The Paranormal Database

Examining folkloric, paranormal & cryptozoological locations in the UK and beyond

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Highland Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Treasure Under A Stone

Location: Carn Glas - Rock on the mountain
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Said to have occurred early nineteenth century
Further Comments: A man had a dream that if he went to the mountain on Monday morning, he would see a crow sitting on a stone, and under this stone would be treasure that once belonged to a Norwegian prince. Unfortunately, the man was impatient and set off early, arriving Sunday evening to find hundreds of crows, each sitting on a different rock.

Mean Old Dog

Location: Clachtoll - Main road through the village
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This phantom hound is said to harass those using the road late at night. It can easily be recognised by its pair of horns.


The stones at Clava Cairns, Scotland.

Fairy Music

Location: Clava Cairns - Stone Cairns
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A Bronze Age cemetery, the haunting sound of fiddling heard in this area has led some to say that the music is produced by fairies. A few people who have removed stones from the site are reported have returned them after suffering streaks of bad luck.

Drowning Entity

Location: Conon Bridge - River Conon
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The river is home to an entity that has been known to grab people and hold them underwater until drowning occurs. Only then will the presence let the body float to the surface. Unrelated to this, the river is also home to the King Otter - this large water mammal is said to be much larger than its more common siblings, and if caught will grant a single wish in return for its freedom.

Highlander with Hounds

Location: Corrieyairack Pass - Bridge over a stream
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Misty weather
Further Comments: This shade is said to guide people to the bridge when the weather becomes treacherous.

Artist's House

Location: Craignure - Unidentified house, Grasspoint (aka Grass Point)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1952
Further Comments: Author and Sculptor Lionel Leslie lived in a reputed haunted house here, although the exact details of the phantom are not known.

Human-faced Dog

Location: Creag an Ordain - B869, between Stoer and Lochinver
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: On closer examination, this shuck has the horrible face of a person, with little devil-like horns. If it barks more than two times, disaster will follow shortly.

Murdered Miller

Location: Cromarty - Navity Wood
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This ghost appeared to a local postman and another gentleman as they passed through the wooded area - it is thought the ghost told them who his murderer was, though it appears the two witnesses did not act on the information provided.

Old Hag

Location: Cromarty - Nearby moorland and wooded areas
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Many ghostly figures have been reported here; armoured knights, old hags, and other figures which run through the trees laughing and screaming. There is also a story about a beautiful woman who tries to lure men into swampland to drown.

Smoky Rabbit

Location: Cromarty - Old castle (no longer standing, replaced by Cromarty House)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1770s
Further Comments: Several strange shades frequented the castle, including a rabbit that would turn into smoke, a small pixie-like bearded man, and heavy pacing.

Fairies' Cradle

Location: Cromarty - Stone near St Benet's Spring (spring may no longer exist)
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Stone destroyed 1745
Further Comments: If a baby had been replaced by a changeling, the fairy child could be placed on a stone known as the Fairies' Cradle and the little people were forced to return the stolen human child. The stone was broken up by a minister.

Backwards Gravity

Location: Croy Brae - Hill along the A719
Type: Other
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: More of an optical illusion, really. The environment surrounding the hill creates the illusion that the hill is really going up, rather than down, which confuses passing tourists and visitors to the area.

MacRaing

Location: Cullin Hills, Isle of Skye - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A murdering robber, MacRaing killed his own son after the lad threatened to turn him over to the law. His ghost now roams the mountain range.

Bonnie Prince Charlie

Location: Culloden - Culloden House Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: This shade is said to haunt the hotel, though much of the original building has been replaced.


The site of the Battle of Culloden, Scotland.

Highlander

Location: Culloden - Site of battle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Horses heard 2006
Further Comments: The single, solitary highlander seen walking on the site is thought to be one of the many killed by English soldiers on 16 April 1746. He has also been observed lying on top of a burial mound. Sorche Nic Leodhas writes that one person has seen the entire battle re-fought, 150 years after the actual event, while in 2006 a family heard horse's hooves but could see nothing.

Wine

Location: Culloden - St Mary's Well
Type: Legend
Date / Time: 01 May (reoccurring), or first Sunday in May
Further Comments: This holy well would be visited to heal the sick on the first Sunday in May - a piece of cloth would be dipped in the water before being hung from the branch of a nearby tree. One myth says that on Mayday the water turned to wine.

Piper

Location: Culrain - Carbisdale Castle (aka Castle of Spite)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Though only a hundred years old, the castle is said to be haunted by a traditional piper and a lady in white, the latter named as Duchess Blair (or Betty, for short).

Game of Shinty

Location: Dalarossie, Inverness - Land near the local church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 25 December, when it falls on a Sunday (reoccurring)
Further Comments: These people, during life, made the mistake of playing sports when Christmas day fell on a Sabbath. Now they all return from the grave for a quick game once a year.

Bleeding Witch

Location: Dalarossie, Inverness - Road towards churchyard
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two witnesses reported seeing the shade of an old witch running away from several hunting hounds - this relates to a local legend, in which the old hag tries (unsuccessfully) to murder a huntsman.

Whispering

Location: Dingwall - Area around Braham Rock
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: If one listens carefully, the sound of someone breathing heavily can be heard here. Occasionally the sounds change into whispers and groans.

Gibbering

Location: Dingwall - Braham Estate
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Strange sounds have been reported coming from this estate, a mixture of laughing, moaning and inane chattering.

Two Little Girls

Location: Dingwall - Tulloch Castle Hotel, Room 8
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: January 2004
Further Comments: A guest staying the night in this room reported feeling the two adolescent girls sitting on his chest as he lay in bed, as if trying to suffocate him. Previous guests in the room have reported a figure sitting at the end of their bed, door handles rattling, and other strange disturbances. The castle is also known for its Green Lady, who died after falling down a spiral staircase after witnessing her father's adultery.


Aldourie Castle, Scotland.

Grey Lady

Location: Dores - Aldourie Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Little is known about this off-white spook that reportedly drifts around the strong house.

Bridge Builders

Location: Dornoch - Dornoch Firth
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Water spirits would cross this body of water in seashells but found the method very tiresome. A team of kelpies started building a bridge made of gold and had almost finished their endeavour when a passing man blessed them on their work. The workmen vanished and the bridge collapsed, turning into a sandbank.

Banshee in Green

Location: Dornoch - Loch Nigdal (granite rock)
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The banshee which reputedly lives here is clad in green silks. A farmer's wife who spotted the entity said it sat quietly on a rock, had long blonde hair and was quite beautiful, although it had no nose.

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