Ghost Stories of the Yorkshire Dales
Is the Yorkshire Dales Haunted?
I can CLEARLY see two ghosts in the photograph above, so obviously the answer is YES!
Ok, Ok. That’s two kids doing their best ‘pretending to be ghosts’ impression. But whatever your thoughts are on ghosts, what is a fact is that there are LOADS of ghost stories associated with the Yorkshire Dales. The kids are very partial to listening to a silly ghost story as we wander around exploring the Yorkshire Dales, so I’ve decided to write them all down!
But that’s not all! Some of our ghost stories come with a spooky walk, so you can walk the walk and see if you can spot the spooks yourselves!
Question is…. Do YOU believe in ghosts?….
The Wharfedale Ghosts
The Bolton Abbey Ghosts
If you look at Bolton Abbey, you’d be forgiven for thinking…. Gotta be haunted right? Towering ruins, set inside a graveyard… CLASSIC ghost story territory!
Well. You aren’t wrong!
The Priory ruins are probably the most iconic part of the Abbey, (yes Priory, because actually Bolton Abbey isn’t an Abbey at all) so on our ghostly tour of Bolton Abbey, let’s start there!
Prior Moone
The last Prior of Bolton Abbey before the Dissolution of the Monasteries took place (thanks Henry VIII) was Prior Moone. Rumour has it that Prior Moone is the subject of the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle, and that the origins of the verse lie at Bolton Abbey. How? Well one version is, ‘the fiddle’ refers to corruption of the leadership and theft of church funds; ‘the cow’ refers to some …… ahem…. ‘relations’ that the Prior had with a local lady, ‘the little dog laughed’ is one of the two dogs on the tower of Bolton Abbey church, one of which looks like it is laughing; and the dish that ‘ran away with the spoon' refers to the theft of the collection plate, possibly by the love interest. SCANDALOUS!
Another version of the origin of the rhyme is that it refers to the sale of a cow, that Prior Moone was ‘diddled’ over. Far less corrupt, but far more obvious in its interpretation.
True? We’ll probably never know, but a great tale nevertheless.
Perhaps the less than gleaming reputation that Prior Moone was given in the first interpretation of Hey Diddle Diddle, is why he reportedly haunts the ruins of the Priory, appearing under one of the roof bosses. The one that’s associated with the Devil…. (obvs… come OOOOOON! It’s a GHOST STORY!)
The Butcher
On a far more sinister note, the tomb of Lord John Clifford (as in the Cliffords of Skipton Castle) is located at Bolton Abbey. Lord Clifford earned himself the nickname ‘The Butcher’ for his actions in the Battle of Wakefield (part of the War of the Roses) when he reportedly murdered the young son of the Duke of York (who was himself fatally wounded in the battle). This fearsome character was said to have made a reappearance to a team of archaeologists who were excavating his tomb back in 1973.
They claimed to have encountered something ‘very black and evil’ and reported many sightings of ghosts during their work there. The work ended prematurely because of the experiences they claimed to have had and the nasty and oppressive presence that they felt whilst working there.
The scariest part? Some of the team reported that the presence followed them… and plagued them at home too (HOLLYWOOD, DO YOU HEAR THIS?! I’m thinking some kind of Indiana Jones style mash up with a bit of Woman in Black thrown in for good measure yeah? Feel free to get in touch*)
Did that send a shiver down your spine? OF COURSE IT DID! Chilling stuff right?
*all ideas are my own and are almost certainly terrible.
The Barden Tower Screamer
Head down to the opposite end of the Estate and you’ll find the remains of the hunting lodge, Barden Tower. Here, there is reportedly the sound of a disembodied scream, which was described by locals as being a ‘shout from hell’.
If you hear a disembodied scream…. where ELSE can it come from right?! Hell, is of course the obvious conclusion (not… I don’t know… animals, wind… a person being chased by a bear….)
Not the ideal soundtrack for a beautiful wedding venue huh? Barden Tower sits next to one of the most beautiful wedding venues EVER. (I’ve got it bookmarked for when the kids don’t want me meddling in their own weddings… if I start hinting now though, that’ll work right?!)
