Get Lost Mountaineering

Paradise Pool from near former Sheriffmuir Inn

Start/Finish

Parking spot, nearest postcode FK15 0LN, about 1 mile south of the T junction (just south of the former Sheriffmuir Inn) on Sherriffmuir Road which is very narrow with few passing places. A weak bridge and Glentyre Cottage will be passed on the way. There are no helpful signs on the road but when you reach the access point, there is a high mesh metal gate with a pedestrian gate next to it. A wide metal barred gate is directly across the road. At best there is room for 2 cars without blocking the gate. The Inn, a large white building, has been closed since about 2019 and may now be a private house. It became internationally famous in the 1970s when Hercules the, allegedly tame, grizzly bear, lived there with the owners. The easiest route to the start seems to be from Dunblane. Passing Dunblane on the A9, look for the roundabout signed for Sherrifmuir, Glen Road and follow this to the T junction. The car parks before the T junction are not well placed for this walk.

Distance/Time

2 km.    About 1 – 2 hours.

Peaks

No peaks. An approximate grid reference is NN 819 011.

OS Explorer 366: Stirling & Ochil Hills

Introduction

Paradise Pool is the bottom of a short gorge on the Wharry Burn. The gorge is only about 200 m long and reached by about a 10 minute walk from the road. Unfortunately, much of the gorge is seriously overgrown by trees and access down to the bottom of the gorge is only possible in a couple of places and, even then, one has to dodge branches. The extensive tree canopy also makes the gorge quite dark. A line of pylons passes close to the gorge. Paradise Pool is actually at the bottom of the gorge where the burn emerges from the trees via a small series of rapids.

Route

(1) Go through the pedestrian gate and follow the grassy track, overgrown in places. Soon a sign appears for the Paradise Pool then arrows which guide you to the bank above the gorge. The path is overgrown in places. At the gorge which you won't be able to see into because of the trees. Follow the path going left (downstream) which soon reaches the Paradise Pool where one can look upstream to see the rapids flowing into the pool. It is possible to walk further downstream to reach an old footbridge but there really isn't any point in doing so.

(2) Retrace back then take the path going upstream which is less distiinct than the one down to Paradise Pool. This path leads to a large vehicle bridge over the burn but there is no path down to the burn which is a normal stream below the bridge. Retracing back, one can look for ways down into the gorge but any paths are now overgrown but persistence in looking may allow one to get down to the burn although care will be needed and ducking under tree branches will be a necessity. Unfortunately, there is no path along the burn in the gorge so regain the bank.

(3) Retrace the outward route back to the road.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 21^st July, 2024.