After more than two hours of walking, with my comrades Thomas and Francisco, from the Loch Laggan, we finally reached the heights of the domain of Ardverikie for a moment totally out of time. Nobody one kilometer round, a beautiful sun and a set of immaculate James Bond Hey! We are the first to rediscover this place. (the card contains voluntarily not these two spots – contact me if necessary)
Bond comes out of the forest – Ardverikie Estate (Highland)
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★★★ (sports)
In my preparatory research, I had failed to find the exact place – I was only 400 meters away! It was thanks to Thomas' flair that we finally located the spot before we left for Scotland. There was still some uncertainty, but also a good confidence.
To reach the place of the sequence where James Bond exited the forest after killing Logan Ash and seeing Safin's helicopter escaping with Madeleine and Mathilde on board, we had to cross a peatland especially delicate... and very wet! It's crazy to think that EON sent Daniel Craig to a place like this.
After about 15 minutes of research, we finally found the angle where the helicopter went away with Madeleine and Mathilde. Everything is exactly like in the movie. It's rare to find yourself in a natural decor as faithful Hey! The light and colours were identical to the screen, the shooting also took place in summer. We enjoy this unique moment by taking beautiful photos.
A little lower, still in the bog, we find the plans where Bond emerges from the forest: everything matches, until the layout of the trees. Magic! This moment of fullness also touched Thomas, proud to see his research confirmed.
We stayed there for a few minutes, exhausted by the hike (we still had two hours to walk!), happy to be the first, after the film team, to tread these places. This may not be the most mythical sequence of the film, but we have taken full advantage of it.
Even lower, we found the little path through which Bond comes out of the forest. The sequence on the screen is longer, probably supplemented by shot shots in the Swinley Forest: a clever installation that makes the illusion perfect.
Nomi recovers Bond – Ardverikie Estate (Highland)
Loyalty: ★★★★ – Access: ★★★ (sports)
After another ten minutes of wet peatland, we found a path leading to the last spot of the day: the arrival of Nomi at the wheel of his Aston Martin DBS Superleggera. Like the rest of the sequence, this shooting took place in July 2019.
On site, for the first time during the stay, a little disappointment : vegetation and some developments have significantly altered the appearance of the land. After walking, and thanks to the promo photos, we finally found the right perspective by going down the path. The place remains perfectly recognizable.
For the anecdote, we had already looked for this spot on a previous trip to England, on the side of Swinley Forest... Based on conflicting information. Of course, we didn't find anything, since the filming did go well in Scotland.
A choice of impressive pressure beers and delicious pizzas at the wood fire (of the very high level!) in a warm and friendly atmosphere.
Surprising detail about this sequence: during the shooting, Nomi had to drive a Aston Martin Valhalla, and not a DBS Superleggera. Pour une raison inconnue, la voiture a été remplacée en post-production par une DBS grâce aux effets numériques. Un choix qui a dû coûter une fortune à la production. D’ailleurs, dans certaines bandes-annonces, la plaque d’immatriculation de la DBS est encore absente.
Pour conclure cette incroyable journée, nous sommes redescendus vers l’entrée principale du domaine, où nous avons enfin croisé un peu de monde. C’est sur cette portion de route goudronnée que les photos de promo avec la Valhalla et la V8 Vantage ont été réalisées. Un lieu facile à trouver, contrairement aux précédents !
Et après une telle journée… quoi de mieux qu’une bière et une pizza ? Ce combo parfait nous attendait à Fort William, au Black Isle Bar. Situé à 40 minutes du Loch Laggan mais seulement à 20 minutes de notre camping, nous n’avons pas regretté le conseil de la gérante. Ambiance familiale et chaleureuse, choix de bières à la pression impressionnant, et pizzas au feu de bois absolument excellentes : l’endroit idéal pour terminer la journée.
Encore merci à Thomas Gleitsmann
• 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/
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)
