The Isle of Skye represents, for me at least, everything that travellers are seeking when they choose to visit Scotland. Vast, untouched landscapes with waterfalls flowing down burnt orange mountains like lava, Norse forts that have been transformed into well-preserved Medieval castles and the likeliness of spotting seals, red deer and Highland coos being all but a sure thing. It’s surprising that there aren’t more Isle of Skye filming locations.
It’s unfortunate, but the logistics and remoteness of the island probably outweigh the cinematic good looks of the mystical, mist-covered mountains and brightly coloured fishing villages. Which sucks because the Isle of Skye is a stunningly attractive place. But I suppose the films that did make the effort to hunt down those epic, Hollywood-worthy backdrops on the Hebridean island are all the more special.
If you’re taking an Isle of Skye tour whilst you’re travelling in Scotland and you’re also a film fan, there are eight amazing Isle of Skye filming locations you should witness for yourself. And, more often than not, these are all fantastic places you should be visiting on the Isle of Skye anyway!
Isle of Skye Filming Locations
1. Broadford Aerodrome as seen in Flash Gordon (1980)
Where: Ashaig
The first film on the list also offers the most obscure Isle of Skye filming location! I’ve never seen the infamous British space opera starring notable English actors Brian Blessed and Timothy Dalton with a soundtrack by Queen, but I love that it shot some scenes on Skye. Albeit some very, very brief scenes.
Flash Gordon is about an American football star and a travel agent who become wrapped up in a space feud when they are enlisted by Dr Hans Zarkov to help him stop the extraterrestrial attacks on earth. The scenes on the Isle of Skye take place at the very beginning of the film when Flash and the travel agent, Dale Arden, board a small plane. Flash Gordon used Broadford Aerodrome on the Isle of Skye for this scene. I really love that Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane’s first role was as ‘Man at Airfield’ (see photo below!).
Why did they shoot at Broadford Aerodrome when no other scenes were shot near the Isle of Skye? Were there no other small airfields more conveniently located in the UK? Who knows! It makes no sense and that’s why it’s great!
2. Cuillin Hills as seen in Highlander (1986)
Where: Sgùrr Alasdair, IV49 9AN
This is a bit more like it. The action-adventure film Highlander is definitely more like the kind of film you expect to have shot scenes on the Isle of Skye.
Highlander is not an amazing film, but it’s fun and has spawned so many sequels and a bit of a cult following. Probably because of the absolutely bonkers storyline. Connor MacLeod AKA Highlander is an immortal warrior who completes his warrior training in 1536 in the Scottish Highlands. He can only be killed via decapitation and the other immortal warriors want to kill off each other in order to gain the ability to enslave the human race. So, he has to learn the ways of the immortals to defend himself. Because, if you didn’t know the film’s tagline already, “there can only be one.”
The Isle of Skye filming locations in Highlander feature at the beginning of the film. This is when Connor MacLeod is kilt-deep in a training montage with fellow immortal Juan Sánchez-Villalobos Ramírez (played by Sean Connery). There’s a fantastic sweeping shot of them both sword fighting on a rock in the Cuillin Hills/Black Cuillin mountain range on the Isle of Skye, situated in the south of the island. I also love that the protagonist’s last name is ‘MacLeod’ because this clan name originates in this part of Scotland.
Seeing the Cuillin Hills is one of the top things to do on the Isle of Skye, so visiting them is a win-win for film fans!
3. The Fairy Glen as seen in Stardust (2007)
Where: Uig
I think this is my favourite Isle of Skye location! The Fairy Glen is super close to where I worked on the Isle of Skye for a month in the village of Uig and walked out to it at least four times. It’s an easy stroll and 100% worth visiting whilst you’re on the Isle of Skye in Scotland.
The Fairy Glen is made up of a series of petite, conical hills with ridges caused by small landslips. They’re surrounded by tiny lochs (called lochans I think?! Maybe? They’re probably just ponds) and Castle Ewen so it’s just a mystical-looking place. Sadly, no fairies have actually been spotted in this area.
