could not see much, as filming was underway. We had a lovely walk in the forest and by the water’s edge, though.

When we walked down to get a view up towards the village over the loch, we met some folk who were staying in a holiday park at the edge of the loch. One bloke told us a story of the night before when he had gone to the local pub and ”it was full of Indians,” he said! He and his friends had no idea what to make of that.

On the days before we were there, Matthew, Susanne Evans and Pauline Duncan (of Northlands B and B in Pitlochry) each went and got some amazing close-ups of the village dwellings, including fabulous details of the interiors, with the sleeping platforms and all the minutia of village life. Skins, dear carcass, fish drying — what a set up! It was like actually traveling to another world and time.

Have these guys thought of a theme park? Surely “Outlander World” would draw some big crowds?

At this point who can predict what will happen in the last episode? Even for book readers its tricky to know how they are going to close the show. We’ve heard it will be some kind of cliff hanger so we will wait patiently for “Man of Worth.” See you then.

Thanks to my contributors this week: Matthew Fairley, Susanne Evans and Pauline Duncan.

Andrée has been an Outlander fan since December 2015 when she took a friend’s advice to watch this “great show.” Well that was great advice and since then she has travelled from Australia to Scotland twice and spent lots of time checking out the Outlander action. You can follow Andrée on twitter @andree.poppleton and Instagram @AndreePoppleton for more Outlander action.

Making Outlander Outlander Restrospective

This post was written by Andree Poppleton

January 27, 2020

Outlander Retrospective – Behind the Scenes in Episode 411, ‘If Not For Hope’

(First posted at outlandercast January 2019)
‘If Not For Hope’ showed us the beginnings of the search for Roger, and the trials and tribulations of Brianna trying not to get married at River Run. Lord John to the rescue, though! Lovely to see David Berry back on our screens again as well more scenes in Wilmington with Murtagh and Fergus plotting the demise of Mr. Bonnet.

Intrepid local fan Matthew Fairley has shared some pictures with me from his recent forays to “River Run” and “Wilmington.” Interesting to see that the blue screens have been removed at River Run – perhaps because of the harsh winter weather?

Wilmington is interesting because it’s actually just the facade of buildings and an intersection of two ‘streets’. They must use all sorts of different angles and perspectives in filming to give us the impression of a bustling township.

Looks like they also store some of the Indian dwellings there.

I was very happy to spot the clothing our travelling threesome were wearing in part one of ‘Where’s Roger.’ The scene where Ian asks the Cherokee to interpret the necklace/talisman that he got from the Mohawk in exchange for Roger – that clothing let me know that this was a day my friend, Morag, and I were there for the filming at Cumbernauld Glen, near Glasgow and very close to the Outlander studios. It was also the day we met the keen young fan/photographer Matthew Fairley, who has since shared so many of his great pictures with me for you to see.

When we arrived, the animals were awaiting their cue, and Morag got up close and personal with Rollo (she has a way with dogs).

It was a beautiful, very warm and sunny day (slightly un-Scottish) and there were lots of fans about to catch a bit of the action.

At Cumbernauld Glen, the action takes place down near the river and the spectators are kept at a good distance. You can catch glimpses
of the action, but its mostly about meeting the actors when they come up for air on a break.

Chloe Christina Toye captured some of the wonderful details of the costumes as the actors were on break.

And, as usual they were happy to stop and chat, jump in on selfies and sign autographs.

It was such a lovely day, everyone was cheerful and it was altogether a really pleasurable experience. And did I mention it was also my lucky day? Only a few weeks before I was leaving Scotland and I was hoping to get my book signed by Sam Heughan. BOOM! That happened, plus a wee picture with Ms Balfe. Smiles all round for me.

We see Roger arriving at the Mohawk Village at the end of the show, and coming in for yet more physical punishment. The catch cry and hashtag of choice lately seems to be #PoorRoger. These scenes were filmed at Faskally Wood near the beautiful highlands village of Pitlochry. This was a tricky location for spectators. It was not possible to see any of the filming, which was deep in the woods. The day we went there, we skirted around the action and caught a couple of glimpses.

Other fans were fortunate to go there on days before the filming and got lots of interesting pictures inside the village.

Matthew went there, as so did Susanne Evans and Pauline Duncan. She runs the Northlands B & B at Pitlochry, a handy place to stay maybe while you‘re on some Oultandish expeditions? I’ll save the more detailed pictures for next week in “Providence,” when no doubt we will go deeper into Roger’s ordeal at the hands of the Mohawk #PoorRoger.

Finally, here is a fabulous behind-the-scenes video of Roger’s arrival at the village from Steadicam and Camera operator Michael Carstensen, shared on Instagram:

Thanks again to my contributors this week: Chloe Christina Toye, Matthew Fairley, Susanne Evans, Morag Wrightand Pauline Duncan. See you next week in Providence!

Tag: Matthew Fairley

Outlander Retrospective – Final Look Behind the Scenes on Season 4

Outlander Retrospective – Behind the Scenes in Episode 412, ‘Providence’

Outlander Retrospective – Behind the Scenes in Episode 411, ‘If Not For Hope’