Scottish Isles ghosts are overlooked in Scotland. Many focusing on the world famous ghost stories of Edinburgh. These are more picturesque.
Here are some interesting tales from The Isle of Mull, Orkney Isles, and the Flannan Isles.
Article by Jane Sandwood
Quick Links
ORKNEY ISLES | ISLE OF MULL | FLANNAN ISLES
Ghosts Of The Scottish Isles
There’s a haunting allure to Scotland’s Isles that are rich with sights of ghostly Viking ships, roaming ghosts, and sounds of drumbeats and pipes. With a dark past of massacres and mysterious disappearances, ruined castles, and uninhabited glens, the Scottish Isles have a truly spooky atmosphere.
While many Scottish supernatural stories are based in fiction, there are some that are harder to dismiss. In Orkney, for instance, there have been 42 paranormal activities recorded and another 45 reported in Outer Hebrides, according to a report by The Scotsman.
Whether you’re an avid ghost hunter or just want to enjoy the thrill of being in haunted places, Scotland certainly has many spooky islands worth visiting.
Below are 3 islets with tales of eerie mysteries, people vanishing and even sights of a headless horseman.
Orkney Isles
Are you searching for a place rich in history, legend, and mythology?
Orkney Isles’ haunting tales will make your ghost walks unforgettable.
First on the list is The Green Lady of Birsay, who’s believed to haunt the remains of the Birsay Palace – home of the Earl of Orkney in the 16th century.
It’s said the Green Lady, who was a servant girl in love. She was heartbroken when her lover left Birsay when their affair was discovered.
Locals say the Green Lady’s ghost roams the palace, waiting for her lover to return.
Other stories of Orkney ghosts include the Phantom Drummer Boy.
Ghosts Near Orkney
Located on the mainland is Keiss Castle. Also said to be haunted by the ghost of a soldier killed accidentally during construction. Echoes of his cries are heard, especially in stormy weather.
Then west of Keiss is Smoo Cave. If you have ever pictured yourself sleeping in a haunted cave, this is your ideal place.
The spirit of a woman murdered by her husband haunts it. When you sleep here, a ghostly woman will visit you in your dreams, according to legend and other tourists.
The Isle of Mull
Steeped in centuries-old folklore that captures one’s imagination, a ghost trip here would be amazing. But before traveling, it is worth researching the ghostly stories of the Isles.
You should also meet all the requirements of exploring the stunning Scottish Isles, such as having a UK-authorized electronic travel authorization (ETA). Then link your ETA to your passport to ease the custom process.
That said, one of the eerie tales of the Isle of Mull is that of the headless horseman.
A swordsman fatally injured Ewan, son of a MacLean clan chief, during a battle against his father. His terrified horse rode away with him still in the saddle, but lifeless, before stopping at Glen Mhor, where it dropped his headless body.
Legend says, sounds of hooves approaching are heard in the Glen.
Another mythical story is about the ghost of Cnoc Fada near the Dervaig village.
Visitors report meeting the ghost of a man in his middle age, wearing a tweed jacket. Sometimes he’s crying and other times he’s angry. You can’t leave Mull without hearing the story of the ghost of a piper at MacKinnon’s cave.
People say an ogre, deep in the cave, ate him because the tunes of the pipes didn’t satisfy her. When the wind is in the right direction, locals say you can hear the tunes of the pipes.
Flannan Isles
There are plenty of ghost stories in Flannan, like sheep herders seeing ghosts lurking on the island so that they feared staying after dark.
But the disappearance of lighthouse keepers at Eilean Mor in 1900 stands out as the real-life scariest mystery of the islands.
If you’ve watched the 2018 film ‘Vanishing’, it was inspired by this mysterious disappearance. The lighthouse keepers- Donald MacArthur, James Ducat, and Thomas Marshall vanished without a trace, leaving the table set.
Spooky theories have been linked to the vanishing of the three, as their bodies were never found. Some say the Loch Ness monster ate them or a wave swept them away.
Other theories include being kidnapped by ghost ships with skeletal crews or being captured by foreign spies. Or could it just be that the men ran away to avoid paying debts?
There’s a theory that suggests MacArthur killed his workmates and threw them in the sea before taking his own life. Logbook evidence adds a twist to the story.
According to entries made between 12th and 15th December, there was unusual storm activity. One of them was oddly quiet and the other had sounds of a seasoned mariner weeping.
After the trio disappeared, locals reported hearing voices and speculated it could be the keeper. If you dare hunt ghosts, a ghost trip to Flannan Isles allows you to immerse yourself in what happened to the keepers and pay tribute to them.
Ghostly Visit to Scotland
Are you looking for a destination filled with spooky tales and unique, ghostly adventures?
Each one of the Scottish Isles has a dark history steeped in mythology and mysteries.
From sounds of ghost pipes to sights of a ghost woman in a cave, and cries of a soldier, there’s everything to ease your curiosity for the paranormal. Some of the interesting isles with spine-chilling stories are The Isle of Mull, Orkney Isles, and the Flannan Isles.