Outlander gorge danger warning
Four rescues at the beauty spot in last two months
Safety concerns have been raised over a popular tourist sight, near Killearn, featured in hit TV show Outlander.
Lomond Mountain Rescue Team are warning walkers and fans of the show to be aware of the hazards at the Devil’s Pulpit in the Finnich Glen after a significant rise in the number of emergencies there.
Rescue team members have been called to the popular beauty spot on four occasions in the last two months to rescue stranded walkers.
Earlier this month the Observer reported that two visitors – clad only in swimsuits – had to be rescued from the gorge after being stuck for around three hours.
Also this month, Lomond MRT and Police Scotland were alerted when two pairs of discarded clothes were found at the site. That, however, proved to be a false alarm.
Visitors numbers at the spot have been on the rise since scenes from Outlander were filmed there and it was also featured in the movie King Arthur.
A spokesperson for Lomond MRT said: “Exceptionally well hidden, the edges of the gorge are vertical, occasionally overhanging, dropping nearly 70 feet into the river. At the narrowest point you can touch both its walls.
“Travelling the full length of the gorge ... can require swimming and canyoning ability, with the appropriate equipment, to negotiate the river safely. There are very few points where it is safe, or indeed possible, to climb out.
“Despite it officially being the summer, the water is cool and its level rapidly rises after heavy rain. Consequently hypothermia is a real concern if you are not suitably clothed.
“There are several deep pools along the route. During high water there are a number of submerged potential trap hazards.
“It’s important to note there is no mobile phone reception in the depths of Finnich Glen. Calling for help is impossible, unless there is someone above able to assist.
“Lomond MRT was called to the fourth emergency here only a couple of weeks ago. Each has involved quickly extracting cold, wet and trapped visitors by raising them vertically up the mossy, wet walls by rope.
“We would ask that people take this information into consideration before your visit. Please take care and be mindful of the dangers highlighted above.”
Police Scotland community officer, PC Will Diamond added: “The gorge itself is incredibly hazardous. The walls are almost vertical and the gorge is very narrow. The water levels within the gorge are constantly fluctuating and the water itself is cold. Due to the terrain, anyone finding themselves in difficulty may struggle to raise the alarm in order to get the help that they require.
“Another hazard that the popularity of the location has created is issues with traffic, and in particular indiscriminate parking. The Finnich Glen is accessed from the A809, or Stockiemuir Road as it’s locally known. The A809 is a fast stretch of road, with a series of bends and corners at the location of the gorge. When high volumes of visitors arrive, vehicles are often being left on the main carriageway, and as a result this creates a hazard for other motorists. A number of vehicles have been found by police to have been parked in a dangerous manner and as a consequence they have been uplifted and the drivers have been charged. “
In June, a 55 year-old man slipped and fell in the gorge and had to be rescued.
In July 2016, a family, including four children, had to be rescued after they became stranded.
In May this year the Observer also told how traffic problems had been reported at the beauty spot, with coaches carrying fans of the show.