Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Lake District

Apparitions / Hauntings / King Arthur / Legends

Blencathra Mountain (The Saddleback)

This mountain is one of the locations associated with an army of sleeping knights, this time King Arthur and his men, waiting for the call to arms when he is most needed. In old Cumbrian, Blencathra means ‘Devils Peak’

Directions: A footpath leads to the hill from Blencathra Centre.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Souther Fell, Mungrisdale

A phantom army was witnessed on Souther Fell by a farm hand on Mid-Summers-Eve in the year 1735. The army took the form of mounted troops with infantry marching in a column. One year later on the same date the army was seen again by William Lancaster who was a local farmer.

Ancient Sites / Stone Circles

Swinside Stone Circle

A beautiful solitary stone circle, the stones are said to be uncountable, there is also a legend which suggests a church buried beneath the stones. It is sometimes referred to as the Sunkenkirk for this very reason. The circle is also referred to as the ‘grey cobbles’.

UFO Sightings / UFOs

The Coniston UFO

On the 15 February 1954 Stephen Derbyshire, then 14, saw and photographed a UFO on the slopes of the Old Man of Coniston, above Coniston Village. The picture was blurred but the case became a classic of UFO literature of the time.

Legends

Dunmail Raise

Dunmail Raise was the scene of a bloody battle for control of the lands of Cumbria. The battle took place against King Dunmail, the last King of Cumbria, against the united forces of Malcolm, the King of Scotland and Edmund, a Saxon King. Dunmail was defeated and slain and his sons were mutilated, his men were made to build a stone cairn over the spot where he fell.

Fairies / Folklore / Roman

Hardknott Roman Fort (Mediobogdvm)

The Roman Fort of Mediobogdvm, above Hardknott Pass, is said to hold a fairy rath where King Eveling holds his court. Hardnott Pass can be found at the end of the Eskdale Valley and is also one of the steepest roads in Cumbria.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Stone Circles

Elva Hill

Elva Hill is known as a fairy hill and the name may be derived from an old Viking name meaning place of the elves. A stone circle on its slope suggests ancient ritual use of the area, only 15 stones of the original 30 remain. The circle is on private land belonging to Elva Farm, but there is a nearby footpath. The site is thought to date from Neolithic times.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Gosforth Hall Inn

Room 7 (formerly Room 11) of this old building dating back to 1658 is reputedly haunted by a figure some have described as resembling a friar. He sits by the entrance to the ‘priests hole’ which leads from this room to the bar fireplace in the bar below.

Ancient Sites / Early Christianity / English Fairies

Irton Cross and Church

There are two Celtic Crosses in Irton Churchyard, one is truly ancient and the other is a copy of the former incorporated into more modern grave. The ancient cross is thought to date from the early ninth century, before the Norsemen invaded the area.