Good morning. 

Feeling the need for speed? Well, start your engines and read on for a look at the epic outdoor filming locations for the new film Gran Turismo.

If racing films aren’t your thing, maybe adventure films are? In this edition of the newsletter, we’ll follow one of our writers on a castle hike through northern England, as she visits locations for films such as Harry Potter, Indiana Jones and the Netflix series The Last Kingdom.

Alright, if neither racing nor adventures films are your thing, we’ve still got something for you today. Read on as we discuss some of the guidelines about foraging (or not foraging) at National Parks. And we also list a few plants you don’t want to mess with.

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Where Did They Film Gran Turismo: Looking at the Epic Outdoors Locations and Race Tracks

Adding to the list of movie adaptations of video games, Sony Pictures’ Gran Turismo hit the box office last weekend. Based on the true story of a Gran Turismo (GT) player named Jann Mardenborough, this inspiring film tells how Mardenborough went from winning a series of Gran Turismo gaming competitions to becoming a professional race car driver for Nissan Motorsports. The film stars Archie Madekwe as Mardenborough (with the real Mardenborough standing in as his stunt double), as well as David Harbour and Orlando Bloom, and it was filmed in some pretty cool spots.

French cinematographer Jacques Jouffret was hush-hush about filming locations. Even before the film was released, the trailers and teasers from Sony and Michelin had fans guessing which tracks the film crew used in places like Europe and the Middle East over the course of the seven weeks it took to shoot the film. PlayStation Productions’ head producer Carter Swan said they filmed on tracks around the world to make the film feel authentic to race car enthusiasts.

We did some digging to discover where in the world Gran Turismo was filmed. Here’s what we found.

Mild plot spoilers below:

These Dangerous Plants Are Not Your Friend

You’ve heard of poison ivy and poison oak, but these are just two of many harmful plants you might come across in your outdoor adventures in North America.

As you hike, bike, climb, fish, camp, and frolic, beware of these dangerous plants—they’re harmful for humans to touch and/or ingest, and each of them grows somewhere in North America.

Learn how to identify them so you don’t accidentally get hurt":

Harry Potter Fan? This is the Castle Hike For You

In far northeast England, the county of Northumberland has a higher concentration of castles than any other part of the country. If you’ve seen some of the most popular movies and TV shows of the last two decades—think Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Downton Abbey, Transformers, and the Netflix series The Last Kingdom—you’ll almost certainly recognize at least a few of them.

If you’re a movie buff, a history buff, or both, this is the hike for you:

Can You Forage in National Parks?

If you spend time outdoors, you’ve probably heard of the “Leave No Trace” rules or seen a sign that reads, “Take only photographs, leave only footprints.” These ethics make foraging in national parks a complicated topic.

Many National Park Service (NPS) areas ask you to stay on the trail and leave everything exactly where it is. However, this is not true across the board. By doing some homework, you’ll find some areas that allow foraging in U.S. National Parks.

Outdoor Gear Checklist

We take pride in uplifting other brands within the Outdoors community. Check out and buy from the brands that support us.

1. Backcountry

The Labor Day Gear Sale is on now at Backcountry with up to 40% off!*

2. RTIC Outdoors

RTIC Outdoors has 10% off hard coolers, 15% off soft coolers, and 20% off select drinkware during their Labor Day Sale!*

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