Glencoe

When you think about James Bond and Scotland, we immediately think of Skyfall — and of course to this iconic plan in the Glencoe ValleyIn the early morning, in the mist.
This place has been seen, reviewed and reviewed on all social networks since 2012. It is now known far beyond the Bondian sphere, to the point of having its own mention on Google Maps. So we're far from exclusivity!

At the beginning of the afternoon in the region, we first took advantage of the grand show what offer Glencoe.
LA82 — seen in two planes of the film — is the main traffic axis through the Highlands. It leads to the western islands, in particularisland Skye. It is therefore quite naturally by this road that we arrived.

Glencoe seduces travelers from around the world with its Gross authenticity and its hiking trails offering breathtaking views. I mean, we knew we wouldn't be alone... Moreover, this was the only time that we were bothered by the region's overtourism during our equipped Bondian.

Nestled in the heart of the Highlands, the Glencoe Valley is one of Scotland's most spectacular landscapes. Its mountains, its mystical fogs and its lochs make it one true natural cinema plateau. Symbolic productions like Harry Potter (Hagrid cabin), Highlander or Braveheart There found the perfect dramatic atmosphere for their most intense scenes.

We first tried to avoid traffic to reproduce the plane where we see itAston Martin DB5 heading to the Highlands, close to Kings House Hotel.
Then we parked on one of the small time-limited tourist parks to take out the drone and recreate the air plans of the DB5 heading towards Skyfall — Actually to Glencoe.

After about 30 minutes of flight, we took the car back and turned to Glen Summer, looking for the iconic plan... No need for GPS: just track traffic!

On our way, we passed a few hundred meters from the Dalness mansion, a historic home formerly belonging to the family ofIan Fleming. Located in the heart of Glen Etive, it would have inspired the screenwriter of the film "Skyfall Lodge".

The shooting in Glencoe and Glen Etive took place over several days, between the 30 October and 2 November 2011, with a reduced team for outdoor catches of the road and landscapes. The teams shot very early in the morning, in cold and foggy conditions typical of October in the Highlands, in order to obtain the diffuse light characteristic of the film. The roads were partially closed during the shooting, under the supervision of the local authorities.

Arriving on site after about fifteen minutes of drive, we were a little disappointed to see that there were many people. Only secondary plans could be photographed. As soon as we thought we could make a photo without a car... a new one came, not to mention the number of passersby and hikers. — Hell.

We finally decided to Retrying our chance back And so we continued our journey for another 15 minutes until the last shots of the sequence: the aerial views where we see the DB5 turn towards Skyfall.
The region is a large area of logging and many cultivated forests are still exploited. Unfortunately, the spot on the screen has changed dramatically: there is now a fence and a road leading to farms on the heights. I have deliberately tightened up some photos to be closer to the film, but other larger ones allow for better reporting.

Last stop: one promotional plan never photographed, right after, on the little bridge that Bond and M borrow.

As you know, the rest of the sequence « Scottish » — with the famous Skyfall mansion — was shot at Hankley Common, in Surrey, south of England (see article), on a vast terrain allowing with more flexibility the monumental destruction of Bond's family mansion.
Finally, it should be noted that another Scottish castle served as inspiration for the film team: Duntrune Castle, recognizable to its monumental deer. This one is very close to Crinan, starting point of our cruise on the traces of From Russia with Love (see article).

On the way back, after a nice picnic sheltered from the midges, we stopped again on the mythical spot.
Much less people this time — and we have finally been able to achieve quite convincing plans.

In conclusion, I remained a little hungry at the end of this day. No doubt because the place was completely rinsed by the community, and there was no real challenge anymore. But happy to have done it: drone plans were clearly the most fun to achieve.

Sources

• Googlemaps
• Facebook Uwe Brosamle: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064745646777

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)