‘Grey Man of the Scottish'
Highlands’
Hello my dear friends & followers. I found
another interesting legend about, ‘the Grey Man.’ However, this spirit lies in
the Scottish Highlands called ‘The Ben Mac Dhui Mountain’. It happens to be the
2nd highest mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Unlike the post, I
did on the ‘Grey Man’ who warns the people of Pawley Island of hurricanes. He’s
a good spirit in my opinion.
However, the Grey Man of the Scottish Highlands
has a much different tale. Anyone who ventured up the Ben Mac Dhui Mountain of
the highlands, always felt a dreadful fear going through their body. They say,
as soon as they get to a certain spot up on the high mountain of Ben Mac Dhui a
fog or mist would roll across the cairns. That’s when you would see a shadow of
the creature. It is said that’s also where the spirit lurks about as a huge
creature terrifying monster if you happen to encounter it! They call it, ‘I am
Fear Liath Mor’ or The Big Gray Man’.
Some see him as an old figure in robes; a giant
or even a demon. Ben Machdhui, also has a reputation of being haunted entity,
popularly known as Grey Man or the Fear Liath Mhor in Gaelic. The creature doesn’t just threaten you with
un-earthly forces of physical power but it can also cause people who encounter
it to have a strong suicidal sense of depression & panic. They have said
that the Mountain Ben Mac Dhui is the 2nd Highest mountain in all of
Scotland, standing over 4,000 feet high. It’s an imposing sight &
substantial test for experienced climbers, so if an average person were to try
you could only just image! Many of the witnesses who have seen or felt the
presence of the Scottish Grey Man are serious hardened Mountaineers not prone
to flights of fancy.
It was the year 1891 when the first person reveal he had encounter the
creature in on the Ben Mac Dhui Mountain Highlands of Scotland. His name was a Professor Norman Collie. Norman was a
respected & well known climber in those days. When he gave his speech at
the Cairngorm Club in 1925, his audience was truly stunned. This is what he said; Norman explained
after the climb-up the mountain which he had done many of times, however this
time it was very different. When he was coming down from the peak, he suddenly
heard footsteps behind him. At first there was a think shroud of mist that came
into the area without warning. Norman rationalized that it must have just a fog
or the heavy clouds being so high on the mountain. He also thought the
footsteps must have been an echo of his own. But Norman realized the noises
were not corresponding to the movements he was making down the mountain. It
sounded like a huge giant was following him. It was as if the giant was walking
after him but taking steps of three or four times the length of Normans. So,
this time down the mountain he was terrified and blindly ran for 4+5 miles down
the mountainside until he could no longer hear the terrifying noise. Norman
never returned to the mountain top to his dying days. He did resolute to
believe there was something very scary that lived on the top of Ben MaDhui of
Scotland.
The next two encounters of the
Grey Man, apparently set the trend for the hundreds of other reported incidents
on the High top of BenDhui of Scotland! Each person after Norman’s encounter
would tell of either lumbering footsteps crunching towards them/or of huge grey
figures looming out of the swirling mists. Most of the encounters are explained
as paranoia & the effects of loneliness on the very high elevation of the
highland mountain. This is especially when each person has seen the mist that
descends upon them as often as it does. And as quickly too! Of, course some say
that; the creature may require some investigation. However, I haven’t found any
information where they have done this. Which makes me believe that even the
skeletal are afraid to do their deep investigation? At some point, I might come
back to this post and see if I can find any info that has been investigated on
this! For now, The, two people that started this trend were Wendy Wood & Peter Dem Sham.
First will talk about Wendy Wood who’s one of Scotland’s
pioneers of the Scottish National Party. She is also about as rounded about and
rational person you could ever meet in Scotland. She too was gripped by a blind
panic when walking through the Lairg Ghru Pass of the Ben MaDhui Mountain of
Scotland. Wendy had thought after hearing the strange noise – thinking it might
have been a fallen climber so she went to see if she could help…Suddenly she
was overwhelmed by the feeling that she was being followed by someone or
something, with an enormous size!
After that she was so Spooked,
she took off down the mountain, not stopping until she reached the Whitewell,
Farm which was five miles once she was off the mountain. Wendy Wood knew nothing of this legend. Others did know of it and
dismissed it out of hand!
