Restless Natives

Two friends, Ronnie (Joe Mullaney) & Will (Vincent Friell) sit in the countryside to attempt a hold up. Steve Randall tells us that this is the view of Ben Reoch from the narrow road at Glen Douglas in the south-west of the Scottish Highlands.

The joke shop. This is Robertson Street, Glasgow in Strathclyde G2 8JD. The shop unit location has since been redeveloped as part of the Radisson Blu hotel.

Aston Martin provides a wider view of the location showing the redevelopment.

Disaillusioned, Will does his best at his park cleaning job in Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh in Lothian.

Shot of Edinburgh Castle. In the foreground is the Scottish National Gallery.

On the bike through Edinburgh they come around the bend from St. Colme Street into Ainslie Place...

Ged Browne gets a close match with this image.

...and then heading down Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh EH3 7TN.

Ged Browne was unlucky with multiple roadworks…but still managed to take this shot from the fenced garden in Ainslie Place.

They ride past the houses on Preston Road, Linlithgow EH49 6HZ and out into the countryside.

A little further along, taken by Aston Martin.

Steve Randall found that the road is in Glen Nevis, along the valley of the River Nevis to the south-east of Fort William in the Scottish Highlands at Latitude 56.781989, Longitude -5.051198.

Nice sunny day when Ged Browne visited.

The unsuspecting tourist coach heads along a currently unidentified road.

After the coach hold up, they speed off along the Suidhe Viewpoint on the B862 road, Fort Augustus, Highland PH32 4BZ.

This area was overcast when Ged Browne visited. I wonder how often this location ever sees clear skies.

Ronnie is talking to a gravestone in the cemetery. This is Sighthill Cemetery, Glasgow G21 1SE

Ged Browne submits this updated location image with some beautiful natural light amongst the grass at Sighthill cemetery in Glasgow.

Will is at the bus station, looking for the tour girl. Although supposed to be in Edinburgh, this is actually the old Anderston bus station in Glasgow. The area has since been redeveloped.

Mr A. Martin took this photo at the correct spot in Glasgow. The location is looking up Douglas Street in Glasgow with Argyle street behind. He mentioned that he spotted the location because it is the only area of the raised building that has fully rectangular support pillars, all others are tapered. Both sides of Douglas Street are the areas of the former Anderson bus station.

Margot (Teri Lally) walks through the bus station.

Ged Browne revisited the much changed location of Anderston Bus Station in Glasgow and immediately notices there is no John Menzies! Now just a car park and also notes that this location is only 100 meters from the Joke shop location.

After chatting the pair are on the bus as it passes over North Bridge in Edinburgh.

Site visitor Aston Martin took this updated shot of the North Bridge. The beauty of its historic iron structure has been covered in scaffolding for about the last three years, so hopefully it won’t be too much longer before we can see it uncovered once more.

They talk in Newhaven Harbour with Newhaven Lighthouse in the background. Pier Place, Newhaven, Edinburgh EH6 4LP.

The harbour now captured by Aston Martin.

Ronnie's house is on St. Stephen Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh EH3 5AG.

Aston Martin found the location.

The newspapers are reporting the pair's antics all over the city. Site visitor Steven Meikle has solved this location, saying it’s Grosvenor Street, Edinburgh EH12 5DS. He also mentions that there is still a telephone box on the right-hand side of the street and that the railings in the film were almost certainly part of the traffic island on which sits the Heart of Midlothian War Memorial clock tower. The railings are no longer present.

Ged Browne shares this excellent ‘now’ shot in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh. Unfortunately for Ged he also waited for a 1970s brown Ford Consul to come along to compliment the image…but he was out of luck! He confirmed that the original central railings were indeed gone, but he used the railings on the other side of the junction to frame the shot like the original.

The lads are out in the Scottish countryside again...this is likely the Glen Coe area.

Site visitor Ged Browne has identified this bridge as being located halfway up Glen Nevis, where the single track road crosses the river.

