Choose Scotland: Star of the Screen

Edinburgh and other locations the stars of Trainspotting sequel

Ewan McGregor famously said, “Choose Life…” at the beginning of Trainspotting (1996). If a first viewing of new T2 Trainspotting film is anything to go by, film fans should choose Scotland for their next film location experience.

Danny Boyle’s follow-up to the quintessential 90s film Trainspotting (1996) catches up with Renton, Spud, Sick Boy and Begbie 20 years after the first film, for a nostalgic look at their original shenanigans. Although the first was filmed largely in Glasgow (doubling for Edinburgh in many scenes), Edinburgh features prominently, in many key scenes in the new film; this includes Leith, which is now home to Michelin-star restaurants and world-class visitor attractions (a world away from the Leith of 20 years ago). Other scenes were filmed in Glasgow and the Highlands.

Visitors to Scotland can walk in the footsteps of their movie antiheroes either by going on one of the new dedicated tours (further details below) or by creating their own movie location experience.

Marketing Edinburgh has pulled together a list of the film’s Capital locations here: http://edinburgh.org/edinburgh-on-film/filmed-in-edinburgh/t2-trainspotting/

Key Scottish locations for T2 Trainspotting include (WARNING: Minor spoilers ahead):

Arthur’s Seat and Holyrood Park, Edinburgh

Renton (Ewan McGregor) and Spud (Ewen Bremner) go running up Arthur’s Seat in the early summer sunshine; Edinburgh’s cityscape can be seen in all its sun kissed glory.

Various Old Town locations in Edinburgh, including Victoria Street and the Grassmarket

Renton is chased through Edinburgh’s Old Town, running past locations including the Grassmarket, Victoria Street and Fleshmarket Close.

Edinburgh Airport and Princes Street

Renton arrives into Edinburgh Airport and is met by a bunch of tartan clad girls welcoming him home. Princes Street is only a tram journey away and he is in the city centre.

The Douglas Hotel, Clydebank, Glasgow

Doubles for the Port Sunshine pub and scenes of lots of action. The exterior of Glasgow University also doubles for an unnamed Edinburgh school.

Wolf and Water pub and Café Tartine, Leith

Renton and Simon/ Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller) meet at the Wolf and Water pub based on Commercial Street on the Shore, a trendy part of Leith. Simon is also pictured in front of nearby French bistro Café Tartine.

Corrour train station, Rannoch Moor, Highlands

The gang makes a stop to one of the most remote stations in Britain to pay their respects to Tommy, the character who died in the first film. This station is on the West Highland Line between Glasgow and Mallaig in the Highlands.

Cameo appearances: The Forth Road and Forth Rail Bridges, Scottish Parliament and St Stephen’s Church Edinburgh

Renton and Simon make a memorable journey across the Forth Road Bridge…. They also pay a visit to the Scottish Parliament to talk money. In addition, Spud’s support group holds a meeting at St Stephen’s Church in the city near the beginning of the film.

There are dedicated tours that fans can join to get a guided tour of the film. These include a themed T2 walk from Leith Walks (see www.leithwalks.co.uk for more details and dates) as well as a ‘T2 Trainspotting from EMF Running Tours’ (www.emfrunningtours.com) that includes a jog through the city in the style of Renton et al: “Choose life….”

To read VisitScotland’s online guide to the T2 Trainspotting cast and the movies they have shot in Scotland, go to www.visitscotland.com/blog/films/trainspotting-2/

For more on films made in Scotland, check out ‘Set in Scotland: a Film Fan’s Odyssey’. This is available to download from: www.visitscotland.com/film

T2 Trainspotting showing at cinemas across the country now