Fancy a wander to check out the ruins yourself? Here are the details of the Barden Tower walk or the Bolton Abbey ruins walk! Bolton Abbey also have a Halloween trail, why not check out the details?
The Headless Horseman and Ghostly Monk of Linton
Linton is found just outside of Grassington and is the home of the spectacular Linton Falls. Well, spectacular after rain, otherwise, very pretty.
But whilst Linton is a beautiful village, it has a bit of a spooky reputation! Linton is home to only 176 residents, but it reportedly has 2 ghosts…. A headless horseman (classic ghosty type stuff) and the ghost of a monk, who haunts the churchyard of St Michaels (pictured above).
The story goes that the horseman (not yet headless) was carrying an urgent message to Linton when he was murdered en route. Despite him losing his head, he managed to complete the journey and delivered the letter before falling from the saddle. His ghost haunts Linton although hasn’t been sighted for a long time now.
So next, let’s talk Monks.
There are a fair few ghostly monks wandering around the Dales and with a high proportion of now ruined establishments (Bolton Priory down the road, the famous Fountains Abbey, Jervaulx, Ravenstonedale, Byland…. Rievaulx…. See? A LOT of Abbeys) you can hardly blame them!
I mean, I’m sceptical when it comes to a good old fashioned ghost story, but apparently the ghostly monk of Linton hangs around the grounds of St Michaels and was reportedly spotted by King George V in the doorway of the church. His account was backed up by the Marquis of Hartington. Now I’m not one to argue with royalty…. so keep your eyes peeled for that monk!!
Want to walk it? Head to our Linton Falls walk that will take you right past the church where the monk was reportedly sighted or do the full Linton circular to the village centre (and pub!).
The Children of Thruscross Reservoir
Technically not Wharfedale but just a stone’s throw away is Thruscross Reservoir, the largest of the Washburn valley reservoirs. Whilst the water there is a source of the local drinking water, did you know that under the water there lies an submerged village?
Always the perfect setting for a super creepy tale, right?
During the droughts in the Summers of 2022 and ‘25, the ruins of the village of West End began to emerge from the water (you can see them in the picture above). Felled tree stumps, ruinous buildings, rusty remains of construction all began to reappear. It is said that one of the buildings that lies submerged beneath the surface is an old workhouse, which reportedly was horrific in the treatment of children.
Tragically, they were so cruelly treated that the ghostly cries of the children who were resident there are said to be heard rising from the depths of the reservoir.
Now, I’m not one to be the party pooper, but I am a sucker for a little bit of research and I have failed to find any record of there even being a workhouse in the village of West End. So sorry folks, this one might be a bit of a tall tale!
Fancy a walk around Thruscross? Check out our Thruscross walk with or without the ghosts!
The Hiker of Burnsall Bridge
Ah Burnsall.
Classic Dales village, picturesque chocolate box style cottages, an historic pub, and an ancient packhorse bridge. An all round super popular place to visit in the Dales.
Also said to be the favourite haunt (pardon the pun!) of a Thomas Denholme, who materialises as a lonely walker crossing the bridge, set apart from the usual hiking crew by his Victorian clothes and skeletal face….. reckon he’d be pretty narked to have to share his chosen haunting location with the hundreds of tourists at Burnsall…. but…. maybe that’s why he’s not been seen in a while!
Heard of Pam? I mean, Of COURSE you haven’t… until now! (I like Pam, that’s why she gets a big intro…)
The story goes that Pam was the local schoolmistress with a penchant for playing the fiddle. I like to think that she played well, because if she resembled a kid trying to learn the violin, then I can sympathise with the way this story panned out…
She was allegedly murdered by the Vicar after she refused to stop playing the fiddle after dark. Her ghost is said to continue playing after her demise (presumably to stick two fingers up to the villainous vicar!)
And that’s why I love Pam.
Not satisfied with a gaunt hiker or a vengeful fiddler? Why not head into the bar at the Red Lion in Burnsall where its resident ghost likes nothing more than to turn off the beer taps in the cellar. The cellars date back to the 12th Century, so who that meddlesome monster might be, is anybody’s guess!