Ged also provides an excellent ‘now’ shot of the location, taken upstream.

Riding through a narrow tree-flanked road. Website visitor Ian Paterson recognised this shot and identified it as being Glen Nevis road heading north west after Polldubh.

Ged Browne provides a great up-to-date shot and also points out that this beautiful location is just a mile further towards the end of Glen Nevis from the previous bridge scene.

Seems like stormy weather in the background. Site visitor Mr A. Martin correctly recognised this road as being the route that leads from the A82 at Glen Coe down to the shore of Loch Etive. He pointed out that the telegraph poles were the giveaway. The exact spot is approximately one mile from the A82 turn off, which itself is a short distance from the River Etive Bridge & Kingshouse hotel. If you continue down this road, you’ll come to a location used in the James Bond movie ‘Skyfall’.

They ride over the footbridge. This bridge is on Clovenstone Road, Clovenstone, Edinburgh EH14 3HP.

Ged Browne has yet another excellent and accurate ‘now’ shot . . . no dancing road sweeper this time though.

They drive through the housing estate. This is Clovenstone, Edinburgh EH14 3BG. That seems to be Clovenstone Primary School in the background.

With the "road sweepers bridge" behind him, Aston Martin took this shot looking towards the school, which is now also a community centre.

Ronnie and Nigel (Iain McColl) take a walk along an alleyway - this is Shipbank Lane, Glasgow G1 5JG. The lit tower in the background seems to be part of the supporting structure of the City Union Bridge.

The same location now captured by Aston Martin.

Ronnie practices firing a shotgun at a currently unidentified location. Given the amount of time since the filming, it would be likely this location will look very different today.

Will is on the phone and Margot walks on Newhaven Harbour quayside, Newhaven, Edinburgh EH6 4LP.

The jetty has since lost its iron railings in Aston Martin's view.

Bender (Ned Beatty) is awaiting news of the pursuit along with Baird (Robert Urquhart) on the B839 road in Lochgoilhead, Cairndow PA24 8AQ. The local post office building can be seen on the right hand side.

Site visitor Ged Browne contributes a good now shot. Shame that Ned Beatty isn’t still around! Seems that not much has changed in this image.

The pair speed down the road, the B839, just past Ben Arthur Place, in Lochgoilhead in Strathclyde.

Ged Browne’s good now shot shows that there is a new housing estate on the left.

They briefly end up on the beach at Lochgoilhead.

Ged Browne adds this shot and also mentions that the telegraph poles on the beach are now gone. The fence has also been replaced.

The group of police run one way...then the other, whilst outside The Goil Inn, Cairndow PA24 8AA.

Ged Browne submits a new ‘now’ shot and points out that the bush is obscuring the same original entrance.

In pursuit, the Japanese news crew follow the pair who have turned off the B839 and gone past the turning for Hall Road.

Website visitor Ged Browne submits another good now shot but sadly couldn’t find the yellow jeep!

Having escaped, the pair sit overlooking Loch Restil, Cairndow G83 7AS. They're sitting just up the hillside from the 'Rest and be Thankful' viewpoint. The road on the right is the A83.

Ged Browne has submitted a rather beautiful ‘now’ shot of this location. It’s nice to see that little has changed this lovely view.

Will walks to the joke shop along Robertson Street, Glasgow G2 8JD.

Aston Martin provides the comparison.

Will and Margot (Teri Lally) walk and talk along Princess Gardens in Edinburgh city centre.

Ged Browne noted how beautiful the lovely Autumn colours were when he took this updated shot in Princess Street Gardens.

Margot walks along and gets picked up by the police detective car. Website visitor Ged Browne used valuable local knowledge to pick out this location and here explains that when Margot is picked up by Ned Beatty, they head West along Princess Street, but seconds later they spot Will looking the news stand, while heading EAST! (Right opposite where she was picked up!)

