myths and stories in the scottish hills, any good books?

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myths and stories in the scottish hills, any good books?

24 posts & 16 voices | Started 2 years ago by 13thfloormonk | Latest reply from Dougal

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13thfloormonk - Member

I spent half an hour on our way to the Cobbler at the weekend talking to an older guy on the train about some of the myths surrounding Ben Alder, and he mentioned a more recent incident involving the suicide of a young frenchman on the summit of the hill. He also recommended a book called "The testament of gideon mack" which apparently had some links to the history of the area.

While I don't really want to read about some poor guy killing himself, it got me really interested in some of the darker myths and stories set in the hills, in particular the "ghosts and ghoulies" of Rannoch Moor (although my bet is they're just Snipe )

Can anyone recommend any good books on the subject, even if it does put me off bothies for life!

Posted 2 years ago #
druidh - Member

Stuart McHardy - On the Trail of Scotland's Myths and Legends. (Luath Press)

Nice wee book which I delve into occasionally

Posted 2 years ago #
rs - Member

Here's a start

http://www.aboutaberdeen.com/benmacdhuigreyman.php

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

thanks druidh, maybe a little more supernatural than i was looking for, but definitely putting it on my list.

RS, thats the sort of story I was talking about, although my friend on the train reckoned the grey man was a 'brocket's spectre' although i've never seen either so couldn't comment!

Posted 2 years ago #
boxelder - Member

The Gideon Mack book is well worth a read, really interesting.

Posted 2 years ago #
druidh - Member

Brocken Spectre - and i'm surprised you've never seen one Iain.

This is a photo taken on my phone back in December - from the top of Tinto

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Thanks Druidh, but reading so many books on the subject maybe disguises the fact I've not actually been to the top of many hills...

found a good wee link about the grey man here, really cool ten minute video

grey man

Posted 2 years ago #
robgarrioch - Member

Though it's a different spot, I'll lend you my copy of 'Gairloch' if you like Ian - covers local history from Torridon - Dundonnell from very early times with potentially a lot of interest for your trip (eg. old ironworks at Loch Maree) & 'dark' would definitely describe the bulk of the content.. stripping a visiting missionary naked & tying him to a tree overnight in midge season, still common practice. Much vendetta & blood letting too, of course. Give me a shout if you want a read (& I'll return yer cds too)

Posted 2 years ago #
Stu_N - Member

Have you read "Mountain Days and Bothy Nights" by Dave Brown and Iain Mitchell (published by Luath)?

From your previous posts I'd guess you have, but if you haven't then you must. More modern folklore than mythology but an excellent book. In fact, I might just re-read it again this week...

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

O-ho, sounds good rob! Will give you a shout for an evening ride soon.

Posted 2 years ago #
lammy - Member

I'd also recommend Gideon mack. I've read it twice now.

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Fat Elvis,

great shout, have read and re-read and lent it to people and forced people to read it etc etc.

Its currently looking severely foxed, badgered and maybe even wolved* as well after spending a trip to knoydart in the bottom of a mate's bag

*apologies to Terry pratchett

Posted 2 years ago #
Waderider - Member

Have a look at the "The Black Cloud" by (I think) I.D.S. Thompson. Stories regarding Scottish mountaineering disasters.....educational.

More cheerfully, if you liked Mountain Days and Bothy Nights, try "Mountain Outlaw" also by Ian R Mitchell. "Always a Little Further" by Alistair Borthwick is in the same vein. There's a bit in that book about Scottish hitchhiking that is about the funniest thing I've ever read.

Posted 2 years ago #
Macavity - Member

http://www.snp.org/

Posted 2 years ago #
bearGrease - Member

I second the Black Cloud. I bought it for my Father as I thought that his Father was the police surgeon called out to identify the bodies from the Glasgow boy's club disaster on Jock's Road. The boys went missing in January, I think, and they found the bodies one by one until Easter (according to the family story). It turned out I had got the story wrong and it was my Father who was called out.

A ghastly story but my dad was very pleased with the book, especially as he was able to write to the author and point out the errata.

