A bay, a village, a legendary film – the little settlement of Pennan is surely one of the most idyllic spots in Scotland, and famous for its role in the film Local Hero.
The phone in the red telephone box outside the pub is ringing. It’s night. Nobody picks up. The caller’s longing goes unanswered … So ends one of the finest films set in Scotland: Local Hero.
The little settlement of Pennan was one of the filming locations for Local Hero, though in the film it was called Ferness. Why it was chosen as a backdrop becomes obvious the moment you drive down the steep road into the village and the sea comes into view: a single delicate row of houses runs along the beach of a large bay. The flanks and rear of the settlement are entirely hemmed in by tall cliffs. Pennan could hardly be more picturesque.
A small harbour at the end of the row of houses hints at what the residents once lived off: fishing.
But as almost everywhere in Scotland, the few remaining fish are no longer nearly enough to make a living. Pennan nowadays benefits from being well known. Guests now spend their holidays in almost every one of its houses.
Yet Pennan isn’t sickly touristy. You can still stroll almost undisturbed along the harbour wall, while the sea roars and the sun sinks behind the cliffs.
Once it gets dark, the way leads into the bar of the Pennan Inn. While warming yourself by the little stove and finishing a pint of beer, you can look over the memorabilia from the film shoot. In Pennan, Local Hero is still very much alive.
The film is long over, but the telephone box still stands. And today it draws everyone else who is likewise driven by a longing for Scotland.
Tip: Artists of the region
If you catch the right timing, a small arts market – a “Crafts Fair” – takes place at weekends in the little village hall. Local artists offer paintings, photographs and jewellery for sale.
Good to know: When the walls slide
The steep cliffs that seal Pennan off give it its charm, but also carry risks. There have been several landslides that damaged some of the buildings, in 2007 and 2010, for instance. For this reason there’s often debate about whether Pennan should be evacuated.
One more word on the telephone box: there wasn’t actually one here until the filming. It was put up as a prop and later taken down again. But because it was in such demand, it was decided to install a real box on the spot. It’s since become one of the most photographed telephone boxes in Scotland.
Personal note: Sunset and the roar of the sea
Pennan was our first overnight stop on our 2012 trip. It took the little village about 10 seconds to catapult us out of the daily grind and into holiday mode. The sunset did the rest.
Getting there:
For your sat nav: Enter “AB43 6JB”. That takes you straight into the village.
From Aberdeen: Take the A90 just over 20 kilometres to Ellon. At the Ellon roundabout, turn off towards “New Deer” onto the A948. Keep following the road straight on until, after another roughly 20 kilometres, you pass “New Deer”. Then take care: a road branches off to the left towards New Pitsligo. Follow that road all the way through to Pennan.
From Inverness: Take the A96 to Fochabers. There, switch onto the A98 at the roundabout and follow the coast road for around 60 kilometres until signs point right towards Pennan.