Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Scottish Folktales

Ancient Sites / Folklore / Scottish Folktales

Edin’s Hall Broch

This is one of the most southerly broch survivals, which are more typically associated with Northern Scotland. Broch’s were multi floored defensive structures with room for cattle in the lower enclosure and accommodation on the upper floors accessed by passageways in the thick walls.

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Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Fairies / Scottish Folktales

Ballad of Tam Lin

Oh, I forbid you, maidens all
That wear gold on your hair,
To come or go by Carterhaugh,
For young Tam-Lin is there.

There’s none that goes by Carterhaugh
But must leave him a wad;
Either gold ring, or green mantles,
Or else their maidenhead.

Now gold rings ye may buy, maidens,
Green mantles ye may spin;

Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

Alloway

Alloway, the birthplace of Robert Burns, provided inspiration for one of his most famous poems Tam o’ Shanter.

Apparitions / Fairies / Featured Sites / Folklore / Folktales / Hauntings / Scottish Fairies / Scottish Folktales

Hermitage Castle

Hermitage Castle has a long and colourful history, the castle was a bastion of power in the ‘debatable land’: land that was exchanged between English and Scottish hands during the border wars and skirmishes. The castle is steeped in folklore and legend, and there have been reports of varied strange phenomena in recent years.

Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

The Kelpie of Loch Garve

The story of the Kelpie of Loch Garve (so it’s technically an Each Uisge, but we’ll keep it as Kelpie for this story) tells of a Kelpie that lived at the depths of the loch with his wife.  Now the Ke

Buried Treasure / Devil / Folklore / Folktales / Legends / Scottish Folktales

The Treasure of Largo Law

The area around Largo Law is associated with many legends. The actual hill of Largo Law is volcanic in origin, and was said to have been created when the Devil dropped a huge boulder. Part of the outcrop on the top of Largo Law is known as the Devil’s chair, and has seven steps leading up to it.

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Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

The Laird of Balmachie’s Wife

This tale involves a fairy abduction and replacement by a changeling, in this case a Laird’s wife, a rather larger burden than the usual child. The original story can be found in Folklore and Legends of Scotland by W.W Gribbins.

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Articles / Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

Canobie Dick

This story relates to a legend common throughout Britain, namely that of a secret cavern containing sleeping warriors. Often a test is conferred to the person who is shown into the cavern. Usually the tests are failed.

Once upon a time in the Borders region there lived a horse cowper (trader) named Canobie Dick, he was widely admired and feared for his fierce courage.

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Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Folktales

Thomas the Rhymer

Thomas the Rhymer, was a famous Scottish prophet who is also known as Thomas of Ercildoune, Lord Learmont and True Thomas. There can be no doubt that he was actually a real person living in the thirteenth century, as documents exist signed by him as Thomas Rymour de Ercieldoune.