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The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui - Am Fear Liath Mòr
Myths and Legends Day
Oct 11
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Whatever you make of it, I do not know, but there is something very queer about the top of Ben MacDhui and I will not go back there again by myself I know.”
~ Professor J. Norman Collie, 1925, at the 27th Annual General Meeting of the Cairngorm Club in Aberdeen
Climbers of Ben MacDhui, take heed! This towering peak in the Cairngorms is said to be the domain of Am Fear Liath Mòr—the Grey Man of MacDhui, Scotland's own Bigfoot! Those who claim to have encountered the Greyman describe an overwhelming sense of dread and panic, often accompanied by the unsettling crunch of phantom footsteps, as if something unseen is following them. Most sightings occur just below the skyline, near the eerie Lairg Ghru Pass, a place known well to the locals. Some suggest more rational explanations, like infrasound—low-frequency noises created by the wind, detectable by some—or the optical illusion of the Brocken Spectre, where a climber’s shadow, magnified and looming, is cast upon the mist in a ghostly display. But no matter the cause, beware! And if you’re daring enough, perhaps you’ll glance behind your shoulder during this 32 bar John Drewry reel… if you dare! Don't worry, chances are he just wants to dance! 🖤 🤪 👣 ⛰️
Ferla Mor
In Scottish folklore, Am Fear Liath Mòr, the Big Grey Man, the Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui, or simply the Greyman, is the name of a presence or creature which is said to haunt the summit and passes of Ben Macdui, the highest peak of the Cairngorms.
Those who have seen it describe it as an extremely tall figure covered with short hair, or as an unseen presence that causes uneasy feelings in people who climb the mountain. Other eyewitnesses describe it as a large humanoid standing over ten feet tall and having olive toned skin with long arms and broad shoulders. Nearly all reports of Am Fear Liath Mòr include the sound of footsteps crunching in the gravel just out of sight.
Illusions, hallucinations or misinterpretation of natural stimulus have all been proposed by psychologists as explanations. Infrasound, which can be generated by wind, can cause feelings of uneasiness and anxiety in some people and is frequently connected to paranormal sightings.
Additionally, an optical illusion known as the Brocken spectre is a plausible explanation for some visual elements of the Big Grey Man legend. This phenomenon can occur in certain atmospheric conditions when the sun is at a particular angle. The subject's shadow can be cast onto a cloud bank around them, creating the illusion of a large shadowy humanoid figure.
For real life accounts and history of Greyman sightings, click the photograph of a Brocken Spectre!
See below for the dance performed by the Skagit Scottish Country Dancers, 2011.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