We just so happen to have a walk that heads right past the bridge AND the pub… Why not check out our Burnsall to Appletreewick circular or our Burnsall to Hebden loop and finish off at the pub? I mean, obviously it’s in the interest of research…
The White Wells Spa pool
The Ghost of White Wells Spa: Ilkley
Now, we take a trip to Ilkley. Well known for it’s moor (definitely don’t visit b’aht ‘at - otherwise you’ll be eaten by ‘t’werms) it’s famous Cow and Calf rocks (created by the moor’s very own resident Giant - check that out in our folklore blog) and Betty’s (excellent tearoom, fabulous cake).
It’s also a pretty well renowned spa town. Sadly not the kind of spa you’re thinking of, think more about the Victorians and their obsessions with water. Up on the moor above the town, you’ll find White Wells, a whitewashed building with massive historical significance.
If you have absolutely no idea about what White Wells is, I’ll fill you in. Back in 1699, a building was erected by the then landowner, William Middleton to house the waters of the spring on Ilkley Moor. It was thought that the waters had healing properties and it became particularly fashionable to come and take the waters at the spa. It gained popularity throughout the 18th century, leading to the town’s boom in the 19th century, thanks to the multiple hydropathic establishments that popped up throughout the town. Ilkley became well known for its restorative waters and people flocked there to partake, including Charles Darwin himself.
Bottom line, White Wells is the OG Spa in Ilkley and it still operates as a bath house to this day, whereas the fancy hydros have either been demolished or turned into apartments.
Now, you can enter the spa for the price of a cup of tea in the cafe, to dip in the water. What you’ll find is a deep pool, filled with crystal clear water fed directly from the spring on the moor.
And it was in these waters that a girl sadly drowned whilst taking the waters, hundreds of years ago. Her ghost haunts the spa building and is seen weeping into the water of the well.
If you want to head to White Wells, then check out our White Wells Spa walk!
Nidderdale Ghosts
The Greenhow, Prosperous and Provident Lead Mines
Greenhow is like a weirdly supernatural hub for supposed paranormal activity. Bit like Linton. AND I AM ALL OVER IT!
If you want to picture this…. the hills of Greenhow are bleak. They are barren. Views for days, but isolated and if you ended up working there back in’t day, they were exposed to all the elements and were totally brutal working conditions.
The village of Greenhow is tiny, full of picturesque period cottages that once belonged to the miners who worked the mines there. But if you venture onto the moor, you’ll find the remains of the mines. The levels (tunnels), the shafts (the great big black ‘oles) the chimneys and the ruinous buildings. At Prosperous, you’ll also get the rusted remains of the iron machinery too, and it really does rock. It’s a fascinating insight into what once was there and I thoroughly recommend a visit if you’re in the area.
But whilst it was once a thriving part of the lead mining industry back in the 1700’s-1800’s, the mines have been silent for nearly 200 years.
Except….. have they?
The stories go that the mines are restless and are far from silent. In the darkness of the night, the ghostly sounds of the lead miners can be heard rising from the depths of the earth. The clang of iron on stone rings out from the depths of the earth 100’s of years after the mines were abandoned.
Venture onto Greenhow Hill itself, and you might encounter an odd clog-wearing ghost, whose footsteps can be heard wandering along the road. Experienced by none other than the ex-owner of Stump Cross Caverns!
If you want to explore the Greenhow Lead Mines, you can head to our walk!
Spooky Stump Cross Caverns
Because I am a little ghost story obsessed, I have begun to collect my own and have been in touch with the current owners of Stump Cross Caverns, Lisa, Nick and their family who run the show caves as a true family team.
Whilst the former owner spotted the strange clog-wearing ghost, the current owners have seen a tall dark soldier standing in the show cave’s car park. This was spotted by Lisa and her daughter Evie at the same time…
Now, if you like ghostly things, you’ll know that two people seeing the same inexplicable thing at the same time is VERY exciting for paranormal folk. So I did a very brief little look into whether there was any history of soldiers marching in the area.
It didn’t take long for me to find that famously, the 16th and 18th Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, or the ‘Bradford Pals’ were well documented as having marched in May 1915 from Skipton along the old turnpike road to Pateley Bridge, before they transferred to Ripon and then later to France, they carried rifles on their shoulders.
