Welcome to the Land of Stories

To mark VisitScotland’s ‘Year of Stories’ we share some of the Cairngorms’ most famous tall tales…

Badenoch even has its own ‘Storylands’ app, complete with audio stories, augmented reality creations, music, maps and accompanying walks.

Here are just a few places in the Park with a story behind them…

Loch Mallachie

This small loch by Loch Garten means ‘Loch of the Curse’ due to reports of a phantom roaming the waters at night, letting out a blood curdling scream to warn of impending death.

We asked 2 of the Park’s premier storytellers for their favourite yarn… Simon Blackett (in photo above with cap on) of Yellow Welly Tours, Braemar:“Famous writer Robert Louis Stephenson rented a cottage in Braemar in 1881 when he started writing Treasure Island, featuring some well known villagers; Long John Silver was based on John Silver the miller! About 30 years ago the local doctor moved into this cottage and one day he showed his 10 year old daughter a photo of the novelist. She said “But dad, this is the man who sits on the end of my bed at night and tells me stories!”

Marcus Caldwell of Secret Strathspey:“An infamous cattle thief, John MacGregor was hiding in an ox byre in Abernethy Forest on Christmas Day. Suddenly he was surrounded by the King’s men. Armed with rifles, John and his wife kick down the door and start shooting… to find out the end, why not come on a guided walk?!” For more information on tour guides, see www.visitcairngorms.com You can download the Storylands app, for free, from the App Store or Google Play

The Corrieyairack Pass

The ghostly ‘Highlander with hounds’ apparently patrols this pass, helping lost hikers find their way in bad weather.

Loch Morlich

The King of the fairies, Donald, allegedly lives here and can often be heard playing his bagpipes.

Ben Macdui

The ‘Big Grey Man’ is said to haunt hikers summiting this peak. Walkers have talked of feeling an eerie presence with some even claiming to have seen a tall figure in the fog. Some have also talked of ‘fairy music’ coming from this Munro, too.

Corgarff Castle

This remote castle on the SnowRoads is thought to be haunted after a fire killed 28 women, children and servants.

The River Spey & River Don

Thought to be where various water horses and Kelpies (shape shifting spirits) live.

Glenmore

Fairies here are legendary, said to milk deer and wash their clothing in the nearby An Lochan Uaine (known as ‘the Green Loch’ for this reason).

Ruthven Castle

A green fairy dog is said to roam this area and causes ‘normal’ dogs to cower and flatten themselves to the ground.

Glenshee

Its name comes from the Gaelic word for fairies. Inhabitants until the late 1800s were known as ‘ Sithichean a’Ghlinnshith’ meaning the ‘elves of Glenshee’.

Balmoral Castle

The ghost of John Brown, a close friend of Queen Victoria, apparently walks the corridors of Balmoral Castle, always wearing his kilt.