Castle Leod is a historic seat of the Mackenzies and one of the finest occupied castles in the Highlands. Its connection to the clan is unquestionable. However, one popular misconception has taken hold in recent years, that Castle Leod served as the inspiration for Castle Leoch, the fictional stronghold featured in Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander novels and the television series based on them.
While Castle Leoch is fictional, Diana Gabaldon has expressed a strong wish to associate it with the real Castle Leod. Upon seeing a photograph of Castle Leod, she immediately linked the two in her mind and hoped filming could take place there, though practical considerations led to Doune Castle being used instead. Her support for Castle Leod has been considerable, as has that of the two leading actors in Outlander. All three are Guardians of Castle Leod.