The Bradford Pals were sent to the Battle of the Somme in World War 1 and there, 2,000 pals set off across No Mans Land, expecting little in the way of resistance. Sadly, that was not the case and 1,770 of the Bradford Pals lost their lives that day. it was one of the most disastrous days in British military history and devastating to the families who waited for their return.
Could this tragic final home turf march, be the one that is replayed along what is now the B6265?
Well, the turnpike road was also used during the English Civil War between 1642 and 1651. Skipton Castle was a royalist stronghold and troops would use the route past Stump Cross Caverns to move between Skipton, Knaresborough and Ripon so if it isn’t the ill-fated pals, then it could be them!
So ghostly soldiers… not quite the stretch of imagination you were thinking right?
But did you ALSO know?
These show caves were discovered by lead miners (I mean they were pretty prevalent in the area during the height of the industry) and have been open to the public since Victorian times. They are the home of some spectacular rock formations, the Yorkshire Cavewoman (actual, not historical) and loads of seasonal activities, including fossil digs, gem panning, geode cracking and star gazing…
But if you venture down into the caverns themselves, keep your ears open for the sound of ghostly footsteps that have been heard inside, and if you grab your UV torch, keep your eyes peeled for the witch’s face (we found that one, keep your eyes peeled and look to the cave roof after you take the right fork to Reindeer cavern)
But the big question is, what will they find in their BRAND NEW show cave?! Well, this one hasn’t been opened to the public yet, but given what has been found so far as part of the archaeological dig, I’m firmly sitting in the ghostly wolverine camp.
We love a trip to Stump Cross Caverns, and they happen to have a fantastic array of spooky Halloween activities arranged for half term, so why not check out the website!
North East Yorkshire Dales Ghosts
The Richmond Drummer Boy
On the north eastern edge of the national park, you’ll find the historic market town of Richmond. Founded in 1071 by Alan Rufus (always love an Alan), Richmond boasts cobbled streets, a medieval castle, a spectacular set of waterfalls and one of the most iconic legends in the Yorkshire Dales (if not the entire blummin’ country)
The legend of the Richmond Drummer Boy.
Back in the day (technical history term there….) ok waaaaaay back in the day at the end of the 1700’s, there was a rumour flying round that there was a tunnel stretching from Richmond Castle all the way to Easby Abbey. Slightly concerned that people might be able to breach the fortress and like an itch that needed to be scratched, the hunt was on for this tunnel.
Once the prime suspect was located, it must have been pretty annoying to find that the tunnel was too dilapidated for a fully grown soldier type to fit through.
Enter the poor Drummer Boy. A little lad, who was the perfect size to squeeze through the rubble of the tunnel to investigate its destination.
The Plan? The Boy was to drum constantly as he proceeded. The soldiers would track the path of the tunnel over-ground, guided by the beats of the drum.
The plan was a success, until they reached Easby Woods, where the sound abruptly stopped. The soldiers’ conclusion? The ill-fated Drummer Boy was eaten by a monster straight from the chasm of Hell. Logical Conclusion. But this is the reason that no attempt was made to recover the poor boy’s remains.
There is an alternative ending to this tragic tale (the director’s cut perhaps…..) Another version tells of the drum beat changing moments before they ceased, as though the boy entered a larger chamber under the ground. The story goes that inside the chamber lay the sleeping bodies of King Arthur’s knights who rest underground, only to be awakened when England is in grave danger. There, the Drummer Boy lay down to sleep with them, until the time comes that they are needed again….
Another story reports that the final drum beats of the Drummer Boy can still be heard today…. (Can I get a wooooooooooooo?!)
Want to walk in the footseps of the ill-fated Drummer Boy? Head to our Easby Abbey walk that takes you right past the stone that marks the place where the beats of the drum were last heard.
The Wensleydale Ghosts
The Ghosts of Aysgarth Falls
Aysgarth is the home of some of the most famous waterfalls in the Yorkshire Dales.
But did you know that rumour has it, it is also home of several ghosts?
One such ghost is a spectral horse and carriage seen on the highways around Aysgarth, which holds some irony given the mills used to home a carriage museum until its closure in 2003.
