Details
Region: Central Lowlands
Location: A809 &, B834, Glasgow G63 9QJ, United Kingdom near Craighat in Finnich Glen
DEN Rating: 8/10
Trail Length: 1 mile total
Trail Type: out and back
Hike Time: 10-20 minutes each way
Trail Difficulty: difficult 7/10
Elevation Gain: 90 feet
Trail Surface: roadside, dirt, steep rocks, shallow wading
Popularity: 8/10
Family friendly: no
Pet friendly: no
Handicapped Accessible: no
Swimming: yes
Camping: backpack camping
Restroom: none
Open Hours: open 24 hours
Season: spring – fall
Pass or Permit: none required
Managed By: Privately owned
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The Devil’s Pulpit is a beautiful and unique gorge in picturesque Finnich Glen less than an hour north of Glasgow whose popularity is growing quickly thanks to the location being used as a filming location for several Hollywood movies and big-name TV productions like Outlander. The descent and climb out of the gorge is steep and fairly difficult, but the awesome views and distinctive environment visitors are met with upon completing the arduous journey prove a handsome reward for the effort.
Historically, The Devil’s Pulpit is a singular rock formation with a flat top carved out of the canyon floor. Legends surround it, including that the Devil himself would stand upon the rock and preach to his followers of witches and warlocks, or that witches used the rock as an altar to sacrifice their victims upon, or even that Druids used the rock as a place of worship. The stone the gorge is carve out of is a deep red sandstone, which lend an appearance of a flowing river of blood when viewed through the semi-clear waters of Carnock Burn. Today the name The Devil’s Pulpit is applied to the entire gorge rather than just the rock itself. The canyon walls reach up to 70 feet above the water.
Dark lore surrounds The Devil’s Pulpit near Loch Lomond, Scotland.
The Devil’s Pulpit – Limited Edition
Dark lore surrounds The Devil’s Pulpit, located somewhat between Glasgow and Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in central Scotland. The actual Devil’s Pulpit rock is out of the shot on the right, where legends tell of the Devil himself preaching to followers as well as Druids and witches gathering at different points in history. … Read more
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To get there, park in the small dirt lot (room for 8-10 cars) on B834 where it intersects A809. Walk left along the side of A809, crossing the bridge over Carnock Burn. Climb over the low gap in the stone wall and pick up the trail, which becomes a bit of a web in places as is passes through a nice grove of trees. Follow along the gorge rim for about 1/4 mile until you reach a steep, rock-choked chute which descends down into the gorge known as The Devil’s Stairs (apparently also known as Jacob’s Ladder.) Down you go! There are broken sections of an old concrete staircase here and there mixed in with the rocks. Use your hands, go slowly, and it’s not too terrible. After a tigher squeeze through a choke between constricting rock walls the trail improved dramatically, ending in a nice set of stairs with a railing before reaching the canyon floor and the water’s edge. The climb down the chute takes about five minutes.
The gorge itself is, well, gorgeous! The deep red color of the rocks and cliffs, the emerald moss growing everywhere, and the soaring greenery above all create a magical atmosphere. In a place like this it’s easy to understand why its legends exist. I put on my water shoes and headed up the canyon to The Devil’s Pulpit rock, where some wood had collected during higher flows and someone had left a bouquet of red roses. I was pleasantly surprised that the water temperature was quite comfortable. Just upstream of the rock is a beautiful set of low, sliding waterfalls. If I would have had more time I would have climbed up them to see more. When I visited traveling downstream from the trail outlet looked much more challenging, with tight walls choked with irregular rocks and a large log. Every year the position of wood and logs in the gorge will change. Sadly there was a bit of trash around as well as abandoned articles of clothing.
The bottom end of the gorge is far more easily accessed and is stunningly beautiful, so I highly recommend checking it out as well. Just continue down the main trail as far as you can go, another few hundred yards down. Cross over the fence into the big livestock field and continue down the water at the little pebble beach. From there just wade up the ever-deepening gorge – the water quite shallow and easy to navigate. This extension adds 7-10 minutes each way plus time wading up the creek. If you don’t go down the main chute and just come to this lower end spot instead, the difficulty of the trek is significantly less, more like 4/10 instead of 7/10.
