Glen Ogle: 20 years since dozens rescued from landslide on major tourist route

The A85 in Glen Ogle was deluged by two landslides and saw 57 airlifted to safety in a dramatic rescue operation.

STV News

18th Aug 2024

Posted in

Stirling

On August 18, 2004, a powerful landslide trapped dozens of motorists after ripping across a major tourist route near Callander.

The A85 in Glen Ogle, north of Lochearnhead, was devastated by two landslides after a day of severe rainfall sent torrents streaming down the hillside.

Thousands of tonnes of mud and debris struck at least two sections of roadway just after 6pm that Wednesday evening – trapping around 20 vehicles and sweeping a council lorry 80-metres down a gorge.

The RAF, Royal Navy and emergency services took over two hours to save 57 people – including elderly, children and babies – stranded between the two debris flows.

Some managed to either flee the scene on foot or were winched to safety by helicopter.

Those rescued from the deluge were taken to community centres and emergency accommodation in nearby villages Lochearnhead and Killin.

There were no reported casualties following the landslides, though the closure of the key route saw some remote communities cut off and affected thousands of journeys.

The A85 remained shut for four days as road maintenance company BEAR began clearing the debris, with connecting roads also being closed during the operation.