Yore Mill overlooks the famous falls and is the home of the son a ghostly former owner, whose screams can still be heard after being dealt somewhat of a vigilante punishment for alleged sexual harassment (leaving him minus a few key parts…)
Lastly, there are reports of a ghostly woman with a walking stick who haunts the road around Aysgarth. She is so lifelike that she looks human…. almost…
But was she?! Sceptics unite!
If you want to head to Aysgarth Falls, check out our walk!
Rigg House: Hawes
This ABSOLUTELY STUNNING property is found near Cotter Force just outside of Hawes in Wensleydale. Now two houses stand on the spot where Rigg House once stood in its entirety. There are two beautiful and historic family homes, but why has one become two I hear you ask?
Rigg House dates back to the mid 1600’s and originally stood as one long property before the central section was destroyed by fire.
Locals will tell you that the reason it was not rebuilt was because it was so terribly haunted by the ghost of a headless woman, that they dare not rebuild it in case she continued to haunt it.
I say I’d definitely live in a house like that!
Bolton Castle and Mary Queen of Scots
Now, I’d say it’s fair to say in haunting terms, Mary Queen of Scots has a pretty blummin’ full on schedule.
She’s supposed to haunt Holyrood house in Edinburgh, Edinburgh Castle, Loch Leven Castle, Fotheringhay Castle, Tutbury Castle, Chartley Castle, Craignethan Castle, Hermitage Castle, Stirling Castle, Carlisle Castle, Earl’s Manor Lodge, The Talbot Hotel, The Haycock Hotel… Basically everywhere Mary stopped, stayed, lived in, looked at or thought about at some point in her life is haunted by her (apparently).
Including Bolton Castle in Castle Bolton (yup, Bolton Castle is the Castle, Castle Bolton is the name of the village. Confused? You should be) and Nappa Hall in Askrigg.
At Nappa Hall she has been spotted wearing a black velvet dress, at Bolton Castle she has been described as wearing ‘Tudor style clothing’ and has been seen gazing out a window, in the courtyard and caught wandering around the castle by Lord Bolton. Queen Mary stayed at Bolton Castle for quite a while, befriending the Lady of the castle and seeming spending rather a pleasant six months of her imprisonment in stunning surroundings and rather luxurious rooms, before she was moved on.
(Well, if you can call being forcibly held against your will in a place you really would rather not be, ‘pleasant’.)
The Grey Lady of Semerwater
Lake Semerwater is a really cool spot. Not only is it in a staggeringly remote and beautiful part of the Dales (Raydale, just off Wensleydale to be precise), but it is surrounded by rolling hills and moorlands, and a few tiny settlements, one of which is the subject of this haunting tale.
Semerwater, despite being in what is essentially the back end of nowhere, is the subject of so many spooky tales of the Dales it could possibly be counted at the most haunted part of the Dales, rivalling only Wharfedale in it’s number of ghosts/ mile ratio!
Countersett and Semerdale Hall, as well as Raydale House have multiple stories of ghostly goings on, including a phantom horseman who rides the road to Raydale House. Pass Semerdale Hall and you’ll see a whole host of ghosts just wandering around the garden, like some kind of phantom tea party (can confirm, very disappointingly NEVER seen this, despite passing MANY times!)
The tiny hamlet of Stalling Busk is located just off the Southern edge of Semerwater, and the remains of its Chapel can still be seen and visited today (the churchyard is still used for burials). The grounds of the Chapel area are also the home of a ghostly grey lady, who is said to haunt the area.
Oh and there’s another legend too about what lies beneath the water of the Lake itself, but that one we’ll save for another blog… check out our witches of the Dales blog to find out more!)
And you know what? We have a walk that will take you right to the remains of the old chapel at Stalling Busk, so you can go and do a bit of ghost hunting yourself! Check out our Semerwater walk!
Ghostly goings on at The Green Dragon, Hardraw
There are three pretty iconic pubs in the Yorkshire Dales. The Tan Hill Inn above Swaledale, The Green Dragon at Hardraw and The Station Inn at Ribblehead.
Whilst there are tales of the Tan Hill Inn being haunted by its former landlady, and the Station Inn by a navvie and a child, it is the Green Dragon at Hardraw that has got all kinds of ghoulish tales about it, perhaps it’s down to the fact that it is one of the oldest pubs in the Dales, dating back to the 13th century and maybe it’s because it spent a good chunk of its life being the official entrance to Hardraw Force, the country’s tallest waterfall.
