The Paranormal Database

Heavy Breather

Location: Isle of Soay, Skye - Sea around the island
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 13 September 1959
Further Comments: While fishing off the coast of the island, two fishermen reported coming across a large reptilian creature, the size of a cow, though it appeared much larger beneath the water level. The witnesses were so close they could quite clearly hear the creature breathing.

Gruagach

Location: Isle of Trodda - Exact location unknown
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1770s
Further Comments: The Gruagach (sometimes spelt Gruagash), a female ghost or brownie, would be fed a small amount of milk left in a hollowed rock to ensure her anger was not incensed. The Gruagach was said to be armed with a reed which she used to hit people while filling the air with verbal obscenities.

Transforming Water Horse

Location: Keoldale - Loch Meadaidh (Referred to as Loch Meudaidh)
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A woman managed to escape a water horse which had taken the form of an attractive man after spotting sand in his hair. Looking back as she ran, the woman could see the furious creature tearing up the earth. At least one batch of cut peat remained uncollected after a rumour began that the water horse had returned to the area.

Shining Cup

Location: Kilchoan - Mingary Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The castle was home to a shining cup, stolen from a fairy party by a serving boy. The cup would fill with whatever liquid the bearer wished. The magical item was lost after a boat sunk while carrying it.

Two Headed Dog

Location: Kildonan - Unknown pool
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A pool in the area is said to contain treasure, though unfortunately it is guarded by a large hound with two heads. A man who managed to drain the pool of all its contents was visited by the hound, resulting in him reversing his actions and replacing the water.

Howling Dogs

Location: Kilmuir, Skye - Churchyard and general area
Type: Other
Date / Time: Nineteenth century?
Further Comments: Scores of dogs across the community would be heard to howl prior to a funeral at Kilmuir church.

Magic Bell

Location: Kincraig - Church of Insh
Type: Other
Date / Time: Still present?
Further Comments: This bell possesses healing properties and would travel (flying self-propelled!) across the country when needed.

Screaming

Location: Kingairloch - Loch Corrie
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Summer, 20:00h, circa 1870s?
Further Comments: The sound of screaming and shouting could be heard coming from the loch, the sounds compared to hearing a goat being killed. The following evening, the skipper of a ship on the loch mysteriously drowned, a witness saying the man went down into the water accompanied by a chain clanking.

From an old postcard of Ruthven Castle.

Chess Game

Location: Kingussie - Ruthven Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Once the home of the infamous 'Wolf of Badenoch' who reigned hardship and terror on the locals, it is said the laird played chess with the Devil and lost. Now the match is replayed for evermore.

Mermaid

Location: Kinlochbervie - Craigmore
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Mid twentieth century (or 1900?)
Further Comments: A report exists of a seven foot long mer-creature being seen here, bathing on the rocks.

Sailor

Location: Kinlochbervie - Sandwood Bay
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1953
Further Comments: Leaving no footprints as he crosses the sand, this bearded sailor is one of the many who lost their lives in the sea nearby. He is particularly noted for the large brass buttons on his jacket and for shouting 'All on this beach is mine!' to some visitors during the 1940s. A red-headed mermaid has also been reported in the area.

Horses

Location: Kinlochbervie - Sandwood Loch Cottage (now ruined)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Prior to falling into disarray
Further Comments: Tourists staying in this cottage were said to have been awaken as the building shook due to a stampede of phantom horses. Footsteps have also been heard outside, and the face of a quickly vanishing sailor observed looking in through windows.

Black Shape

Location: Kintail - Unidentified hut in the area
Type: Other
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two men working in the hills, accompanied by their dog, decided to spend the night in a hut. Their rest was disturbed by a horrible screaming, so they grabbed burning torches and ventured outside. The screaming continued and a large dark object moved passed by. The men did not move, but their dog gave chase. When the dog returned, all its hair had gone and never fully grew back.

Fairy Music

Location: Kyle of Lochalsh - Clann Mhic Crumein
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The finest music in all Scottish fairydom can be heard here.

Eilean Donan Castle, Scotland.

Spanish Mercenary

Location: Kyle of Lochalsh - Eilean Donan Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Killed by an artillery bombardment, this Spanish soldier of fortune carries under his arm his head that was blown off by cannonball.

The Black Train

Location: Kyle of Lochalsh - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Locals say that the construction of the railway upset the natural balance; now a black train which spits flames uses the track at night, disappearing into nearby hills.

Long Necked Creature

Location: Kyle of Lochalsh - Water separating Skye to mainland
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Circa 1893
Further Comments: A married couple in their yacht encountered a serpent with a neck as tall as their boat's mast. It moved towards them, but slowly sunk beneath the water before it came too close.

Tordeas

Location: Kylesku - Kylesku Ferry Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Last seen mid twentieth century, but reoccurs once a year (exact date unknown)
Further Comments: The ghost of this man, killed during a fight with his own son, appears once a year and stands at the base of the ladder from which he was pushed.

Thomas MacKay

Location: Lairg - Manse (no longer standing) and general area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century?
Further Comments: Since dying in 1803, the Reverend Thomas MacKay has been seen in the area where he once lived.

Glowing Light

Location: Latheronwheel - High vantage point overlooking village
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1900s
Further Comments: A strange light that loitered along the coast was thought by locals to be a warning to a shipping disaster that happened off the coast the following day.

Beithir

Location: Loch a' Mhuillidh - Area around the loch
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown, but active during the summer months
Further Comments: This large water snake was said to be around three metres in length.

Gabriel

Location: Loch Achanalt - Waters of the loch
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This water beastie, nicknamed Gabriel, is reputed to be reptilian and some fifteen metres in length.

Basking Beast

Location: Loch Arkaig - Waters of the loch
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: October 1857
Further Comments: This creature, with a head like that of a horse and a single hump, rested ten metres from the shoreline, before slowing sinking beneath the water. A legend says that the Jacobites once hid a collection of treasure in the waters of the loch, where it remains.

Fighting

Location: Loch Ashie - Shores around, and to the moors east of, Loch Ashie and Loch Duntelchaig
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 01 May (reoccurring), last seen 1870/71, heard 1999
Further Comments: Accompanied by silence, a battle has been seen raging once a year on the muddy banks of this loch. It was said to have been last heard during the summer of 1999.

Sounds of Murder

Location: Loch Assynt - Banks of the loch
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 11 March (reoccurring)
Further Comments: The site where a debt ridden schoolmaster killed a peddler for his gold is marked once a year by the sounds of the crime being re-enacted - the crack of something hard being brought down on the salesman's head, followed by footsteps, a body being dragged, and the splash as the corpse is thrown into the water.