When I prepare a journey in the footsteps of James Bond, there is always a place that motivates me especially: either because it is iconic, or because I love the sequence, or finally, because no one has gone there yet. This last motivation becomes rare as Bond places are famous throughout the world — but We can still find nuggets., especially around the most recent films.
Pattack River – Dalwhinnie (Highland)
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★★☆ (sports)
Since the shooting of No Time To Die, we know that part of the sequence supposed to take place in Norway has been filmed in Scotland, more precisely in the Area of Ardverikie. Loch Laggan approaches have long been documented — In particular thanks to the paparazzi in 2019 but the exact location where Bond, Madeleine and their daughter escaped Safin's men in 4×4, motorcycles and even helicopter remained blurred.
At some sites, mention is made of the Pattack River and the hydraulic dam in the western part of the estate within Cairngorms National Park. This park is the largest national park in the United Kingdom and is home to a quarter of Scotland's native forest. Unfortunately (and fortunately for us because no one had had access to it before) this access, far from the main entrance, forbidden to vehicles, was difficult to reach on foot over long distances. During my more precise searches of the places, I exchanged with my friend Thomas, who had already identified some crucial sites.
We then opted for the Mountain biking to reach the targeted area — Under Scottish legislation granting non-motorised access to natural private areas. Scotland applies the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code, which allow walking, mountain biking or horseback riding on most private lands. Thomas was seduced by the idea: so it was to three that we undertook this exploration. Thanks to his thorough research, we knew that we would not miss anything.
The film crew had set up at Aviemore, about an hour drive north of the estate — local infrastructure is limited.
The part of this sequence taking place in the Cairngorms was shot from July 17 to August 2 A photo of Cary Fukunaga in front of a bridge on the Pattack River published the same day on Instagram confirms the timing of the shooting.
On a beautiful sunny morning, we started our journey of about 1h45 by mountain bike to reach the first shooting places. The course, sporty but perfectly practical, will require a minimum of physical fitness.
We arrived in a splendid valley, with for the first time this feeling of being alone in the world, lost in the wild vastness of the site. We explored the sites in the reverse order of the film sequence following the river. It was also the perfect opportunity to try my new drone First flight, first successful shots!
The remarkable work of Thomas led us to locate precisely all the angles, including that of the famous group photo of the film team.
This is where we rented our bikes: quality equipment at a reasonable price. They even lend helmets! Just think about bringing your repair kit and gourd.
The foreground of this sequence will also be the last one we will capture with the drone: a superb diving view of the northern part of the river.
Tout au long de notre balade, sur les traces de la fameuse Toyota, nous avons découvert de nombreuses modifications apportées au paysage en post-production. Certaines montagnes environnantes ont été subtilement transformées en images de synthèse (CGI) pour leur donner une allure plus « norvégienne ». Ce type de retouche est désormais monnaie courante dans ce genre de production. Nous avons également appris que certaines scènes — notamment l’arrivée des motos depuis la forêt et celle où Bond sort du bois au volant de la Toyota — n’ont pas été tournées ici, mais très probablement dans la Swinley Forest, près d’Ascot, lieu du face-à-face entre Bond et Logan Ash.
Après cette exploration, nous avons regagné nos pas dans un calme presque solennel, heureux de cette parenthèse hors du temps, entièrement dédiée à la recherche de beaux points de vue.
• No Time To Die – The Making Of the film – Mark Salisbury
• Googlemaps
• https://www.commander007.net/2019/bond-25-le-point-sur-le-tournage-5-visite-surprise-en-cosse/
• https://huntingbond.com/no-time-to-die-movie-locations/
This blog shares my travel experiences, from unavoidable destinations to the most original and exclusive places. Each article is the result of careful work and a real time investment. If you use this information elsewhere or for your own adventures, consider citing your sources and thanking – that's what I do myself, and it's always fun.
Julien Abauzit (JaBoz)
