The Northman Filming Locations

Fans of Norse mythology and Vikings are in for a treat with the new action-filled epic adventure drama, The Northman.The Northman’s plot follows a journey of a young Viking prince Amleth. Amleth is on a quest to avenge the murder of his father and regain his kingdom. Robert Eggers directed the movie, while Sjón helped him write it. Alexander Skarsgård is in a starring role playing Amleth.Whereas, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, and Willem Dafoe are in supporting roles.

The filming of The Northman took place between August and December 2020. Although it was supposed to start in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was delayed. Filming locations of The Northman include numerous locations throughout the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Iceland. The U.S. release date is April 22, 2022, but we know that you are anxiously waiting.

While you wait, we decided to give you a tour of The Northman’s filming locations.

Republic of Ireland

Malin Head, County Donegal

Because of its remoteness, Donegal County is known as “The Forgotten County”. However, its unspoiled nature has recently gained a lot of attention from moviemakers and tourists. Malin Head, Ireland’s most northerly point is no stranger to major movie productions. Back in 2016, scenes from Star Wars: The Last Jedi were filmed in Malin Head. This led to worldwide publicity and Malin’s recognition as one of the country’s best filming locations.

On the northernmost tip of Malin Head, called Banba’s Crown, stands a cumbersome clifftop tower.
The ‘Banba’ tower was named after the mythological patron goddess of Ireland. British built the tower in 1805 as a Napoleonic lookout tower to help defend against a possible French invasion. The tower gives breathtaking panoramic views of the surroundings. Among other things, Malin Head is the best place on the island to witness the astronomical phenomenon of Aurora Borealis. Unsurprisingly, Donegal county claimed the title of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s “coolest places in the world” in 2017.

Incredible scenery, rich history, and Jedis are just a few of the many things Malin’s Head has to offer.
With this in mind, make sure you put it on your “reasons to visit Ireland” list.

Five Fingers Strand, County Donegal

Located on Ireland’s far north, between Malin and Malin’s Head, is the Five Fingers Strand. Five Fingers Strand has some of Europe’s most impressive dunes. The dunes are up to 30 meters high and have been in formation for approximately 5,000 years.

Wondering why it is called the Five Fingers Strand? The name comes from five narrow sea stacks that protrude from the water on the north side of the beach. Sea stacks allude to fingers which is how the strand got its name. This exceptionally beautiful beach is located near the village of Lagg. The rugged landscape in the area resembles Iceland which was perfect for the filming of The Northman.

On the way to the Five Fingers Strand, you will pass by the lovely St. Mary’s Church built-in 1784. St. Mary’s Church is one of the oldest Catholic churches in Ireland still in use today. Unfortunately, swimming is not recommended on the beach due to very dangerous undercurrents and riptides. However, it is great for fishing, bird watching, and walking.

Gleniff Horseshoe, County Sligo

The Gleniff Horseshoe is a 10 kilometers long route that offers spectacular views of the Dartry Mountains, and Donegal Bay. This fascinating hollow in a mountain is a result of the previous ice age ending. When the ice age ended, the ice melted and retreated north while leaving this glacial valley behind. Benwiskin, the wave-shaped mountain at the entrance of the valley serves as a reminder of those ancient times.

Located in the heart of Sligo county, Gleniff Horseshoe is close to some of the best places in Sligo. To be more specific, Benbulben forest, Glencar waterfall, Mullaghmore, and The Devil’s Chimney. Myths and legends are common in this area. However, none is more famous than the story of the ill-fated lovers Diarmad and Grainne. Their graves lie in the caves of KeshCorran. The drive around Gleniff Horseshoe takes only about 30 minutes. Regardless, if the weather is nice it is probably best to explore it with a bike or on foot.

Northern Ireland

Belfast Harbour Studios, Belfast

Belfast Harbour Studios, an 8-acre site located within the 340 acre Giants Park, is the newest purpose-built studio in Belfast. It is just a few minutes drives from the city center and George Best Belfast City Airport. After the success of Game of Thrones, the number of film productions in Northern Ireland has grown significantly. Due to said growth, Belfast Harbour Studios recently got planning permission to quadruple its size. This will be a £45m investment in Northern Ireland’s burgeoning film industry.

Torr Head, County Antrim

Another scenic and remote location in Northern Ireland used for The Northman’s filming is Torr’s Head.
Located at the northeast corner of Ireland, Torr Head is the closest place to Scotland on the island. The Scottish Mull of Kintyre is only 20 kilometers away and you can see it from the Torr Head.

Torr Head is a part of The Torr Head Scenic Route. The route travels from Ballycastle to Cushendun, on the coastline of Antrim, and is probably Ireland’s most beautiful sidetrack. Adventurous rides on narrow roads of Torr Head Scenic route are accompanied by gorgeous landscape and many historical sights.
Namely walls and ruins of Altagore Cashel which date back to the sixth century. Furthermore, picturesque Murlough Bay is among the most beautiful bays in Northern Ireland. If you have time, the bay is worth a short detour from the route.

Ballygally, County Antrim

6 kilometers north of the city of Larne, between hills and the sea, lies the town of Ballygally. The most famous building in Ballygally is a 17th-century Ballygally Castle. Castle sits on the tip of the Causeway Coastal route and overlooks Ballygally Bay. Now run as a hotel, it is the only 17th-century building still used as a residence in Northern Ireland. It also has the reputation of being one of the most haunted places in Ulster.

Another often photographed sight is “The Polar Bear of Ballygally”, which is not an animal at all. The “bear” is actually a rock, covered in a coat of white paint rather than fur. Every year, locals give the rock a fresh touch-up of paint to preserve its smiling Irish eyes and goofy grin. During the filming of The Northman, the crew used numerous locations on the Antrim hills near the town.

Atticall, County Down

Atticall (‘place of Cathal’s house’ in Irish) is a small village in the Mourne Mountains of County Down, Northern Ireland. Slieve Muck, also known as Stoney Rigg, is a fascinating deposit of stones that have been left through Atticall in a previous ice age. Locals were delighted when the Hollywood actors came to their small town. The local Gaelic football club posted a photo of Skarsgård holding a signed shirt of a club on their social media.

Iceland

Svínafellsjökull, Vatnajökull

Svínafellsjökull is an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull and a part of the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. In particular, its raw natural beauty attracts hikers and photographers. They are not the only ones who admire Svínafellsjökull, because the glacier has been popular among filmmakers as well. In the past, Batman Begins filmmakers chose to record here, as well as the makers of the 2014 movie Interstellar.

Akureyri

Nicknamed the “Capital of North Iceland”, Akureyri is Iceland’s second-largest city after Reykjavik. The area has a relatively mild climate because of various geographical factors. Owing to this, the town’s ice-free harbor has played a significant role in its history. Indeed, Akureyri offers a lot of unique Icelandic experiences for visitors. Such as whale watching during the summer and northern lights watching during the winter. Another novel experience is The Bjorbodin Spa or ‘Beer Bath’ Spa. This spa offers visitors the opportunity to soak in a relaxing bath of young beer and live beer yeast. 

Map of The Northman filming locations