Whilst the waterfall is now entered via the visitor centre, the historic pub is still thriving, both with clientele in the living realm (and perhaps the dead…)
One such story relates to a boy who haunted the bar, he would push a marble along the floor or throw CDs around and change the volume when the music was too loud because he was frightened of the loud noise. There was also an instance when, upon declaring that he didn’t believe in ghosts, a customer’s pint moved into mid air and then smashed on the floor (I wonder if the ghost bought him a replacement?)
In total five ghosts, two children and three adults have been witnessed in the Green Dragon over the years. Staff have heard their names called when they were alone, followed figures into other rooms only to find they had vanished and they claim to even have inexplicable events caught on CCTV.
Who fancies a pint?
Our walk to Shaw Gill and Hardraw Force starts and ends at the Green Dragon if you fancy paying this spooky pub a visit!
Ghosts of the Settle and Ribblehead Area
Ingleborough, The Gaping Gill Monk
Nestled on the side of one of the epic Yorkshire three peaks you’ll find a super-massive black hole! Yes, that’s right A MASSIVE HOLE!!!
Ok, it’s a bit more than that, because that great big gaping chasm is the home of three things. The country’s highest single drop waterfall that you will only ever get to see from the base if you head down it on winch day, (May bank holiday and August when the local caving clubs winch people down into it, read more about the Gaping Gill winch here), a cavern so humungous it could fit a cathedral inside it… and a ghost. Of a monk.
How he came to be there, I have no idea. It’s probably one of the least accessible places in the country, but the story is that a caver who was down there exploring one of the many tunnels in the network lying beneath your feet came face to face with this ghoulish guy.
Maybe The Monk didn’t visit on Winch day?
If you need even more evidence of Gaping Gill being a pretty fatal place, then in 1947 (around the time they found a body walled up in Body Pot - more about that on the horrid history page - there was an unidentified body found here. It was concluded that he had sadly accidentally fallen in.
Luckily for you, you can go visit Gaping Gill (except don’t go near the pothole, or you might fall in too!) check out our Gaping Gill walk here.
Blea Moor and the Ribblehead Viaduct
Blea Moor is absolutely deserving of a top ghost story. Bleak, isolated, beautiful, but stark, it is LITERALLY the perfect setting for a ghoulish tale. But the reported ghostly phone calls received by the Blea Moor Signalmen is not the only ghostly occurrence that has been reported to haunt this barren place.
The reason for this place being an alleged paranormal hotspot? The Ribblehead Viaduct.
An absolute belter of a feat of engineering, this mahoosive structure was completed in 1875 after 5 years of building work, carried out by navvies in their thousands.
Camps were set up in the areas immediately surrounding the construction site for the workers. Remote and at the mercy of the elements, these living conditions were brutal, and many folk lost their lives to bouts of smallpox, fighting (I mean the brawling kind!) and then in the construction of the viaduct and Blea Moor Tunnel themselves. Hundreds of men, women and children are buried at nearby Chapel le Dale, and a memorial has been set up to commemorate the lives of those who were killed in the construction of this monumental place.
Such a tragic tale has led to many a ghostly sighting on the moor, at the signal box and in Blea Moor Tunnel itself. Reportedly, an oppressive atmosphere falls upon the train, with a cloying sickly sweet smell, coming from nowhere filling the carriages.
So Ribblehead. Not just a giant train bridge (and that my friends, is the technical term!) but a pretty legendary place!
You KNOW you want to walk in the ghostly footsteps of the Blea Moor spectres!! So check out our Force Gill walk or even take on the big guy, the highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales, Whernside
The Ghost of Knight Stainforth Bridge
Spanning the water of the River Ribble at Stainforth Force is a gorgeous listed bridge, which is now owned by the National Trust. You might already know it if you’d paid a visit to Knight Stainforth Campsite… and gone the wrong way. It’s JUST about wide enough for a car to squeeze over (with a bit of luck) but undoubtedly if you have, you’ll have breathed in whilst you did it!
It’s this motorist’s nightmare that is haunted by the ghost of a man and his dog.
