Live and Let Drive: Our Guide to James Bond Motorhome Locations in Scotland

Ah, Mr Bond… we’ve been expecting to write a blog about you… Mention “James Bond” to most people and they’ll immediately think of the popular series of spy films based on Ian Fleming’s books. The author’s iconic character was suave and sophisticated, circumnavigating the world fighting sinister powers on behalf of the British government. The glamorous locations featured in the films have included Venice, Jamaica, Italy, the Alps, Shanghai and Brazil – plus our very own Scotland…

Yes, the rugged beauty of our magnificent country has played a surprisingly important role in the legend of 007, including a handful of the most iconic scenes in Bond’s history and some character backstory for true aficionados, plus connections to the actors and creators behind the series. In this edition of our blog, we’ll explore the Scottish filming locations that have become part of Bond lore, and put together a James Bond-themed motorhome tour. Here, then, is your licence to thrill trips in Scotland…

The original James Bond and Scotland

Though Bond is the quintessential British secret agent his ties to Scotland run deep – and that’s in both fiction and reality.

Sean Connery: For many the Scottish actor Sean Connery is ‘the’ James Bond. He was the first actor to play that character as far as cinema goes (though, in fact, the third overall as there’d previously been a TV adaptation in 1954 and a radio adaptation in 1955. Incidentally, the latter starred Bob Holness, later to become presenter of cult TV quiz show Blockbusters).

It was Connery, however, who first truly embodied Ian Fleming’s iconic character in the general public’s consciousness. His unique portrayal of James Bond defined the films, establishing the cinematic franchise as a world success with titles such as Dr No, From Russia With Love, Diamonds Are Forever and the all-time classic Goldfinger. He played the secret agent in a total of six films.

Connery himself was born at the Edinburgh Royal Maternity Hospital at 79 Lauriston Place, EH3 9HY (which has since closed down and is now a hotel), and spent his childhood living at 176 Fountainbridge. The tenement block was demolished in the 1960s and a new development eventually built in its place – but, to honour Connery’s first home, a plaque was mounted just yards from where it once stood. Connery himself unveiled the plaque in a public ceremony in 2010, and it can be seen close to EH3 9RX.

Connery was granted the ‘freedom of the city’ in a reception and civic dinner at the Balmoral Hotel in 1991 (EH2 2EQ), was Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at a special ceremony at the Palace Of Holyrood House (EH8 8DX) in 2010 and, following his death ten years later, a portion of his ashes were scattered by his family at three ‘secret locations’ around Scotland. These are highly likely to have included St Andrew’s, the world famous Scottish golf course (KY16 9JB), because Connery was a member of the club and his wife believed he was happiest when playing there.

James Bond himself in Scotland

Much of the previous section discussed places around the city of Edinburgh, and it’s worth noting that the fictional character James Bond attended the non-fictional Fettes College (EH4 1QX), a private boarding and day school in the Craigleith area of the city. This is considered one of the world’s top 150 private schools, and Connery went there too – but only as a milkman! In a strange twist, before he went into acting he worked delivering milk around Edinburgh, and one of his stops was Fettes.

After the death of James Bond’s parents in a climbing accident, he spent his formative years in his ancestral home of Skyfall, located in the Scottish Highlands. Author Ian Fleming’s decision to make Bond half-Scottish came after he was impressed by Sean Connery’s performance in the first film Dr No in 1962. In subsequent novels, particularly You Only Live Twice, Fleming fleshed out the James Bond backstory, making him the son of a Scottish father from Glencoe. This adds an extra layer of meaning to Bond’s return to Scotland – in Skyfall – where he confronts his past in a rugged wilderness.

