Where was Coldwater filmed? Shooting locations of the ITV thriller revisited

Andrew Lincoln's ITV drama Coldwater staked its claim with a down-to-earth depiction of a village in Scotland in no time. The dark, foreboding atmosphere that the show sets up is created through the use of empty streets, rural cottages, and rolling hills, but was filmed across a number of actual locations in Scotland.

To follow where Coldwater was shot is to realize the production team made a point of selecting towns, rural areas, and parks to recreate the unsettling and immersive feel of the fictional village. Urban and rural locations were combined within the program to add depth to its storyline.

Locations such as Dunlop, Glen Fruin, and Loch Lomond's cinematic natural scenery, and Glasgow's Pollok Country Park were all significant visually in the storytelling of the series. Interior scenes were also shot in South Lanarkshire to match the outside scenes in order to have continuity in the series. Have a look at the various filming locations of the series.

Dunlop, East Ayrshire: The heart of Coldwater

Dunlop Village, 20 miles southeast of Glasgow, was the primary setting where Coldwater was produced. The old village streets and the Dunlop Kirk at its center were an ideal scene for Coldwater's fantasy village. According to Womanandhome.com, Director Lee Haven Jones depicted the town as "an idealised version of rural Scotland," a complete replica of the peaceful but haunting atmosphere that forms the core of the series.

Cobblestone pathways and aged buildings in the village helped create the authentic rural background of the series. In Coldwater, Dunlop's church, Dunlop Kirk, is the focal point of the series. The fact that the church appears in the series shows the tight-knit nature of the community and the centrality of religion in the imagined village.

The producers chose Dunlop for its archetypal small-town feel, which the themes of loneliness and transformation in the series needed.

Glen Fruin and Loch Lomond

Photographs of the peaceful but threatening landscape were shot in Glen Fruin, an area close to Loch Lomond. The dramatic scenery and peaceful landscapes in that part of Scotland contributed to building tension in the show. The peaceful landscapes were in strong contrast with the evil brewing under the surface, reinforcing the menacing scene of the series.

The contrast between the beauty of nature and concealed danger in such places represented the internal conflict of the central character. Loch Lomond, a freshwater lake within Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, offered an amazing backdrop for a number of scene-defining sequences. The wide waters and hills provided the show's atmosphere of isolation as well as the characters' individualized inner unrest.

The locations were used by production to represent the connotations of escape as well as acceptance of past behavior cinematically.

Pollok Country Park, Glasgow

Key scenes in Coldwater were filmed in Pollok Country Park, the biggest city park in Glasgow. Covering 146 hectares, the park's dense woodland created an eerie setting for key action points in the programme. The contrast between city and wild country heightened themes of isolation and unseen threats in the programme.

The versatility of the park enabled the production team to film anything from peaceful strolls to dramatic stand-offs. Pollok Country Park was selected specifically, intending to juxtapose the urban life of the hero during the past and the rural environment of Coldwater.

The ease with which the park could be reached from Glasgow was an added production boon from a logistical point of view, allowing the crew to shoot in a visually pleasing location that was also convenient to access.

The Lade Inn, Callander

The Callander eastern boundary of Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park was also a location where filming was done. The Highland pub appeared in scenes toward the end of the night, adding atmosphere and tension to the drama. The inn's country setting provided authenticity to the country Scottish life portrayed in the series.

The inn provided a lovely setting for the scenes that needed a classic Scottish environment. The existence of the Lade Inn within the series proves how dedicated the production team was to adding realistic Scottish locations. The truth that the series was shot in those places ensured that the show was realistic to viewers who were familiar with the Scottish Highlands.

The existence of the inn within the series made the story more realistic because the themes of heritage and community meant more.

Dennistoun, Glasgow

Part of the cityscapes was shot in Glasgow's Dennistoun. The location offered the requisite city contrasts to the rural landscape, foregrounding the move from the city to the otherworldly stillness of Coldwater for the protagonist. The Dennistoun shoot enriched the story's theme of change and adaptation.

The area's multicultural architecture and eclectic culture provided a lively canvas for the scenes of the protagonist's life before that. The use of Dennistoun for city scenes was intended to represent the main character's disconnection from his former life.

Mixing of residential and commercial areas in the area represented the internal conflict in the character and identity quest. Location filming in Dennistoun enabled the film producers to compare the urban city lifestyle with the serene countryside scenery of Coldwater, highlighting the character's journey.

South Lanarkshire

Though exteriors for the main characters' houses were shot in South Lanarkshire, interior scenes were captured on sets. By doing so, controlled settings could take close-up shots, enabling the production of a sense of continuity and maintaining concentration on the development of characters. Merging real and created spaces showed respect for reality by the show over perception.

Production allowed the crew to have the freedom in South Lanarkshire to develop environments that would suit the needs of the narrative. South Lanarkshire was chosen for exterior shots beyond the built-up area, according to the natural landscape and availability in relation to Glasgow. The area's countryside buildings and scenic views contributed realism to the show.

By incorporating actual locations and set interiors, the production team found a balance that added to the storytelling and visual appeal of the show.

Coldwater in real life

The production team for Coldwater deliberately selected these locations to create an interesting and realistic environment. Through the combination of real Scottish locations with built-up sets, they achieved an equilibrium that enhanced the series's atmospheric tension.

Such places not only served as backdrops but also played a crucial role in the influence of mood and themes of the story. Such meticulous selection of each location assisted in ensuring the series was appealing to viewers and conveyed its intended messages. The shooting locations were at the forefront of the series' success, giving a vibrant backdrop of landscape that mirrored the journey of the lead character.

From the rural village of Dunlop to the tranquil beauty of Loch Lomond, the locations had one purpose in mind: to contribute to the narrative. The priority given to the production team in picking out these locations only served to reveal how dedicated they were to realism and depth of story.

Coldwater's locations, in short, through the bucolic village of Dunlop to the serene landscapes of Loch Lomond, were selected deliberately in line with the show's themes of isolation, change, and the dark undertows of rural existence. Not only did they serve the narrative by providing aesthetic appeal, but they also increased the psychological tension that characterizes the series.

The deliberate employment of varied settings added depth to the story, providing the audience with a richly textured experience that was consistent with the show's broader themes.

Also read: What happens to Tommy in Coldwater? Character’s fate explored