But there’s no wondering why a magical film like Stardust would choose to shoot scenes at The Fairy Glen. The English village of Wall resides on a border to the magical Kingdom of Stormhold. When a Fallen Star crash lands in Stormhold, a witch named Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) searches for her in order to rip out her heart and regain her youth. Whilst on her journeys, Lamia bumps into another witch named Ditchwater Sal and her yellow caravan at The Fairy Glen.
If you only watch one film set on the Isle of Skye, make it this one. It’s a family-friendly fantasy adventure movie and it’s actually pretty good and has loads of phenomenal actors and even more phenomenal filming locations.
The Fairy Glen isn’t the only filming location on the Isle of Skye that Stardust utilised. Keep reading to find out which other shooting location featured in the film…
4. Pier Hotel in Portree as seen in Made of Honor (2008)
Where: Quay Street, Portree, IV51 9DE
I think I’ve actually seen Made of Honor many moons ago but maybe I shouldn’t admit that. I’m almost certain it’s an appalling film though I can’t really remember it that well. And I love romcoms more than most people!
I just prefer, you know, good ones.
The premise of the film is pretty straightforward: self-confessed ladies man Tom (played by Patrick Dempsey) is in love with his best friend, Hannah. And just when he realises his feelings, she announces her engagement to a wealthy Scottish man. She asks him to be her maid of honour and he accepts with the intention of spending more time with her and hoping she will fall in love with him.
The scenes set in Scotland are as cringey as you would expect of Hollywood. The wedding takes place at the ultra-famous Eilean Donan Castle (give me strength) which isn’t far from Skye in the village of Kyle of Lochalsh. Hannah’s hen party is at the Pier Hotel which is in Skye’s main town of Portree, on this colourful strip of buildings on the harbour. I do quite like how this tiny little fishing village is a filming location for Made of Honor. Like, what?!
If you’re visiting the Isle of Skye, you’re likely to pass through or stay in Portree.
5. Dunvegan Castle as seen in Made of Honor (2008)
Where: MacLeod Estate, Dunvegan House, Dunvegan, IV55 8WF
Another filming location on the Isle of Skye and a tourist hotspot is Dunvegan Castle. It’s the most important castle on the Isle of Skye and the ancestral home of Clan MacLeod, dating back to the 13th century. But the bulk of the castle that exists today was rebuilt in the 18th century. It’s located in a gorgeous part of the island on a rock overlooking the sea and is open during the high season April-October.
It also had the great honour of appearing as a second Isle of Skye filming location in Made of Honor. The castle grounds are where the incredibly weird Highland Games-style event happens that Tom must take part in.
You can see a still from the ‘Highland Games’ scene below and it offers more questions than it answers. Why is he wearing a tartan mini skirt? He’s wearing the appropriate shirt but could no one find him a proper kilt?! Is performing an odd Celtic dance part of this Hollywood take of the Highland Games?
I’m afraid I might have to actually re-watch Made of Honor to uncover the truth.
6. The Old Man of Storr as seen in Prometheus (2012)
Where: Portree, IV51 9HX
After Made of Honor, the next film to use the Isle of Skye as a filming location couldn’t be more different. Prometheus is the fifth instalment of the Alien franchise and acts as a prequel to the 1979 classic Sci-Fi/Horror movie, Alien.
The Isle of Skye filming locations in Prometheus appear very early on in the movie. Two scientists discover a star map on the Isle of Skye in the year 2089 which prompts an expedition on the spaceship ‘Prometheus’ to follow the map to a distant moon. Prometheus used the rugged, rocky terrain of The Old Man of Storr (a geological formation on top of The Storr) as the backdrop for this discovery.
The Old Man of Storr is an ideal short hike if you have limited time on the Isle of Skye. The walk is mainly uphill, but there’s a car park right at the bottom of the well-trodden path. If you don’t stop to take photos, you could be at the top within 40 minutes and it’s a great way to spend a morning.