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Waderider,

thanks for that, Mountain Outlaw will go on the list also, although I already have "Always a little further". Had initially planned to go and find the arrochar caves on sunday, but it would have eaten into post-hill pub time, maybe next time.

Black Cloud sounds a good read, hadn't really wanted to read about people dying on the hills, but its all part and parcel i suppose...

Don't get the SNP reference?

Posted 2 years ago #
Heather Bash - Member

Mountain Days is a cracking read and Black Cloud has a morbid fascination.

The Jocks Road incident was particularly tragic due to the time taken to recover the bodies. IIRC it was the determination of one individual who continually re visited and recovered them.

Like bearGrease I have a tenous link to the Corrour tragedy in the early 50's. My aunt, who was supposed to be with them, decided not to go as she was pregnant. Again, IIRC, all of the men ( 3 or 4) perished one by one along the trail leading from Corrour Lodge (Uisge Labhair)up to the Bealach Cumhann - one of the classic Ben Alder descents often discussed on here. The sole survivor, Anne Teunion, crawled back half alive to Corrour and is still alive today AFAIK

Posted 2 years ago #
kcr - Member

I believe the fictitious "Black Jaws" in The Testament of Gideon Mack is based on Black Rock Gorge, near Evanton:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Rock_Gorge
http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/literary-landscapes/intermediate.jsp?LiteraryLandscapeID=43

Posted 2 years ago #
Kunstler - Member

I bookmarked this thread while away a few weeks ago because I was sure I had a book which perfectly fitted the bill. 'Magic Mountains by Rennie McOwan'. Googling back then, turned up nothing because I had incorrectly remembered the author's name. Now I've pulled the book off the shelf, I reckon it's just the thing you're looking for - but getting a copy might not be easy. Here's about the only link I could find:

http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Mountains-Rennie-McOwan/dp/1851587071

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Thanks Kunstler, that's gone on the list too, which is now several books long!

Just recieved "Children of the Dead End" "The Testament of Gideon Mack" and "At the Lochan of the Green Corrie" in the post for my birthday.

I wasn't going to buy the Green Corrie book as the subject matter didn't look like it would grab me (written by a poet, about another poet and his mates) but its beautifully written without being overly, well, poetic.

The other two are coming with me when I go camping at the end of the month, doubt they'll last the two weeks!

Posted 2 years ago #
juan - Member

Are all these books readable by a foreigner (not too much slang and all)

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

The prologue to Mountain Days Bothy Nights is written in some dialect, but after that its plain english.

Always a little further would be fine also, as is Lochan of the Green Corrie.

Posted 2 years ago #
neilforrow - Member

I was told this story when i was a kid:

'the Shellycoat boggle is an odd solitary creature of Scotland, but is mischievous rather than malicious. His jolly japes however can be extremely annoying , but it has been claimed that if a human verbally reprimands a Shellycoat’s behaviour he will go away and sulk awhile (though will be subsequently soon be back up to his old tricks). A favourite Shellycoat prank preys on human compassion or conscience; upon a person’s approach the well hidden Shellycoat will shout “Lost . . . lost” and, thinking that someone is in distress, the human will more often than not follow the voice in a bid to help. Though the continuous cries of “Lost . . . lost” seem to be getting further and further away from the person’s original path, they will usually proceed to search and follow for to give in now could provoke the mental torture of realising that they willingly failed to save a life. At some distant point the weary human will grasp that the deploring voice is now calling from the original source of their search and the realisation that they have been way-led and tricked will dawn. Dejected and tired, the human’s efforts would oft be rewarded by gurgling laughter and a round of applause from the Shellycoat.'

the story i was told was a bit more gruesome than that...

Posted 2 years ago #
Dougal - Member

Had this book on the Big Gray Man as a kid, great bedtime reading...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Big-Grey-Man-Ben-MacDhui/dp/1874744203/r

Children of the Dead End is a cracking book too, you'll love it.

Spring Heeled Jack is another legend, I don't think it's strictly Scottish though.

Posted 2 years ago #

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