The Outlander star who went up a hill but came down a mountain
4 May 2018
As the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser in hit TV drama Outlander, actor Sam Heughan is used to the wilds of Scotland.
But Sam’s as passionate about hillwalking as he is about acting and long harboured an ambition to join Cameron McNeish, an authority on such activities, for a trip up mountains.
So, for an Adventure Show Special, the pair decided to walk up a lesser-known summit in Scotland’s Monadhliath Mountains.
Outlander star Sam Heughan is as passionate about walking as he is about acting
Walking in the Scottish hills attracts all kinds of people, including Sam Heughan.
On their way up, Cameron decided to learn a bit more about his walking partner’s similarity to his most famous character.
Your alter ego in Outlander obviously had a passion for Scotland. Is there something of Jamie Fraser in you?A curious Cameron McNeish
“There is definitely a shared love of Scotland,” explained Sam. “To me, it’s something inside you; something inside your bones. It’s a real connection to the land.”
A love of the landscape started early: his childhood home was the stable block of an old castle in Dumfries and Galloway.
It was the perfect place to enjoy the outdoors and to pretend to be Robert the Bruce — an ideal precursor to his acting career.
“It’s like you’re an adventurer. You’re maybe the first person to ever be there. That’s what I love about the mountains.”
Outlander鈥檚 Sam Heughan鈥檚 favourite childhood games
Outlander鈥檚 Sam Heughan鈥檚 childhood was an an ideal precursor to his acting career.
The stars of Outlander
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Scotland鈥檚 landscape
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Take A Hike
A history of Scottish walking explores Scotland鈥檚 deep-seated passion for walking which stretches back through the centuries.
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