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lelebo
29-Mar-06, 10:17
Hi everyone

I'm doing a course just now on Highland Myths and Legends and I'm focussing on Caithness. I've just had a look through the thread on Castletown and its inspired me to post my own - I'd be really grateful for any stories you might have of the local area - anything at all :)

Thanks - lele
The Pepsi Challenge
29-Mar-06, 13:43
There's a good one about Lady Janet. Her husband was lost at sea and she eventually - I believe - took her own life. The myth goes that she would wave to people from a distance in an attempt to get them to follow her. But as they get closer she disappears. This continues until she has led them into the Thurso Castle grounds where any curious parties will, finally, meet her... as a marble statue.

I have another one about the ghost who haunts John O' Groat House Hotel. It's written down somewhere. I'll come back with it for you.
jimag
29-Mar-06, 13:53
Many years ago the Livingston Brothers had a song about the "Silkie of Dunnet Sands" they regularily sang at the Dounreay Folk Club. Does anyone remember it? There is a grave stone in Olrig cemetary linked to the story.
lelebo
29-Mar-06, 14:32
I've heard the story about the Silkie before but didn't realise it was buried in Olrig cemetry - I must take a drive out there at the weekend...!!
lelebo
31-Mar-06, 09:30
I'm particularly interested in legends of stroma or the pentland firth.....can anyone help?????
Sandra_B
31-Mar-06, 18:31
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olrig

http://www.heartoscotland.com/Categories/MythsandLegends.htm

http://www.brims.co.uk/brims/myths.html
lelebo
05-Apr-06, 12:06
thansk sandra - some really useful links...
jimbews
05-Apr-06, 13:35
I'm particularly interested in legends of stroma or the pentland firth.....can anyone help?????
On the caithness.org website at:

http://www.caithness.org/caithnessfieldclub/bulletins/1992/stroma.htm

there is the legend of the Swelkie, the whirlpool in the Pentland Firth.

I remember reading about that (but perhaps in a slightly different form) when I was a kid (so it's really ancient history) in a book about Orkney legends.

jimbews