A popular west Stirlingshire beauty spot – made famous after being featured in smash-hit TV series Outlander – has been put up for sale.
The Devil’s Pulpit – at Finnich Glen, Killearn – has been placed on the market with potential buyers finding out how much is being sought upon application.
The 23-acre site is being marketed by property firm Graham and Sibbald who have advertised the land as “a spectacular development site” which could “become a national attraction once completed”.
Within the glen is the iconic Devil’s Pulpit, a natural phenomenon of a 90-100 feet deep narrow gorge carved out of red sandstone by glaciers.
At the bottom of the gorge is a small flat-topped rock formation.
Visitors flock to the location due to the river waters that run through there which appear to run blood red due to the red sandstone bedrock.
Listed on the Graham and Sibbald website, they said: “The gorge itself is located to the southwest of Killearn, an affluent village to the north of Glasgow.
“The site for sale is only some 30 mins drive from the centre of Glasgow city. The proximity of the land for sale to the very busy A809 and the A81 means the site is very well provided for communications.
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“The site is only some 1.5 miles from the southern boundary of the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.”
Producers have used the location to film a number of hit TV series and films over the years.
Most commonly, the location is know for starring in Outlander, being used as ‘St Ninian’s Spring’, also known as ‘Liar’s Spring’ in the show.
It also featured in an episode of Taggart and was used in the Hollywood blockbuster Pokemon movie, Detective Pikachu.
The use of the gorge means the site for sale is on the film and TV itinerary for international and national tourists who want to experience these film and TV locations, otherwise known as “set-jetting”.
Graham and Sibbald added: “The development scheme for sale has taken this into account, and the bridges across the gorge will not affect future productions and may make the lighting of the set easier for the film crews.
“The gorge, unfortunately, is currently a potential safety hazard as people are not careful near the edges of the gorge, and there have been a few rescues. There is, therefore, a considerable amount of safety railings and improvements to access included in the development. We understand that this is one of the key drivers behind the consent being approved.”
In September 2019, the Observer exclusively revealed how plans to transform the beauty spot were unveiled.
Detailed proposals were submitted to Stirling Council for a 150-space car park plus visitor centre and restaurant, and a network of paths, bridges and viewing platforms.
It was anticipated that the development would cost between £1.5million and £2million.
The move came after it was revealed that visitor numbers to the site are estimated to have risen from 40,000 per year to 70,000 annually due its soaring popularity with Outlander fans.
Farmer David Young and his wife Carole own the land in which the Devil’s Pulpit is situated. He took over the running of the farm there in the 1970s, with his father having the land since the 1940s.
Mr Young was initially dealt a blow when council planners recommended refusal of the proposal.
However, at a planning meeting in October 2020 councillors overruled the planners recommendation and approved the plans.
Mr and Mrs Young, as well as nearby residents, have long raised safety concerns within the glen and the surrounding roads.
In July 2020, the Stirling Observer told how Stirling Council introduced parking restrictions on roads surrounding the glen. Double yellow lines were put in place on the B834 and the A809 to ease traffic woes.
Within the glen itself, the couple had raised concerns over the erosion of pathways and steps, creating safety fears.
A number of rescue missions have been sparked within the Devil’s Pulpit in recent years, with fire and rescue, police and mountain rescue teams being drafted in to help free people trapped within the glen.
The Observer contacted Mr Young this week for more details on the potential sale of the land, but had received no response at the time of print.
