Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Western Isles

Ancient Sites / Burial Mounds

Barpa Langass

Barpa Langass is a Neolithic chambered cairn, which now survives as a jumbled mass of stone overlooking a moonscape of barren peatland. The cairn is roughly 16 feet high, and around 82 feet across.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Road Ghosts

A857 between Galson and the Port of Ness

According to a local tradition, the stretch of road (A857) from Galson to the Port of Ness at the tip of Lewis, is said to be haunted. The tale runs that a carrier from Ness was returning from Stornoway many years ago, and had to pass a large stone slab near the village of Galson, which marked the grave of a pedlar who had been murdered at the spot.

Fairies / Folklore / Mermaids

Mermaid’s Grave

A mermaid is said to be buried in the sands in the area around Nunton. In 1830 some women who were gathering seaweed spotted a mermaid in the waters close to the shore.They tried in vain to catch her, but she was too clever for them.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Giants / Legends / Scottish Fairies

Dun Borranish

This ruined dun is said to have been the home of a giant called Cuithach, who in the tradition of most giants, laid waste to the surrounding area by stealing cattle and killing local people.