The University of St Andrews is Scotland’s most Instagram-worthy filming location from hit Netflix TV show The Crown.
Research analysed more than 67,000 Instagram posts featuring location-specific hashtags for Scottish filming locations used across the entire series. These were then ranked to reveal which filming locations are the most popular on Instagram.
1) The University of St Andrews
The university is famous for helping to bringing together one of the world’s most iconic couples, The Prince and Princess of Wales, and their romance at the university features in the upcoming final episodes of season six. It featured in 34,872 posts.
2) Royal Yacht Britannia
Located in Edinburgh, it takes second place, with 11,690 posts. The Queen described the royal yacht as “the one place I can truly relax” and was even spotted shedding a tear on the day of its decommissioning in 1997.
The magnificent structure now resides in Edinburgh and receives millions of visitors each year.
Slains Castle
3) Slains Castle
Placing third, with 11,610 posts, is Slains Castle in Aberdeenshire. This majestic pile stood in for the Queen Mother’s Scottish residence, The Castle of Mey, in season one. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views across the North Sea from its spectacular vantage point and, best of all, it’s free to visit.
4) Covesea Lighthouse
The lighthouse in Moray, which was built in 1846, can been in season five of the series, with Princess Anne and the Queen having a conversation about lighthouses. Princess Anne is known for her love of the illuminating structures, and one of her ambitions is to visit all the 208 lighthouses and major lights in Scotland. It has 2,285 posts.
5) Cruden Bay
In fifth place is Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire, with 1,650 posts. The bay replicated The Castle of Mey beach in season one. Located just off the Aberdeenshire Coastal Trail, this scenic beach is perfect for outdoor and watersport enthusiasts, day-trippers, and sea fishing lovers.
6) Ackergill Tower
The tower in Caithness takes the sixth spot, with 1,577 posts. This striking fifteenth-century castle has doubled as Classiebawn Castle and Mullaghmore in Ireland during the series. The tower has more recently been a luxury hotel and events venue until 2019, when it closed as a hotel and became a private residence. The lucky owners get to enjoy beautiful views out to the North Sea. .
7) Ardverickie Estate
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Scottish Highlands, the captivating nineteenth-century house has been used throughout the series to replicate Balmoral Castle, the Queen’s favoured summer residence. It had 1,507 posts.
8) Reiss Beach
Placing eighth, with 886 posts, is Reiss Beach in Caithness. Situated within Sinclair’s Bay, this white sandy remote beach has beautiful dunes and was used to film Irish coastal scenes in season four. Located close to Reiss is the tranquil and picturesque Keiss Harbour, which was transformed into the site of Lord Mountbatten’s assassination at Mullaghmore in Ireland.
9) Lybster Harbour
The harbour was given a makeover for season four, as it became Port Leith in Southern Georgia, to recreate the historic moment when Argentinian scrap metal merchants arrived on the island in March 1982. Some consider this to be the moment that initiated the Falklands War.
10) Rothiemurchus Estate
Rounding off the rankings is Rothiemurchus Estate in the tenth spot, with 478 posts. Situated in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park, this centuries-old estate in Aviemore is home to the renowned Braemar Gathering. The traditional Highland games started in 1832 and were visited by Olivia Colman’s Queen Elizabeth II in season four.
The research was carried out by CasinosSweeps.
Don’t miss the January issue of Scottish Field magazine.
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