Sam Heughan, who plays everyone’s favorite highlander in Starz’s hit historical drama series, Outlander, has a very special request for fans.
Considering the huge fandom, it comes as no surprise that Scotland is a tourist destination for them. However, with this pilgrimage, also comes some destruction according to Heughan.
Now, he’s asking fans to make sure that they treat the historical locations associated with the TV and book series with respect.
“Hopefully, reading our book or other books, people will understand the history of what happened and treat historic sites with the respect they are due,” Heughan said in a recent interview with The Times.
Fellow cast member, Graham McTavish, also agreed with the sentiment.
“I certainly don’t agree with people taking souvenirs,” McTavish stated. “These places are to be shared by everybody and if you start dismantling them for your own selfish gain, then that’s not helping anybody at all.”
The Culloden Battlefield comes under threat
Probably the most significant place regarding Outlander is Culloden. This location was not only the scene of the actual Battle of Culloden on April 16, 1746, but it was the very event that Jamie (Sam Heughan) and Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) fought so hard to change in the series.
And, according to Town & Country magazine, it is also a place that is often significantly hit with foot traffic regarding Outlander fans.
In fact, the ground in front of Fraser Stone has to be cordoned off during particularly wet weather in order to prevent the area from becoming damaged.
It was this place specifically that Heughan was referring to when he asked people to treat the area with respect. After all, this is not just a film location but a burial site as well.
And for those who are wondering just how many people travel to Scotland merely to visit Outlander locations, the answer is quite a surprise.
“From recent research, we know that one in five people visit Scotland having seen the locations on film or TV — and a high number of those visitors cite Outlander as the inspiration behind their trip,” said Jenni Steele, Film & Creative Industries Manager at VisitScotland, in another interview with Town & Country magazine
Filming is currently underway for Season 6 of Outlander
Along with it being a tourist destination, Scotland is currently also where filming is underway for the upcoming Season 6 of Outlander.
Already, a brand new on-set photo shows Jamie and Claire.
Additional details of a new family scheduled to arrive on Fraser’s Ridge have also arrived. The Christies will bring potential devastation for Jamie and Claire if they follow closely the book storyline.
Finally, Heughan has also had his say on the weather in Scotland of late, saying it has been “pretty horrendous” during production. This means that visitors to Culloden and other Outlander locations should be mindful of the sites.
Season 6 of Outlander will air on the Starz network at a later date.