It is said that they once haunted nearby Knight Stainforth Hall but that they lost their spectral home there when it burned down, relocating to the nearby bridge!
If you want to walk in the footsteps of the ghosts, then try our Hoffman Kiln walk which takes you right over the bridge itself.
Make sure you bring your dog treats…
Deep Diving in Austwick
Hold onto your swimming caps, this one is possibly the weirdest story I’ve ever heard (and you might be able to tell, I’ve heard a few!)
Austwick is a beautiful little village near Settle, just a stone’s throw from the A65. It’s well known for its traditional Cuckoo Festival, which I believe is held to commemorate an occasion when the locals managed to capture a cuckoo, and wanted to make it stay permanently. Cuckoos were supposed to herald a good Spring and clement weather, so they wanted to harness that good luck for the whole year. To try and get it to stay, they built a wall around the tree, but for reasons TOTALLY beyond belief, they omitted to put a ROOF on it, so the bird (wait for it) flew away.
WHO KNEW THAT WOULD HAPPEN EH?!
But aside from slightly baffling architectural decisions, there is another equally odd story about Austwick.
Apparently, there is a deep pool near the village which was visited by a gang of friends. In a very random sequence of events, one of the group leaped into the pool and decided against swimming. He simply sank to the bottom. His probably quite concerned friends gathered around the deep pool only to see some bubbles rising to the surface. When the bubbles burst, they heard words to the effect ‘it’s better down here’ and before you could say ‘eh?’ they all jumped in to follow him. Unsurprisingly, they were never seen again.
Weird right? (But is it also weird that I REALLY want to try and find that pool now?)
We have a beautiful walk that starts from Austwick and heads up to Oxenber Woods, fancy trying that? (Can confirm, no deep pools on this walk - but there may be cuckoos)
Swaledale Ghosts
The Legend of Crackpot Hall
Let’s have a ghost story that’s more story than ghost shall we?
If there is a place that epitomises quirky in both name and nature, it’s Crackpot Hall near Keld in Swaledale. This ramshackle collection of ruins are all that remains of a farmhouse that once stood on the site of an old 17th Century hunting lodge. Nothing hugely unique so far and miles away from the grandeur that the name suggests, right?!
WRONG! You just read on, for I’m about to gloriously gloss over 3 hundred years of history.
Crackpot was later used as a mining building during the 1800’s. Look up and away from the hall and you’ll see evidence all over the area of the once thriving lead industry, particularly if you head around the corner to Swinner Gill. After the miners, it was a bustling family home and then in the 1930’s a place for some writers to stay, who were looking for inspiration (I can sympathise).
In 1950 it was abandoned after mining related subsidence rendered the building uninhabitable.
Then? Well it began to crumble, leaving behind what is a little bit like a time capsule. If you head to the ruins, you’ll see the remains of an old bath, as well as the range, the fireplaces and the layout of some of the rooms. Pretty standard house-y stuff right? But after archaeologists visited the site, they found all kinds of artefacts in the area including newspaper wrapped dynamite left behind by the miners!
Not only is this remarkable place fascinating, but it has a tale behind it that is…. well, obscure to say the least!
Remember those writers you just read about? During the 1930’s before the building started to crumble, a pair of authors who specialised in local history came to stay. Whilst they were there, they reported sighting a four year old girl wandering barefoot around the rugged moorland surrounding the property. This girl was named Alice, but they were unable to decipher her dialect, and did not understand what she had to say.
CUE LEGENDS BEING MADE! This rumour spread far and wide and Alice was warmly welcomed into local folklore where she stayed for decades until… (it’s a cliff-hanger right?!)
In 2015, a BBC journalist began to unpick the story of our feral child and found that an Alice DID in fact live at Crackpot Hall back in’t day (technically accurate historical term there…) But….. (dramatic pause*) Alice wasn’t a wild phantom roaming the stark moorland of Upper Swaledale. No. She was cosy at home in Carlisle, where she now lived.
Myth? Or had they just encountered a different Alice…. (I’ll leave that one up to you!)
… I say different Alice. Crackpot Hall is definitely haunted!
If you want to explore Crackpot Hall and the old lead mine workings of Swinner Gill, head to our walk!
The most haunted place in the Yorkshire Dales?