So, what do you believe? I’m
just curious?
During the Second War2 there was
another Scotsman that was also a grand mountaineer who served in the war2 as a
rescue mountaineer. His name ‘Peter Den
Sham’ who would located & save pilots who crashed in the Cairngorms
mountains-Ben MaDhui of Scotland. In this Encounter Peter Den Sham decided one day in 1945 to climb Ben MaDhui. He
arrived at the summit around noon. It was a clear day and beginning the second
highest mountain in Scotland it was breathtaking. However, the mist as many
have experienced before descended upon Peter so he decided to finish his lunch
as quickly as possible and make his way back off the mountain. Peter knew the
hill well, so he was in no way disturbed by this mist even though the
visibility was very poor. As he set off he soon heard the familiar ‘Crunch,
Crunch’. On the top of the Plateau behind him. Intrigued rather than afraid
Peter went to investigate thinking of the ‘Grey Man and the paranoia of others
encounters. However, the same happened to even Peter. The closer he got to the top
of the Plateau he too was suddenly accosted by a sense of foreboding and his
desire to flee the mountain was getting intense. It began to get more and more
intense the closer he got to the Plateau. Finally, Peter too could not fight
the feeling either and his desire to flee the mountain overcame him. Without
even thinking Peter’s instinct took over him. He was soon running like everyone
else had done (Running without thinking where you’re going). Just thinking in
fear that you have to get the hell out off this mountain! You must remember the
mountain is a very, very steep, over a 1000+ on the pass where you get down.
It’s really not meant for running at All! Mind you Peter is a very experience
climber too…So as he was running he was barely missing the steep cliffs of
Lurcher’s Crag of 1000+feet down to his death. Peter Den Sham was left utterly convinced that something unnatural
was stalking him on top of that mountain!
The stories above are legion in
Scotland! I guest most only hear the noises. However, there are some that
actually see strange figures.
I have read many accounts of
folks living in the area of the Mountain in Scotland. Many have had different
experiences. Some, have just heard the sounds, others seen the Creature. And
other have been unfortunate to see both and been scared out of their minds. Of,
course many theories have been thought of what might be up on that mountain. I
myself believe it is a mythical creature. I have always believed that both
Scotland and Ireland have had many mythical creatures both good and bad. Both
countries are Magical Places to me! There is so many area’s in both countries
that have still lots of remote areas for this kinda phenomenon. All I can
figure for this is how can two men sitting right by each other see the same
enormous creature walking towards them.
And the unexplained noises plus
the creepy cold mist the always rolls in when the creature comes to call! The
Liath Mor’; The Big Gray Man’; Some see him as an old figure in robes; a giant
or even a demon. He also has a Gaelic name in a part of the world where Gaelic
hasn’t been spoken for over 150years! Suggesting a long standing with
tradition. Indeed, locals have and still do, take the apparition for granted.
It would seem that the ancient
times of the Gaelic tradition are still alive in the haunted mountains of
Scotland, even if some to the people have forgotten those old days…But the
Creature on Ben Mac Dhui is still isolated and a very lonely mountain deep in
its granite kingdom in the otherworld. Yet I believe he comes out when people
come up to the top of his mountain to protect the ancient times of the Gaelic
Traditions. So, he can be either a good/evil entity. In the folklore of the
Gaelic Traditions I have done a few. There are a few that range for the hideous
like the Nuckelavee which I have done if you want to check out on my blog to
the Goddess Morgan too…who is a great one too.
As for the Marvelous Mountain of
Scotland’s Highlands. I hope that they remain untouched and keep it a wild area
in Scotland. It is a stunning and prestigious place, just the fact that it’s
untouched by man. Whether its haunted or not the mountain will hopefully be
remained unspoiled for Scotland into the future. Me Personally, I believe in
the Grey Man as I believe in the Big Foot & Yeti too. I believe that people
are getting to involved with the computer world and forgetting the past and the
wonder of old legends and to belief! In them…
I hope that you Enjoyed my first post of 2017 I have always love the legends of Scotland and Ireland could be that I have Scot and Ireland blood... I love you all so very much.
Your friend Wendy always and forever...
