Paranormal stories from Scotland’s buildings: part 5

Warning: contains topics that may cause an uneasy feeling. Advised to not read at night or rather with someone when easily feeling unsettled.

Scotland has many buildings that behold ghost stories, or well, paranormal ones. I’ve always been interested in such stories, including abandoned buildings. Sure, the question will always be the same: are such stories true? Multiple buildings have been visited by paranormal scientists, and they said it was true. In several parts, I’ll be telling all paranormal stories and the history of Scotland’s buildings! Today: the fifth part!

1. Barcaldine Castle

North of Oban, Barcaldine Castle is Scotland’s only ancient castle to offer bed and breakfast facilities. The beautiful castle also offers lovers a romantic location for a Scottish wedding. Not everything is romantic around this Scottish gem though, Barcaldine Castle has its own Clan Campbell ghost story. It’s said that a pair of Campbell brothers haunting the halls, Donald Campbell, who was the Laird of Barcaldine, was murdered by Stewart of Appin, but before Donald’s brother Duncan received the news of his brother’s death, he sheltered Stewart to his home in Inverawe. Duncan was tortured for failing to avenge his brother, and the story goes that the only way he could ask for forgiveness from Donald was when he was reunited in death at Barcaldine Castle.

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2. Kildalton Castle, Islay

Kildalton Castle was located near Port Ellen on Islay Island; the site of the castle isn’t short of ghost stories and legends. A particularly famous story concerns the ‘factor of the castle of Kildalton’. Legend has it that a laird who lived in the castle had an employee with a very individual appearance. The worker was often called away from the castle, but it’s said that he wandered around the castle during his absence. Years later after the employee passed away, he was reportedly seen again by two women in the country of the laird. The worker was seen walking towards them in the clothes of his time and followed by a terrier dog. The two women felt very uncomfortable and scared, so they made their way home. At home, one of the women told the story to her mother who had also worked for the Laird – the mother recognised the man’s clear description as the worker, the factor of Kildalton Castle.

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3. Mackinnon’s Cave

MacKinnon’s Cave is located on the Isle of Mull and is considered the longest sea cave in all the Hebrides. Legend has it that the cave is named after a bagpipe player who traveled into the depths to see how far he could go underground, once deep inside the cave he bumped into a female ogre who killed him after unable to please her with a tune from his pipes.

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4. 1934 Austin, Sligachan

Skye is one of Scotland’s most popular destinations and is visited by thousands of tourists from far and wide every month. This beautiful island has a wealth of history and heritage. The beauty of the island is also accompanied by an extraordinary legend; many claim that the main road at Sligachan, in the east of the island, was the setting for the spectral appearance of a 1934 Austin. People who have reported seeing the Austin claim they had to stop for the car to overtake them, but after passing the car, the car disappears. Sightings of the car date back to the 1940s and the ghost car is said to be the result of a tragic accident in which the driver lost his mind through guilt.

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5. Machrie Moor

Machrie Moor on the Isle of Arran consists of 6 stone circles made of granite and sandstone. The heather in which the stones stand is scattered with prehistoric remains, such as the stones, cists and tombstones. Machrie Moor is considered one of the UK’s finest stone circles and the myth behind the stones is that the stones were created by a group of fairies. The stories are said to have thrown pebbles onto the heather below from the top of a nearby mountain, Durra-na-elk.

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Which story had you heard before? And which one seems the most ‘creepy’ to you?

Love, Deem/Skye Lewis ❤

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