The 1973 British cult classic The Wicker Man also features The Old Man of Storr at the very beginning of the film. This film is set on the fictional Scottish island of ‘Summerisle’ and most of the scenes are shot in Dumfries and Galloway in the Scottish borders. But the opening birds-eye-view shot of ‘Summerisle’ is actually of The Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye. And the harbour that Police Sergeant sails into is Plockton Harbour, a town near Skye on the mainland of Scotland.
Read next:
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7. Neist Point Lighthouse as seen in 47 Ronin (2013)
Where: IV55 8WU
I’m not going to lie, I haven’t seen 47 Ronin because, apparently, it’s awful. And I can’t even find a decent film still of the location in the movie. But they use a bloody gorgeous Isle of Skye landmark in the film so I just had to include it in my list of Isle of Skye filming locations.
From what the internet tells me, 47 Ronin is set in Medieval Japan and is about a warrior named Kai (played by Keanu Reeves) who is tasked with helping the late Lord Asano’s Ronin, who are being forced to live as outcasts, defeat the evil Lord Kira.
The scene that was shot on the Isle of Skye takes place at the epically beautiful Neist Point Lighthouse. It stands in for a graveyard in Japan that appears towards the very end of the film where we pay our respects to the resting place of the 47 Ronin. Apparently. Again, this is what the internet tells me. Neist Point also features in a Lars Von Trier film called Breaking the Waves (1996) starring Emily Watson and Stellen Skarsgard.
It’s one of the most famous lighthouses in Scotland, which won’t shock you. What an absolutely stunning place. And the lighthouse is still in operation!
8. Quiraing as seen in Macbeth (2015) and The BFG (2016) and many, many others
Where: Portree, IV51 9LA
This Isle of Skye filming location is, by far, the most prolific and cinematic location on the island. It’s the Quiraing, ladies and gentlemen. The Quiraing walk is one of the top things to do on the Isle of Skye and it’s also featured in no less than seven Hollywood/major movies. Technically a landslip (it’s still moving!), the Quiraing is a series of geological rock formations that just happen to look incredibly spectacular, too.
The Quiraing has been a filming location of choice for a huge number of films including Stardust (2007), Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), 47 Ronin (2013), Macbeth (2015), The BFG (2016), King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) and Transformers: The Last Knight (2017). And I’m sure there will be others I’ve missed too!
The Quiraing’s unique appearance lends itself well to fantasy productions as well as films set in Scotland that want to show off some just how expansive and rugged the Scottish Highlands are. There’s no better filming location to use than the Quiraing because there is nowhere else quite like it, and nowhere is quite like the Isle of Skye.
And those are the top, epic Isle of Skye filming locations in Scotland! Have you watched any of the films shot on Skye? Or have you visited the Isle of Skye, Scotland? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hey Rebecca, that’s amazing tips for people love to explore the Isle of Skye and you are star!! I have been looking one place to see all film took in Skye and you did it !
Thank you so much for your comment! I’m glad you liked the guide 😀
Thank you Rebecca very illuminating even for someone who lives here!
Aw thanks so much for your comment Alexander, appreciate it!
Hi Rebecca thanks for a very interesting read and very useful too as we are visiting skye tomorrow. I have to disagree on something though….47 Ronin was a great film! You should watch it-really! 😀
Hi Dominic, thank you so much for your comment, I’m glad you liked the post! Haha I’ll have to respectfully disagree, it does not look like a film I would enjoy at all! Life’s too short 😀
Hi Rebecca, just come across your site and it made an interesting read. We are currently staying in Skye on a much needed break and I fancied looking up places on Skye that had been used in films. I read on another site that Coral Beach had been used in Outlaw King. Haven’t watched that yet but will watch Breaking the Waves as we went to Neist Point yesterday. Thanks for the read. V interesting! And great name too Almost Ginger !!! 😂
Hey Sharon, thanks so much for the comment! 😀 Yes it absolutely did, I wrote it on my Outlaw King filming locations post but I’ve just not updated this particular blog post since I wrote it. You are so welcome and thanks haha, I love the name too!