Where Was Braveheart Filmed? Braveheart Filming Locations in Scotland
Braveheart (1995) was filmed in both Scotland and Ireland. The Scottish scenes were shot in the western Highlands: Glen Nevis, beneath Ben Nevis, became William Wallace's home village, and Glen Coe, Loch Leven and the Mamores gave the film its mountain scenery. Most of the battles, including Stirling Bridge, were filmed in Ireland.
Here's where each Scottish scene was filmed, and where to find the real places connected with William Wallace.
- Scotland: Glen Nevis (Wallace's village of "Lanark"), the Mamores, Glen Coe and Loch Leven, near Fort William. A few interiors were filmed in Edinburgh.
- Ireland: most of the battles and castles, including the Battle of Stirling Bridge on the Curragh in County Kildare, and Trim Castle in County Meath as "York".
- The real history: Stirling, with the National Wallace Monument, is the place to go for the real William Wallace. It wasn't a filming location.
- Released1995Won five Oscars, including Best Picture
- Filmed1994About five weeks in Scotland
- Wallace's villageGlen NevisNear Fort William
- Battle of Stirling BridgeFilmed in IrelandOn the Curragh, County Kildare
- Real battle siteStirling11 September 1297
- See it with usLoch Ness day tripVia Fort William and Glencoe
Braveheart filming locations in Scotland
The production planned about five weeks of filming in Scotland and the rest in Ireland. Most of the Scottish scenes were filmed around Fort William, in some of the most dramatic mountain country in Britain.
Glen Nevis: Wallace's village of "Lanark"
Glen Nevis, at the foot of Ben Nevis, is where the film's early scenes were shot. A village set was built in the glen to stand in for Lanark, where the young William Wallace grows up. The set is long gone, but the glen is still one of the most beautiful in the Highlands, with walks to Steall Falls and views of Britain's highest mountain.
Glen Nevis has its own history too. Dun Deardail, an Iron Age hill fort, stands above the glen, and the land once belonged to Clan Cameron. Our Ben Nevis guide and Fort William guide have more on the area.
The Mamores
The Mamores, the mountain range between Glen Nevis and Loch Leven, appear as Wallace crosses the Highlands on foot.
Glen Coe and Loch Leven
Glen Coe and nearby Loch Leven provided sweeping Highland landscapes for the film. Glen Coe has appeared in many films since, from Skyfall to Harry Potter, and it's also the site of the 1692 Massacre of Glencoe, when government soldiers killed members of Clan MacDonald who had given them shelter. Our Glencoe guide tells that story.
Edinburgh
A few interior scenes were filmed in Edinburgh, in a historic council chamber on the High Street.
Our Loch Ness day trip from Edinburgh travels back through the Great Glen past Fort William and Ben Nevis, then into Glen Coe. Our 2-Day Highland Tour spends a night in Fort William, close to Glen Nevis (accommodation not included).
Why was so much of Braveheart filmed in Ireland?
Braveheart was originally meant to be filmed in Britain, but most of the shoot moved to Ireland after the Irish government offered around 1,600 members of the Irish Army Reserve as extras. That made the huge battle scenes possible.
- The Curragh, County Kildare: the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
- Trim Castle, County Meath: the English town of York, and a London square.
- Ballymore Eustace, County Kildare: the Battle of Falkirk.
- Wicklow Mountains: the English stockade.
The real William Wallace: places to visit in Scotland
Braveheart takes plenty of liberties with history, but the real story of William Wallace is well worth following. These are the places to go. Our William Wallace guide has the full story.
Stirling and the National Wallace Monument
On 11 September 1297, Wallace and Andrew Moray defeated a much larger English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, trapping it as it crossed the narrow bridge over the River Forth. (There's no bridge in the film's version of the battle.) The National Wallace Monument, a Victorian tower on Abbey Craig, looks over the battle site and holds a sword said to have been Wallace's.
Stirling Castle, on its rock above the town, is where the Stewart kings later held court. It wasn't a Braveheart filming location, but it's at the heart of Scotland's Wars of Independence. Our Stirling Castle tour from Edinburgh gives you time in the Royal Palace and Great Hall (admission paid separately).
Elderslie and Lanark
Wallace is thought to have been born in Elderslie, near Paisley, where a memorial now stands. The real town of Lanark is where his rising began in 1297, after the killing of the English sheriff there.
Falkirk
In 1298, Wallace's army was defeated by Edward I at the Battle of Falkirk. He was captured in 1305 and executed in London.
Braveheart: fact or fiction?
| In the film | In real life |
|---|---|
| The Battle of Stirling Bridge is fought on an open field. | The bridge was the key to the Scottish victory. |
| Wallace and his men wear belted plaids (kilts). | Those came into use centuries later, in the 1500s. |
| Wallace has a romance with Princess Isabella. | Isabella was a child in France at the time, and they never met. |
| Robert the Bruce betrays Wallace at Falkirk. | There's no evidence of that. Bruce went on to win at Bannockburn in 1314. |
For the real Robert the Bruce story, see our guide to the Battle of Bannockburn.
Tours through Braveheart's Scotland
These small-group tours take you past the Braveheart filming locations around Fort William and Glen Coe, or to Stirling, the heart of the real Wallace story. They aren't dedicated film tours, so the exact stops follow each tour's itinerary. Never more than 16 travellers.
Loch Ness Day Trip from EdinburghThe Highlands, Fort Augustus on Loch Ness, Glencoe and Loch Lomond in one guided day.From £96 pp50% depositView tour →
Stirling Castle Tour from EdinburghThe Royal Palace, Loch Lomond, Glengoyne distillery and the Kelpies.From £92 pp50% depositView tour →
Glencoe Day Trip from GlasgowLoch Lomond, the Three Sisters, a Glencoe Lochan walk and Rannoch Moor.From £88 pp50% depositView tour →See all our filming location tours, or plan a private tour around the Braveheart and Wallace sites.
Braveheart FAQs
Where was Braveheart filmed?
In Scotland and Ireland. The Scottish scenes were filmed in Glen Nevis, the Mamores, Glen Coe and Loch Leven near Fort William, plus a few interiors in Edinburgh. Most of the battle scenes were filmed in Ireland.
Was Braveheart filmed in Scotland?
Partly. About five weeks of filming took place in Scotland, around Fort William and Glen Coe. The rest, including most of the battles, was filmed in Ireland.
Where was the Battle of Stirling Bridge filmed?
On the Curragh, a large open plain in County Kildare, Ireland. The real battle was fought at Stirling in 1297.
Where was Wallace's village in Braveheart?
The village of "Lanark" was a set built in Glen Nevis, near Fort William. It's no longer there.
Can you visit the Braveheart locations?
Yes. Glen Nevis and Glen Coe are open landscapes you can walk and drive through. For the real history, visit Stirling and the National Wallace Monument.
Is Braveheart historically accurate?
Not very. The broad story of Wallace's rising is real, but the film changes a lot, from the missing bridge at Stirling to the kilts and Wallace's romance with Princess Isabella.
More Scottish filming locations
Last updated September 2026 by the Scotland's Wild team.
