An anti-clockwise route around Glen Sherup taking in Ben Shee, Scad Hill, Tarmangie, Whitewisp and Innerdownie.

Date: 02 January 2025
Distance: 16.38km
Ascent: 699m
Time: 4.6hrs
Hills: Ben Shee, Tarmangie, Whitewisp, Innerdownie.
Weather: Blue skies and fresh snow. A cold wind northwesterly wind leading to significant wind chill. Stunning views in clear air.
Route: View on OS Maps

The Christmas period was marked by an extended spell of mild, wet and windy weather that inspired very little enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits. The spell was finally broken on New Year's Day when cold air came in from the north bringing snow and a substantial drop in temperature.

The 2nd January was forecast to be sunny, with light winds and low temperatures all day. I didn't fancy a long drive on potentially icy roads so headed up Glen Devon to the Glen Sherup car park provided by the Woodland Trust. This is a large parking area with plenty of route options and information boards, and it was already busy at 10am when I arrived.

After booting up and shouldering my bag I followed the little connecting path over frozen ground by the river that leads to one of the main tracks running along the south side of the glen. It climbs up between gloomy ranks of plantation pines that had prevented any snow from reaching the ground.

After a km or so a small branching path led me down to Glensherup reservoir which sits nestled between the hills. Its broad dam was covered in snow and the house on the far side looked straight out of a Christmas card with its snowy eaves and cheerful garland hanging on the front door.

I followed the driveway back down the glen, this time on the north side of the river. Progress was a little slow as the surface was icy, especially in the slick tire tracks of a car, and I wasn't keen to slip over this early in the day. Ahead of me I had views up to the wind farm on Steele's Knowe that I had passed by last October. The hillside was bright with sunshine and plastered in fresh snow.

Just before I reached the buildings at Wester Glensherup I picked up a narrow animal trail that left the road behind and climbed up onto the shoulder of the hill. I once again turned back on myself to head westward, now climbing on a gently rising track that finally brought me into the sunshine as the sun crested Innerdownie beyond the reservoir. Suddenly the world was transformed - the snow sparkled and every step produced a cloud of scintillating powder. Although I was heading uphill the snow gave better purchase and I made much better progress up onto the Shank.

Ahead of me Ben Shee - the fairy hill - now stood above the thinning ranks of trees. The track was delightful and soon I was looking down on the dark waters of the reservoir. Just as the track bent to skirt around Ben Shee I picked up a narrow side path that quickly got me up towards the domed summit. I met the well trodden main route higher up, following it for the remainder of the ascent.

The views from the top of Ben Shee were glorious, from the Ochils close at hand, over the Glendevon Reservoirs and out to the southern Highlands, all looking resplendent in white. Ben Chonzie above Comrie and Ben Vorlich by Loch Earn were both distinctive amongst a near continuous vista of snow-capped peaks.

There was a cold wind blowing so I ducked off the summit slightly to find a slight bowl to sit in and enjoy a cup of tea and one of the last mince pies of Christmas.

The descent from Ben Shee was a little slippery but I carefully made my way down the steep path to rejoin the main track which now led me more gently downward to the shallow bealach below Scab Hill.

The track made progress a little quicker although the churned up snow was tough going at times. A hillrunner passed me and then I started to meet a few groups doing the circuit in the opposite direction. Across the head of the glen Tarmangie hill was getting closer and closer. Behind me the distinctive lump of Ben Shee was receding.

The main track bent a little way to avoid the very top of Scab Hill but I followed a narrow and untrodden side trail to reach the indistinctive summit.

I could now see King's Seat Hill and the familiar line of hills above our house. It was almost tempting just to walk back down the hill and figure out how to get the car later on...

Before the drop into the Maddie Moss I turned and started the climb up onto Tarmangie. This was the last steep uphill of the day and brought with it new views, this time down over the Forth. I passed more cheerful hillwalkers, arriving just as a group were leaving the summit of Tarmangie.

From here there were grand views down the length of Glen Sherup with the final hill of the day Innerdownie looking distinctive away in the distance. Beyond Whitewisp hill I could start to see the Lomond Hills in Fife.

The cold northerly wind meant I didn't hang around on the summit too long, again finding some shelter on the south side where I sat and had some lunch.

The path between Tarmangie and Whitewisp was notably more trodden than the path on the other side of the glen with a weel consolidated surface making for better pace. My fingers had gotten really cold during the lunch stop so it was good to get some blood moving and I made it to Whitewisp in quick order, gradually feeling the temperature of my hands rise.

More hello's were said before I continued off Whitewisp and towards Innerdownie. The descent was a little slippery in parts and once down turned boggy but the views all around continued to be distracting with clear sight now over Loch Leven and the hills of Fife.

The minor intermediate top of Bentie Knowe brought fresh perspectives including a look over diminutive Ben Shee to the wintry bulk of Highland Perthshire beyond Strath More.

Innerdownie was now close at hand and it was just a gentle climb up on well packed snow to its summit cairn.

A few roving snow showers could be seen breaking out over the Highlands but the Ochils had stayed clear all day and the winter mid-afternoon light was sensational as I paused to take in the 360 views from this final summit.

This zoom in shows Ben Vorlich above Loch Earn looking positively alpine.

To the south now I had a view over Glenquey Reservoir and the lower hills around Knock Hill and Touch with the Forth, Edinburgh and the Pentlands beyond.

The first steep part of the descent from Innerdownie required some care but then it was a fairly easy walk down along the edge of the forestry to reach a bench overlooking Glen Devon. A couple of walkers emerged from the gloom of the trees into the sudden bright sunshine and were stunned by the change in scenery.

I followed the edge of the trees down to a gate that led into a gloomy firebreak with some of the slipperiest underfoot conditions of the entire day. The ground was bullet hard and the gently descent had to be taken quite gingerly. I was relieved to reach the more distinctive forestry track.

This led down in a gentle series of wide loops, dropping below Innerdownie towards Glensherup Reservoir. The whole track is lined by youthful pine trees which looked out of a fairy tale laden with fresh snow. There were families with sleds enjoying the conditions and the whole thing felt very different from the hilltops.

Near the bottom I came around a corner to find a stunning view back up to Ben Shee which had its flanks illuminated by the golden winter sun.

I revisited the reservoir briefly before picking up the forestry road back to the car park where I was glad to have a final few slugs of warm tea before tackling the icy drive home.

Driving back along the south of the Ochils close to sunset was magical. The hills above Dollar were perfectly lit and then a rainbow sprang up over Kirk Craigs. I stopped the car near the park in Tillicoultry to try and catch it but was just slightly too late. I did enjoy views of a beautiful sunset away towards Stirling.