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Argyll and Bute Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Sailor

Location: Kenovay, Tiree - Churchyard
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Washed up from parts unknown, this mysterious sailor was buried locally, and is still seen in the area. The story goes on to say that in addition, the ghost was seen several times in the months prior to the discovery of his body, vanishing if approached.

Midnight Visitors

Location: Kenovay, Tiree - Farm
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A witness watched as a group of fairies entered this farmhouse at midnight. The fairies silently glided around a room and left again.

Changeling

Location: Kerrera - Gylen Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A fairy changeling took up residence in Gylen Castle, escaping into the sea when identified by an Irish visitor.

Headless Monk

Location: Kilchrenan - Road between village and Ardanaiseig, stone by the road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It is idly speculated that this ghostly monk may have been sacrificed on this old stone by pagans.


An old postcard showing Kilchurn Castle.

Voice Pleading for Help

Location: Kilchurn - Kilchurn Castle, Loch Awe
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century, and 10 April 2010
Further Comments: A pathetic little voice has been heard begging for assistance on this site. In 2010 visitors to the castle heard people walking above them across the floorboards in the turret, although when they reached the top, they were alone.

Princess

Location: Lismore Island - Area around Castle Coeffin
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The area was once haunted by a princess who had pined away after her Viking husband died in combat. The haunting stopped after her remains were taken to be buried with her husband's body.

Man Shaped

Location: Loch Anlaimh, Coll - General area
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Strange sounds heard coming from the loch were blamed on the water horse. A shepherd once encountered a stranger by the loch who had water weed on his head. The stranger walked into the loch, resulting in people believing the water horse had taken human form.

Giggling

Location: Loch Awe - Just off A819, by edge of water
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 28 December 2014
Further Comments: A photographer setting up his equipment here heard voices and giggling, even though there were no other people around. He fled after something started skimming stones across the ice in front of him.

Secret Cave

Location: Loch Awe - Rocky outcrop
Type: Other
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: A shepherd spotted a cave that he did not recognise and poked his head in to take a better look. Weapons and large chests filled the cave. The shepherd was momentarily distracted by his sheep and briefly looked away. When he turned back, the cave entrance had gone.


An old postcard showing Loch Awe.

Huge Monster

Location: Loch Awe - Waters of the Loch
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Sixteenth century onwards
Further Comments: The loch is another large body of water in Scotland that is said to contain a large beastie, this time reputed to resemble a twelve legged eel. The creature is said to come ashore during winter. Another version of the story says the creature resembles a large bull.

Drowned Rider

Location: Loch Bhasapol(?), Tiree - Loch and nearby moorland
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Eighteenth century
Further Comments: Upon discovering a horse on the moors, a man mounted the creature only for it to bolt and run at breakneck speed around the area. Both man and beast eventually plunged into the loch. The rider did not survive.

Hooded Woman

Location: Loch Craignish - Area near Barbreck (or Barbeck) House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Thought to be a member of the Clan Campbell, whose family graveyard is nearby, this pale young woman sits on a rock overlooking the Loch. She vanishes if approached.

Blue Boy

Location: Loch Eck - Coylet Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2018?
Further Comments: This young lad froze to death outside of the inn, and now leaves wet footprints on the floor as he walks through the building. The story was reported in the press in January 2018 when a hen party photograph was published which (debatably) showed the face of a young boy peeping from behind a small pile of wood.

Strangler

Location: Loch Etive - Highland Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1950s
Further Comments: Two women sharing a room reported an entity that appeared and tried to strangle them.

Ancient Galley

Location: Loch Fyne - Waters near Inveraray
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Appears to mark the death of a senior Campbell clan member, last seen 1913
Further Comments: This large phantom ship appears in the Loch, though its route takes the vessel over land. Three crewmen are visible on the deck.

Tall Serpent

Location: Loch Fyne - Waters of the loch
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: July 1570
Further Comments: This creature was reported to be the size of a ship's mast when it surfaced from the water. At a much later date, a carcass of an unidentified creature was found on the banks of the loch.

Angus

Location: Loch Lomond - Drovers Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Angus is the name of the phantom cattle drover who is said to occasionally unnerve people by screaming here. Another phantom is named as Anabel, a young girl who drowned in the loch.


A photograph of Loch Lomond, circa 1960.

Hipotam

Location: Loch Lomond - Waters of the loch, especially where it is joined with the River Enrick
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 1653 onwards
Further Comments: An early description of the loch stated it had 'waves without wind, fish without fins and a floating island' - this is thought to be a reference to the water horses, or hipotam, that swam in the waters, although crannogs, small artificial islands, would be constructed in lochs by wealthy families. A Mr and Mrs Haggerty spotted a humped back crossing the loch on 22 September 1964, while in 1980 another couple watched a head and neck emerge from the water before submerging thirty seconds later.

Cursed Stairwell

Location: Loch Nell - Loch Nell Castle
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: The staircase was made from a tree considered holy, and a series of disasters befell all those who were involved in cutting it down and moving to the building. The castle is also home to phantom music.

Water Horse

Location: Loch Poit na h-I (aka Loch Pottie), Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This saltwater beastie is said to swim these waters.

Frost

Location: Loch Sloy - Glen located south of the loch
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: A traveller passing through the area heard two Urisk calling out to each other, one shouting 'Frost', the other responding 'Kick frost'.

Dog Killer

Location: Loch Tuath - Area between Loch Tuath and Loch Cuan
Type: Other
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A misty female form once seen here had long blonde hair. The entity picked up the witness's dog and ran off with it behind a nearby rock formation; the owner gave chase and, turning the rocky corner, found the dog with its windpipe crushed and large pieces of fur torn away. The strange woman had vanished. Another version of the tale says the witness heard strange music and lost sight of his dog; the witness ran home, and his dog later returned stripped of its hair, dying after laying by its master's feet.

Stretching Horse

Location: Lochaber - Lochan na Dunaich
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Ten children caught a horse and, one by one, mounted the creature. The horse's back stretched to accommodate the children. The last child to try to climb on the horse had a bible in his pocket; the horse bolted as the child touched it, running into the loch. The nine children were never seen again.

Headless Horseman

Location: Lochbuie - Lochbuie House
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Prior to tragedy in the Ewen family
Further Comments: This decapitated ghostly figure was once Ewen of the Little Head. Ewen was killed in battle with a rogue laird and now appears in the area around the house to warn the Ewen family of impending doom. Another animal, a large black dog, is reported to patrol the grounds.


The Bean-nighe, or Scottish washer-woman, standing waist deep in water. Image by Wayne Lowden.

Bean-nighe

Location: Lochbuie, Isle of Mull - River by Moy Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: 1500s
Further Comments: The Bean-nighe is a Scottish spirit, an ill bringer who would be seen washing the clothes of those soon to die. This creature has long breasts, slung over her shoulders, and if she were grabbed from behind, the Bean-nighe would say whom the clothes belonged; if yours, she could change fate. The owner of the castle, upon seeing the creature, tried to grab her but failed - he died in battle the following day. As if this entity were not enough to contend with, the area is haunted by a headless horseman.

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