Outlander: In Search of the Black Kirk

When I was in Culross a couple of weeks ago, I took to opportunity to have a quick shifty round the village and take some pictures of the places that were used to film Outlander.

Job done - let’s go home!

So, imagine my surprise when later, as I was looking for other filming locations that took place in the lovely Kingdom, I read that The Black Kirk was in fact the West Kirk. Also in Culross.

What? Eh? How did I manage to miss that?

Okay - not to worry - I had time to regroup and plan. And Culross is only about 25 minutes or so from my house so it’s not like I was travelling cross country - I would return! Yet I do so enjoy an opportunity to be grumpy at myself for not knowing things before I know them.

Anyway, Culross West Kirk isn’t actually in Culross proper - which is the reason (I tell myself) that I missed it first time round!

It’s not exactly hard to find - it’s on maps and there are roads leading to it. If you can call them roads.

I grew up in the Highlands so I am used to country roads that are barely big enough for one car, let alone two. Or a tractor, or a herd of cows, flock of sheep etc.

I am not, however, used to driving on them.

I’m also not used to driving on them when I’m not 100% sure that I actually should be on them in the first place.

That was my main problem with finding the church. I drove up the country tracks and just prayed that 1) I wouldn’t encounter a tractor, 2) I was going the right way, 3) If I did meet a tractor I would acquit myself adequately when reversing back down said lane and of course, 4) that I wouldn’t get stuck in the ginormous potholes or mud puddles and have to live on the lane for the rest of my days.

Finally, I reached a clearing that then branched off into three fields. Where to go now? I decided I would park up and go the rest on foot. If I was even in the right place.

Then I saw this:

Woo hoo!

Tilly and I walked the rest of the way to the kirk which keeked out through the trees with just enough secrecy to make my inner fan-girl (and let’s be honest she’s never too far buried these days) do quite a lot of squeaks and squeees on the trek across. Sorry - did I say I trekked? I meant that I ran while doing a silly little jig, of course!

Luckily, there was no-one else there when I arrived. Or at all.

But, oh, what a place.

I always find that there are certain places that just exude peace and calm; that make you feel like you could be in another time and place. The West Kirk was one of these. Just lovely and serene.

A church abandoned yet somehow not.

Now, I don’t know about anyone else but when I look at pictures of the places that have been in the filming, I want to relate. I’ve seen quite a few pics of filming locations and thought - pretty, but I have no clue when or where that featured in Outlander.

So I decided to do some side by side pics.

I might have been just guessing with that last one - but I leaned up against the ivy and swooned just in case!!

And here are some other pics of the church including my arty farty ones.

Let's go! 'Tùlach Àrd'

Look at this wee dude. He looked blurry from every angle!

Seriously, dude! Let's go home!

So, that was my Outlander adventure to the Black Kirk. Fortunately I didn’t eat any wood garlic. Unfortunately, Jamie Fraser wasn’t lurking about in the church yard!

Ach well, you win some and you lose some!

Until our next adventure!