From Croatia to Iceland, Game of Thrones, HBO’s fantasy epic, showcases some of the most beautiful travel spots in the world.
Out of all the stunning scenes though, our favourites have always been the ones a little closer to home. Many Game of Thrones locations were shot right here in the UK, in Northern Ireland and Scotland. Thanks to the GoT Wiki’s fantastic list of filming spots, we can see exactly where the magic was brought to life.
So, if you are planning a tour in the UK, take a look at our top five UK Game of Thrones filming locations. And, as always, keep an eye out for dragons on the horizon.
Magheramorne Quarry (County Antrim, Northern Ireland)
For me personally, the wall has to be the most striking of all the GoT locations. Watching the members of the Nightwatch stare out across the barren wastelands of The North captured the imagination of audiences the world over.
That’s why Magheramorne’s quarry is at the top of my list. Not only is it the real-world home of both the Wall (with a drop of CGI!) and Castle Black, but it was also used during sequences in the epic battles of Hardhome and Blackwater Bay.
The Dark Hedges of Armoy (County Antrim, Northern Ireland)
With a name like ‘The Dark Hedges’, it’s no surprise that this unbelievable location was snapped up for our fantasy epic. Used as a location for Ned and Arya’s scenes on the King’s Road, the Hedges is a country road encircled by a line of beech trees on either side. The trees themselves were planted by the Stuart family over 200 years ago. Take a stroll down this road and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d fallen into a fantasy world of your own.
Doune Castle (Stirling, Central Scotland)
When GRR Martin first imagined the islands of Westeros he based them around his own vision of Roman Britain. It’s fitting then, that HBO takes Duone Castle as the inspiration for Winterfell – the home of the Stark family. This stunning medieval stronghold was used for several exterior shots of Winterfell, as well as interior shots of the great feast when Robert Baratheon arrives to visit Ned.
Tollymore Forest Park (County Down, Northern Ireland)
Tollymore is worthy of mention for its outstanding natural beauty as much as for its prime-time fame. This beautiful state park, with its stone bridges and ancient hermitage, is the perfect setting for a fantasy adventure of any scale, although you’d be hard-pressed to recognise it from the show alone.
The park has been featured throughout the series as the ‘generic wooded area somewhere in Westeros’. Tollymore was where the Stark children originally found their six Direwolf pups, as well as where the three Nightwatchmen were massacred by Whitewalkers during the show’s prologue.
Downhill Strand (County Londonderry, Northern Ireland)
Our final location served as the exterior of Dragonstone – the beach location where we are first introduced to Stannis Baratheon and his Red Priestess, Melisandre. This gorgeous blue-flag beach perfectly captures the windswept desolation of Dragonstone, as well as the rugged beauty of Ireland itself. It’s the perfect place to wave goodbye to your Game of Thrones tour of the UK.
If you’re interested in discovering more amazing film locations based in the UK, don’t forget to check out our special Harry Potter Studio Tour London.