Ged notes that, apart from the tree, everything has changed including the pavements.

Location of Will's house is located in Murrayburn Gate which is just off the bottom of Murrayburn Place, Wester Hailes, Edinburgh EH14 2RW.

Once again Ged Browne provides a great now shot of this location.

The lads depart along Murrayburn Place, Wester Hailes, Edinburgh EH14 2RW

Photo-taker Ged Browne notes how different this location looks now. The trees are certainly a welcome addition to the street.

The enjoy the adoration of the crowd as they turn off Princes Street onto The Mound. This shot is right in front of The Royal Scottish Academy art gallery, Edinburgh EH2 2EL

Ged Browne picked the perfect moment to catch this cyclist going round the same corner. He also points out that this is the bottom of the Mound, looking diagonally over to Hanover Street. The jeweller is still on the corner, but not Collingwood!

They head further up The Mound street in Edinburgh.

Ged Browne is again confronted by lots of hoardings and building work on The Mound!

Now they ride up in front of Assembly Hall, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LU

Mound Place; Ged Browne manages to also catch some beautiful light across central Edinburgh in the background.

They then hurtle down Castle Hill as the police cars approach from Lawnmarket, part of the Royal Mile in central Edinburgh.

Ged Browne managed to visit the top part of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and snapped this ‘now’ shot with even a hint of beautiful Scottish sunshine! Ged points out that the central traffic Island shown in the film is long gone.

They then speed along Victoria Terrace in Edinburgh. It's just above Victoria Street EH1. This pathway was also featured in 'Cloud Atlas'.

No motorcycles on the terrace in this comparison by Aston Martin.

They then ride back down The Mound...

Aston Martin provides this new shot of pretty much the same angle. He seems to think (and we agree) that the original shot was likely done from a high elevation such as the top of the Scott monument, especially as the top of the national gallery can be seen in the bottom right of the original screen capture. Aston points out that when he took his ‘now’ shot, he was stood parallel with the roof of the gallery on the main road that leads down from The Mound.

....and speed round the junction that turns onto Princes Street.

Aston Martin points out the Royal Scottish Academy on the left and The Mount in the background.

They then head up Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2...

Not quite as busy, this is the view now from Aston Martin.

...they pass the William Pitt The Younger statue and head along the other side of Frederick Street. In the middle ground left and right is Thistle Street; towards the background before the trees is Queen Street. Queen Street Gardens West and then Howe Street are in the far background.

From street level by Aston Martin.

They leave Edinburgh city via The Forth Road Bridge, one of the world’s most significant long span suspension bridges. When it opened in 1964, it was the fourth longest in the world and the longest outside the United States.

Ged Browne got a great image from the top of the north end steps on the Forth Road Bridge. He also managed to include the new Queensferry crossing on the right!

They ride along the A82, with the turn off to the left for the Loch Achtriochtan car park and, as the road sign suggests, to the right of frame is the turn off that leads to Glencoe Village.

Site visitor Aston Martin points out that the sign for Glen Coe has gone but the sign post legs are still there! The lads are heading away from Glencoe village itself towards Rannoch Moor, a point of interest as well as the fantastic Boots bar, the location of Hagrid’s hut is also on the road on the right.

The remaining key sequence takes place in the Loch Achtriochtan car park area.

Aston Martin visited Loch Achtriochtan is car park. He mentions that it is very hard to get the exact spot where the shot from the film is taken from as the bridge leads to private property and the surrounding land has been fenced off.

The final shot has the returning trio on a motorbike with sidecar, heading along Radical Road which will take them around the jutting rock face of Salisbury Crags. The Crags are a series of cliffs at the top of a subsidiary spur of Arthur's Seat which rise on the west of Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.

Ged Browne took this impressive ‘now’ shot of the now closed Radical Road. He also mentioned that the camera position is only a few paces from the position in Chariots of Fire with Eric Liddel and his sister.