Foolhardy visitors at Outlander spot
Devil’s Pulpit location sees SIX 999 calls for aid
Owners of the land which includes the notorious Devil’s Pulpit gorge want to create a visitors’ centre there to help ease safety problems.
Concerns have been raised over a section of a gorge within the Finnich Glen, near Killearn, after it was revealed emergency services have been called to the location SIX times this year to assist stranded visitors.
Now the owners are in the early stages of assessing if a visitors’ centre could be the ideal solution to the problems.
Part of the Finnich Glen has become a popular tourist attraction after it became a sought after filming location for TV and movie productions, including smash hit TV series Outlander.
David Young, owner of Killearn Home Farm, which includes the glen, confirmed they were working with the community and Stirling Council to try and improve the safety of the area.
Stirling Council this week erected four new signs at the location, warning visitors of the dangers of the glen.
Mr Young said land reforms meant people had to be allowed to access the area, but he added: “We are looking at a feasibility study to see if there is a means to include a visitors’ centre.
“We are engaged with the local authority to try and resolve the issues.”
On the erection of the new signage, Mr Young added: “It’s a start. The levels of foolishness exhibited by some visitors has to be seen to be believed.”
Mr Young says he pleaded with television producers not to reveal his land as the location of filming, but the information was released by mistake and since then visitor numbers have rocketed.
Concerns have also been raised over visitors parking their cars in dangerous locations along the A809, near the attraction.
Councillor Graham Lambie has also been engaging with the landowner to try and come up with a solution to the safety problems.
He said: “It’s a fantastic geological location and we just need to make sure that it is made safe.
“The idea for the visitors centre is at a very early stage, but we just have to make sure that access paths to the glen are as safe as they can be.”
Fellow Forth and Endrick Councillor, Alistair Berrill added: “People are worried about both the safety of visitors in the glen, and also the dangers to traffic posed by the cars being parked at unsuitable locations on rural roads.
“It’s good news that the council has recently put up warning signs as an interim safety measure. In the longer term, consideration will need to be given to providing more parking, safer access paths, safety fencing and a viewing platform.
“It’s interesting that the recent upsurge in popularity of the site has apparently been driven by social media.
“I think it would be useful if we could work out a way to use social media to let people know of the possible dangers of the glen as well as its attractions.”
In June, a man became trapped after he slipped 50 feet in to the gorge and couldn’t get back out.
In August, two scantily-clad swimmers had to be winched to safety after becoming trapped in the gorge for three hours whilst they were out canyoning.
Levels of foolishness exhibited by some visitors has to be seen to be believed . . .