Looking up Finnich Glen with its signature red sandstone beneath the water of Carnock Burn in central Scotland. The overhanging cliffs and copper red tones of the stone created a sense of adventure and drama while exploring this striking canyon.
Finnich Glen
The lower end of Finnich Glen in central Scotland near Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park is one of the most dramatic and lush canyons I have ever seen. The red sandstone contrasts perfectly with the fresh green moss and ferns which drape the rugged canyon walls. This spot was particularly stunning, with overhanging cliffs … Read more
The Devil’s Pulpit is part of a 23-acre parcel of land which was put up for sale in April 2023. Annual visitation has increased in recent years to over 70,000 people. The old property owner recognized the need for and potential of increased development and accessibility here but did not want to undertake it himself. Over the years there have been several rescues of folks who fell in after getting too close to the edge to get a view looking down from the rim, a strong case for costly safety improvements. With increased parking (a proposed carpark would fit 150 vehicles), a restaurant, guard rails, and trail improvements all as part of the estimated 2.7 million pound development plan, The Devils Pulpit will likely soon complete it’s transformation from a little-known spot in the country to a major natural attraction hosting an estimated 350,000 visitors per year. If done right I am all for the development – the truth is that people are coming here regardless of development so it may as well be safe and easy to visit. Well-planned and properly constructed development can help preserve natural sites by limiting access to specific routes and places rather than the willy-nilly web of current boot paths while simultaneously increasing visitor safety and overall accessibility. For now it’s a more of a choose-your-own-adventure location, starting with finding a legal place to park and a possibly dangerous walk on the side of the highway.
For me, The Devil’s Pulpit was one of the most memorable and the certainly the most unique location I visited in Scotland. I think part of why is its similarity to creek slot canyons back home in the Pacific Northwest, although the red sandstone gave it a distinctive flavor all its own. It was an adventure to find it! I absolutely plan to return, hopefully on a warm day, and spend some time swimming and canyoning up and down the entire length. I will do my best to keep up on the state of development and will update this article as things progress.
Emerald moss and ferns adorn the red sandstone walls of The Devil’s Pulpit north of Glasgow, Scotland. Reaching this point requires wading upstream past the actual Devil’s Pulpit rock.
The Devil Wears Green
Diffuse sunlight passing through the leafy forest and bouncing off the mossy walls produces a green glowing light at The Devil’s Pulpit in central Scotland near Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. What’s harder to see in this photo due to the strong reflection and deep pool is the red sandstone of the canyon walls … Read more
Cautions
The clear danger at Devil’s Pulpit is falling, both from above and during the descent to the gorge floor. Stay away from the edge!!! Proceed slowly and cautiously on the descent. Climbing back out is easier. Getting out of the gorge with a broken anything would be incredibly difficult. The potential for drowning here is pretty low as the creek is just not that deep or strong, although that risk increases at high water levels.
Another potential and probably underestimated danger is the walk along the side of the road (occasionally right on the road). Watch for traffic! The road is thin and the trail along the side is small if there is one at all.
Getting There
From Bearsden (NW of Glasgow), take Stockiemuir Rd (which becomes A809) north to the intersection with B834 and park. From Stirling, take A811 west, then continue straight onto A809 to the intersection with B834 and park. From the West Highlands, take A82 south, then A811 west at the village of Alexandria, then right onto A809 to the intersection with B834 and park.
Photographer’s Tip
There’s a strong potential for patchy lighting on sunny days. The view up the gorge faces overall to the west. A wide angle lens is necessary capture the entire gorge from floor to rim in most cases. Some of the gorge is exceedingly dark and shadowy when looking down into it from above.
Links
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/devils-pulpit
https://www.thegoodlife-uk.com/blog/the-devils-pulpit
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/how-to-find-devils-pulpit-finnich-glen-scotland-photography-guide
