Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Fairies

Fairies / Featured Sites / Folklore / Scottish Fairies

Tomnahurich Hill

Tomnahurich Hill – which means hill of the yews – is a rounded tree covered hillock on the outskirts of Inverness, the hill has a wealth of traditions associated with it, and it is famed as an abode of the fairies. A modern cemetery now covers the hill.

Ancient Sites / Black Dogs / Fairies / Folklore / Scottish Fairies / Wells

Schiehallion

The dark brooding presence of Schiehallion (pronounced She-hal-e-on)- the fairy hill of the Caledonians – looms over the Eastern end of Rannoch moor like a voluminous guardian. The mountain is one of the traditional haunts of otherworld beings.

Fairies / Folklore / Mermaids

Mermaid’s Grave

A mermaid is said to be buried in the sands in the area around Nunton. In 1830 some women who were gathering seaweed spotted a mermaid in the waters close to the shore.They tried in vain to catch her, but she was too clever for them.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Giants / Legends / Scottish Fairies

Dun Borranish

This ruined dun is said to have been the home of a giant called Cuithach, who in the tradition of most giants, laid waste to the surrounding area by stealing cattle and killing local people.

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English Fairies / Fairies / Folklore / Irish Fairies / Mermaids / Scottish Fairies / Welsh Fairies

Mermaids

Tales of mermaids have been around for centuries, and form a large part of seafaring lore, especially round the coastal areas of Britain such as Cornwall, and the Northern Isles of Scotland. Their sighting was thought to be a bad omen, foretelling storms and rough seas. There are numerous folk tales describing their interaction with humans.

English Fairies / Fairies / Folklore

Hob Hole, Runswick Bay

The haunt of a goblin, Hob, which is a generic term for a brownie of boggle in Yorkshire. This hob was unusual in that the was thought to be able to cure whooping cough, and parents would bring their afflicted child to the cave and recite a rhyme in the hope of a cure.

Directions: Runswick Bay reached via a minor road off the A174 to the Northwest of Whitby.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Legends / Wells

Giggleswick

The ebbing and flowing well: legend tells how a nymph was being chased by a satyr who was overcome with lust. The nymph prayed to the gods and was saved by being turned into a well – famous for healing. The only thing that remained of the nymph was her eternal breath that causes the well to ebb and flow like the tides.

Apparitions / Fairies / Folklore / Hauntings / Mermaids

Sandwood Bay

Sandwood Bay is one of the most northerly sandy beaches in Scotland, and would be well worth a visit without the added interest of the strange phenomena that has happened here.

Devil / Fairies / Folklore / Legends / Scottish Fairies

Smoo Cave

Smoo Cave is a limestone cavern consisting of three chambers, a burn enters the second chamber through a hole in the roof falling for a distance of 80 feet.