Hartlakes. The Most Haunted Place in the Yorkshire Dales?
If you look down the dale from Crackpot Hall, you’ll spot this set of ruins on the valley floor, next to the River Swale. This is the abandoned hamlet of Hartlakes, a place that locals avoid after dark. Not looking QUITE as spooky in the Summer of 2025 was it?
And to be honest, it was only after we got home that we found out JUST how haunted this place was. Never fear, I will be going back… for research purposes obviously...
Why is it spooky? Well, I stumbled across the story of Bogle Hall and its tragic history.
Hartlakes can be desribed as being a tiny abandoned settlement, strung out along the Coast to Coast path between Keld and Muker, near to the River Swale. You’d be forgiven for assuming that these properties were no more than abandoned farm out-buildings (because that is exactly what I had thought!) But these properties were once homes.
And one such home was Hartlakes Hall. This property was abandoned over 100 years ago by its then tenants, John Alton who was known locally as ‘Snapper John’ and his family. One day, him and his wife had made the journey to nearby Muker market, leaving their children back at home. In a horrific accident, their daughter managed to set fire to herself and she tragically succumbed to her injuries. An awful tale, which is so very sad.
It was after this point, that the Alton family reported violent disturbances, sounds of wailing and rattling which caused so much distress, the family moved out. The house was never occupied again and is now locally known as Bogle Hall (pronounced Boggle Hall).
The residents of nearby Keld know to steer well clear of the now ruined house. Particularly after dark, when the wails can still be heard. Spooky huh?
Frank's Bridge, the watery grave of Jangling Annas who haunts the area....
North Western Yorkshire Dales Ghosts
Jangling Annas, Kirkby Stephen
Heading over to the North Western parts of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and to Cumbria, you’ll find Kirkby Stephen, a pretty market town in the Westmorland Dales.
There, you’ll find Frank’s Bridge, which is the spectral home of a Jangling Annas, who was reportedly a medieval escaped prisoner from nearby Hartley Castle. The story goes that she attempted escape by swimming under the bridge, but because of the shackles from her imprisonment, her hands had been turned to stumps, it was at the bridge that she drowned.
The sound of her chains can be heard echoing under the bridge… You can walk right across the bridge in our most epically quirky walk EVER to Stenkrith Park.
St Oswald’s Church in Ravenstonedale, behind here are the ruins of a Gilbertine Monastery
Spooky Ravenstonedale
Ravenstonedale is a beautiful village in Cumbria, in the Westmorland Dales. Think STUNNING views of the rolling Howgills, beautiful period properties and some blummin marvellous pubs. Yes, Ravenstonedale is one of our FAVS and we’ve been coming back again and again for years.
Written records of settlement in the area date back to the 12th Century, but in reality folk would have been living in Ravenstonedale for centuries before that point. If you pay the village a visit, you are unlikely to miss the church of St Oswalds (because it sits directly opposite the play park) which has the ruins of a Gilbertine Monastery behind it, complete with the old toilet! But for a village that is so small, it has a fair few tales to tell!
Both of the excellent pubs here boast ghost stories. The Kings Head has three very friendly ghosts who presumably are thoroughly enjoying their afterlife being spent in’t pub and the Black Swan has a few tales to tell too. Dating back to the 17th Century, the Black Swan has a couple of ghosts in the basement and a phantom girl in the breakfast room.
If you fancy a visit, you can walk to both pubs on our Smardale Gill Viaduct Walk.
Ooh, and as you make your way back home again, keep your eyes peeled. A couple of the roads out of the village are said to be haunted by local nobleman Lord Wharton too!
And on that note….
Sleep tight!
SOURCES
Haunted Yorkshire Dales by Summer Strevens,
Yorkshire Witches by Eileen Rennison,
Haunted Yorkshire by Nick Tyler and many more online resources such as the
Yorkshire Dales National Park website.
Yorkshire Post ‘Crackpot Hall: The Yorkshire Ruins Defined by the Mystery of a Feral Child’ - BBC Between the Ears: Alice at Crackpot hall
Legends of the Dales
HEAD BACK FOR MORE!
We have stories of the Yorkshire Dales Witches the Folklore of the Yorkshire Dales and the Dark History of the Dales