Fear Liath Moor

The Fear Liath Mòr, or Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui, is a spectral figure said to haunt Scotland’s Cairngorm mountains. Hikers and climbers report overwhelming feelings of dread, accompanied by the sound of crunching footsteps trailing just behind them, even when no one is visible. Some claim brief glimpses of a towering, gray humanoid form moving through the mist. Psychologists suggest these encounters could be heightened by infrasound effects or optical illusions in foggy alpine environments, which can distort perception dramatically. Still, local lore holds firm that Fear Liath Mòr is a guardian spirit—or perhaps a lingering echo of something older and far more primal. It remains one of the most atmospheric cryptids in European folklore, a haunting reminder that solitude in vast, silent landscapes can sometimes feel profoundly not alone.