MovieChat Forums > Local Hero (1983) Discussion > I just returned from Pennan, Scotland...

I just returned from Pennan, Scotland...

posted 9 years ago by MoviemanCin
7 replies | jump to latest

I was on a 22 day trip to Scotland and Ireland and Pennan was my last stop. The village is alive and well. It wasn't exactly crawling with fans, but it was September 17. and things in Scotland start to close up in Sep and Oct.

The town looks EXACTLY like it did in the movie even down to laundry hanging on the line just like at the end of the film. The only minor complaint I had was that they've built some sort of small one story building next to the phone box, so it's no longer free standing. It made the photos I took a bit less appealing.

If you want to visit one way is to rent a car in Aberdeen (the location of the Knox Oil lab) and drive there. That was my original plan but due to an unfortunate occurrence that plan fell through. So I took Bus 35 from Aberdeen to Banff and then Bus 273 from Banff to Pennan. Of course they dropped me off at the top of the hill, and I had to walk the last 1/4 mile, but it was worth it. On my way back I took a cab from Pennan to Banff, Cost L 26 + tip.

:-)

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar, or doesn't.

[–] rthomp-8 9 years ago

It sounds great. I've been to the beach, which is fantastic too, but never Pennan. One day I'll make it there....

[–] wooody 9 years ago

WOW and I thought I was a fan of this film. The closet I came to the filming location was to place a call to that infamous red phone box! Thanks so much for your post. I'm very jealous but am happy you had the experience, Splunge(if that's the correct term),

[–] sirjeremy 9 years ago

That sounds like a lovely and satisfying experience. Thanks for sharing. I really want to go one day.

[–] rindercella 9 years ago

That sounds like a lovely and satisfying experience. Thanks for sharing. I really want to go one day.

Me too; it's on my bucket list...some day !!

"Guys like you don't die on toilets." Mel Gibson-Riggs, Lethal Weapon

[–] vimhawk 9 years ago

I don't think they've built a building next to the phone box, I believe they moved the phone box for the film and it's current location is not where it was in the film. Still it's compulsory to make a phone call home from there anyway, and I'm very proud to have done that.

[–] Blik Revil 9 years ago

As far as I remember (having been in Pennan for some weeks as well), they demolished the original phone booth and moved it as a prop to the harbour (because it looks better there in the movie), which is about 100m away.

After the movie was done, they re-built the booth at its original location (in front of the real "Pennan Inn"), and indeed it's not free standing, but with a rather modern looking shack next to it.

At least, that's how it's told by the Pennan Inn staff.

Everyone who believes in telekinesis, please raise my hand!

[–] RRPounder 9 years ago

This explains the phone box. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z25fWLawYtM