Skyfall

The Scottish Highlands’ untamed wilderness serves as something of a symbol of Bond’s resilience. Glen Etive, near Glen Coe, is perhaps the most famous Scottish location used in a James Bond film. In the 2021 film Skyfall, this striking valley is where Bond takes his secret service handler M as they drive toward his childhood home. Although the climactic action sequence at Skyfall Lodge was filmed around a prop house specially constructed on Hankley Common in Surrey (with CGI used to add background mountains from Glen Etive, including the spectacular Buachaille Etive Mòr), the actual Scottish location is a popular draw for Daniel Craig era Bond fans – with its mist-shrouded landscape mirroring the brooding film: tense, emotional and personal.

With little more than a single-track road running through it, you can park up and walk along the valley’s winding trails, and photograph the breathtaking mountains of this integral James Bond location. For your ultimate Bond experience, drive along the same road as 007 and M. The turn-off for Glen Etive is on the A82, a couple of miles south of Glen Coe Village, and is signposted shortly after the Kingshouse Hotel (if travelling from the north) or after the Glen Coe Mountain Resort (if coming from the south). A popular spot to stop for Bond-related photos of Buachaille Etive Mòr is the viewing spot at Ballachulish (PH49 4HX).

The wider Glen Coe area is well-suited for motorhomers, with multiple campsites and parking spots where you can settle in for a night under the stars.

From Russia With Love

Scotland’s rugged coastline has also served as a setting for intense underwater sequences in the James Bond series. One such location is Loch Craignish, which appeared in the Sean Connery era film From Russia with Love in 1963. In the film Bond confronts agents from SPECTRE in a thrilling boat chase, and this quiet loch provided the perfect backdrop as a counterpoint for the intense action-packed scene. This memorable sequence was filmed around Crinan Harbour (PA31 8SS).

The Spy Who Loved Me

The naval base where Bond, in 1977 Roger Moore era film The Spy Who Loved Me, is briefed on submarines is HMNB Clyde, aka Faslane Naval Base, located around five miles northwest of Helensburgh, along Gare Loch, north of the Firth of Clyde in Argyll and Bute (G84 0EH). Originally built during World War II, the base at Faslane is the largest military facility in the country and plays a crucial role in defence, housing the UK’s nuclear submarines. As it’s a military nuclear facility, Faslane has been a focal point of controversy, and there has been a permanent ‘peace camp’ established at its entrance since 1982.

The World Is Not Enough

Eilean Donan is another essential stop for any Bond-themed trip through Scotland. This incredibly picturesque medieval castle (IV40 8DX) is perched on an islet in Dornie where three lochs meet, eight miles east of Kyle of Lochalsh on the A87, and is one of our country’s most photographed landmarks. Visitors can tour the castle’s stone halls, enjoy panoramic views over the lochs and immerse themselves in centuries of history. Eilean Donan was built in the early 13th century, and was the stronghold of the Mackenzie clan during the 18th century Jacobite uprising.

Visitors can also enjoy its strong Pierce Brosnan era Bond connection: Eilean Donan is highly recognisable as MI6 HQ at the fictional Castle Thane in the 1999 film The World Is Not Enough. Interestingly, for general film buffs, the castle has also been used in other notable films including Highlander and Monty Python & The Holy Grail.

No Time To Die

The most recent James Bond film to date included a stunning car chase and crash filmed in the Cairngorms National Park. The stunts took place on the estate surrounding Ardeverikie House (PH20 1BX), located on the southern shore of Loch Laggan, and the nearby town of Aviemore was used as the crew’s base for the duration of filming.

No Time To Die was released in 2021 and was Daniel Craig’s last appearance in the role. Although the future of the James Bond franchise seems a little uncertain at this moment in time, the splendour of Scotland endures!

Our country’s incredible landscapes and historic castles have provided the James Bond world with some of its most memorable locations – and its most significant actor. Whether you’re driving through the glens of Skyfall, visiting the castle of The World Is Not Enough or paying homage to the great Sean Connery in Edinburgh, you’ll find plenty of value in a Bond-related motorhome holiday. Enjoy – and, as Shirley Bassey famously sang: “Dicksons Is Forever!”