https://www.facebook.com/groups/277390562349271
BIG CATS IN CUMBRIA George Gibson
Cryptid exploration inspired by the discovery of the facebook group: BIG CATS IN CUMBRIA while on residency @ YHA Grasmere, 2018.
Googling cryptids on top of mountains. FB groups as whispered tavern folklore. Shit posting as mythology. “Hi, I’m an artist here on a residency and I’m trying to make a zine. Thanks for the add!!”
Description: Group for people to speak about their big cat sightings.
“I got interested after I saw a lynx late one night while driving around kin Levin in Scotland around 15 years ago it was very dark and you hardly see any other cars about at that time, as I turned around a bend, not going fast, about 50 yrs in front of me was a car coming the other way who slowed to nearly a stop,,, and in his headlights
was a very big cat,,, like medium dog sized, what stood out for me was the size of it,,, it’s head was bonnet high almost, and two large tufts pointing up from the ears as it looked straight at me,, it seemed so calm to be stood there then suddenly got spooked and raced across the road
into the trees,,, it had a much shorter tail than you would imagine a big cat to have too,,, I stopped alongside the other car and he and his two passengers both saw the exact same thing and were amazed,,, he was fairly local and said he’d never seen one before and wouldn’t have believed they were wild in Scotland so I don’t know where it came from or where it went,,, he did say people probably wouldn’t believe him if he told so I don’t know if it got reported or not,,, I didn’t report it,,,
”
“So about 20 years ago now, myself and a friend were walking home after a night out. We took a shortcut, over the River Eden and headed towards a nature reserve area next to the railway marshalling yards. There is a gate to enter the nature reserve and as we went through were met by a quite high pitch cat sound.. not a growl, hard to describe the exact sound, but like when if you stood on a cats tail, but a much bigger sound. There were 2 sounds in quick succession.. we turned and ran and as we did the road when up an incline with the nature reserve are below.. then there was another sound. So what ever it was had followed us the otherside of the fence as we ran. Now we never saw anything, but this was about 1am in an area seldom visited by anyone but dog walkers during the
day. There had been a sighting or two of a cat in the area years previous.
I was always sceptical about such things, but they are def there. Please don’t use my name, but happy for you to use the encounter.”
Hey I just came across this group after a quick google when I thought I saw a black panther on the A591 on my way to Grasmere! I didn’t believe what I saw but it was unmistakably a large cat so I googled it and came across articles about the beast of Cumbria which seemed to match what I had seen! As soon as I read the articles I turned around and tried to go back to get a photo but I couldn’t find it. When I did see it it was just after the small stretch of dual carriageway on the way to Grasmere on the left hand side before the house! Has anything else similar been seen in this area before?
Hi stayed at YHA Windermere last night and literally 2 mins away in the lane ( field beside ) my 7 year old swears blind he saw a panther we had never mentioned anything to do with big cats etc have asked description and does sound like a panther , told him I would report it as he’s 100% sure .
Investigated a few sightings of big black cat up that way over the years. Grasmere twice. Could be heading that way - plenty of watering holes around.
I was staying at the mortal man inn, in Windermere on the 14th. I woke up early in the morning 6am & went to the loo. When looking out the window, I seen this large cat about the size of a big fox, greyish brown and a black tip tale. It’s face which I got a good look at look similar to the one below. Which was way different from a normal cats features. As I gasp, it jumped and it’s startled movements simulated way that normal cats do when startled. It didn’t see me and continue walking down the hedgerow. I was amazed.
Definitely a panther but with so many people out there hoaxing photos we have to take it with a pinch of salt I really do hope it’s the real deal ................................................................................
Hi Dave, Sorry if this doesn’t make sense - Elle told me you saw a big cat a while ago in the countryside. I’m on an artist residency in grasmere at the moment researching these “phantom cat” sightings! Looking to make a zine about them. Was wondering if you could tell me what you saw? Hope you’re doing well!
Not a lot to it really, Must have been about 10 or so years ago late spring / early summer. Driving from home along the road. Up ahead a tan coloured ““cat”” about the size of a big dog but cat-like in it’s movement and appearance hopped fown from the left side of the road and scampered across the road and over in to the fields on the other side. Then it was out of sight.. I was driving so couldn’t stop. It was sunny and about 6:45am. I was on my way to work. Bizarre really. Over in seconds. Got laughed at like but hey ho.
Not seen anything since.
Never really give it too much thought.
CALL OF THE WILD, GRASMERE
Call of The Wild (gift shop): Brother had seen one while out with his boxer dog at the top of a hill. Swears by it. Man questioned does NOT believe in him.
Beck Steps (gift shop):
Haven’t seen any. But she does believe in them.
Lakes Crafts & Antiques Gallery: “They do NOT EXIST. Not here...”
National Trust Grasmere (gift shop): While driving with her husband around the outskirts she saw something big, black and too big for any dog or cat. Moves like a cat - she has her own cats and know how they move. Like a cat on steroids.
On the street: If I was anywhere else in the world I would be sure of what I had seen but it really makes no sense in England.
There’s a lot going on around Cumbria that people don’t know about ...
Hopefully we might of caught something of interest on camera this time! Shall post here if there is xxxx