Part of Culloden closed off amid ‘Outlander effect’

IT has become a global phenomenon resulting in tourists flocking to Scotland in their masses.

But Outlander fans have forced the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to seal off part of Culloden Battlefield due to a rise in visitors.

The Clan Fraser stone at the site near Inverness has become a ‘pilgrimage’ site for fans of the book and drama series, set in the Jacobite era.

Clan Fraser is one of the key families in the Outlander story and fans can now go on themed tours.

The Highland battlefield – where government forces defeated the Jacobites in 1745 – is a key stop-off.

However, the grave marker at the site, which marks real burial pits dug deep beneath the battlefield, has now been cordoned off as the ground is being worn away.

The closure of the area around the stone has raised concerns about how heritage sites are conserved, after visitor numbers increased by nearly a third last year.

The NTS, which owns the site, last year sought scheduled monument consent to repair the ground. It now appears these works have not dealt with the problem sufficiently, with talks ongoing with Historic Environment Scotland to find a solution.

Raoul Curtis-Machin, NTS operations manager at Culloden, said: ‘The area around the grave markers had been suffering wear and tear because visitors had been walking off the main footpath to take a closer look at the stones.

‘Worst hit recently is the area around the Fraser Stone, which has become a site of pilgrimage for Outlander fans.’

Mr Curtis-Machin added: ‘Visitors still have full access to the whole area – we have only cordoned off the worst patch in front of the Fraser Stone.

‘We will be top-dressing and re-seeding the area in the meantime, according to the Scheduled Ancient Monument consent which has been granted, and we are exploring other solutions.’

Last year, a 28 per cent increase in visitor numbers was recorded at the Culloden visitor centre, with the ‘Outlander effect’ said to be driving the rise.

Andrew McKenzie, a former manager at Culloden Battlefield, said: ‘Often when I am doing tours of the battlefield, you see big groups of people going through the car park, standing around the stone and then leaving things on top of it, which in itself is not great, and then disappearing back on to the bus.’