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The Haunted Mystique on the Cliffs of Wenlock Edge

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From the cliffs rising above the green landscape in Shropshire, England, the Wenlock Edge houses more than one ghost story etched into the limestone of bandits, soldiers and buried treasures. 

A limestone escarpment draped in deciduous woodlands in Shropshire in England and holds the secrets of centuries past—the infamous Wenlock Edge. It is an 18 mile escarpment of grasslands and woodlands with old quarries and lime kilns from the past along the way and is considered one of the wonders of the English midlands because of its important geology as remains to when the midlands had a warmer climate near the Seychelles.

The Wenlock Edge has also been the site of many legends and ghost stories. Immortalized in A. E. Housman’s poetic verses and steeped in legends, this enchanting forest conceals tales of bandits, lost treasures, and spectral echoes that beckon intrepid visitors to tread with caution through its shadowed glades.

Ippikin’s Stolen Fortune

One of the legends told about this place is a ghost who is rumored to guard the buried treasures of a notorious bandit named Ippikin and one of the outcrops of the cliff is called Ippikin’s Rock.

Apparently he was a 13th century knight, and he spent his days raping and pillaging had a base in a cave on Wenlock Edge. A character etched into local lore, Ippikins stolen wealth of gold and precious stones is said to lie concealed beneath the earth, waiting for those bold enough to seek it out. 

The Ghostly Warning of Ippikin

For those who dare to tempt fate, a chilling encounter with Ippikins ghost awaits. Some of the legends also claim that he had the ability to renew his youth every 70 years as well. But one fateful day a bolt of lightning struck the cave and both him, his band of bandits and his treasure came crashing down, trapping their spirit for an eternity. Other versions says it was a rock that came tumbling down and blocking the entrance to the cave. 

A local superstition warns that if a traveler stands upon Wenlock Edge, repeating the incantation “Ippikin, Ippikin, keep away with your long chin,” they risk the spectral intervention of the outlaw. The consequence? A forceful push off the escarpment by the unseen hand of Ippikin himself, ensuring that visitors tread cautiously in this woodland realm.

Ippikins Rock: Thought to be the place were the buried treasure and the bandits hideout cave is located. The Main Crag at Ippikins Rock Ippikins Rock is the name applied to several outcrops of coralian limestone along the length of Wenlock Edge.Source: Richard Law/Wikimedia

Major Thomas Smallman’s Fateful Leap

Wenlock Edge is not only shrouded in the legend of Ippikin but also bears witness to the ghostly presence of Major Thomas Smallman. A Royalist officer during the English Civil War between 1642 to 1651, Smallman faced a dire predicament as Parliamentarian troops closed in while he carried a crucial dispatch to Shrewsbury. 

Rather than surrender, he made a daring choice—to ride his horse off a cliff. The horse met its demise, but miraculously, Smallman survived, caught by the branches of an apple tree and he made his way on foot to Shrewsbury to deliver the despatches. 

Although he survived the fall in the legend, it is said he returned to Wenlock Edge and his dead horse when he did die. The site of this audacious leap is forever known as Major’s Leap, and it resonates with the lingering spirit of a courageous officer and his steed.

The Cliffs of Wenlock Edge

Wenlock Edge stands dappled sunlight and shifting shadows, with the surrounding forest guarding its secrets, allowing the legends of Ippikin and Major Thomas Smallman to echo through the ages. 

Perhaps even hiding hidden treasures as well as stones and fossils of the truly ancient past.

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References:

BBC – Shropshire – places – Legends: Ippikin, the robber knight of Wenlock Edge 

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Coolbawn House and the Lighting Ghost

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Once a servant at Coolbawn House in Ireland was struck by lightning when she was standing by one of the windows and died from it. Ever since, she has been haunting the old mansion that today is only decaying ruins. 

In the quiet beauty of County Wexford, Ireland, Coolbawn House stands as a solemn testament to a bygone era—a haunting reminder of a dark and eerie history that continues to captivate the imaginations of those who dare to venture near. Amidst the crumbling walls and faded grandeur, Coolbawn House harbors a sinister story that has earned it a reputation as one of Ireland’s most haunted places.

The two-story building had a basement and a distinctive T-shaped layout. The house has been vacant since 1883 and saw occasional use in 1911. Unfortunately, it was sold in 1917 and later suffered a fire in 1923, which has left it in ruins.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

The roof is missing, and there are granite chimney stacks with octagonal shapes. The exterior walls are partially covered in ivy or creeper and have pinnacle-topped piers at the corners. The main entrance features a square-headed door opening with a granite doorcase.

Inside the house, much of it is in ruins, but you can still see remnants of the original structure, including a staircase. The house is surrounded by overgrown grounds, and there are wrought iron railings around the perimeter.

This house is historically significant, designed by Frederick Darley Junior, and represents the early 19th-century architecture of County Wexford. Despite its ruined state, it still holds architectural value.

Beneath its crumbling façade of Coolbawn House lies a history that unfolds like a chilling Gothic tale of a house that was abandoned in 1883.

The Ghost in the Lightning

Before this though, Coolbawn House was a thriving residence. It was during this prosperous era that tragedy struck in a manner both mysterious and ominous. As the story goes, a servant girl was tragically struck by lightning one fateful evening, while she stood near a window that framed the house’s grandeur.

This horrifying incident would forever mark the house and its surroundings with an eerie aura, etching the servant girl’s presence into the very fabric of Coolbawn House. Witnesses have recounted sightings of her apparition, standing by that very window—a spectral figure forever gazing out at the world beyond. 

Still as only ruins, the legend of the ghost of the servant is said to haunt the shell of the window where she once met her end. 

Coolbawn House Today

Today, Coolbawn House’s ruins bear witness to a past filled with both grandeur and darkness as it burnt down in 1923 and now only the shell of it remains, overlooking the Blackstairs Mountains. Like so many stately homes owned by the British it was burned down by the IRA during the Civil War. 

The green is now taking over the stone, reclaiming it to the green with. As the wind whispers through its crumbling chambers and the shadows play tricks on the imagination, the house continues to beckon those who seek to uncover its ghostly mysteries.

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References:

Featured Image: Mike Searle / Coolbawn House (2) / CC BY-SA 2.0 /Wikimedia

Coolbawn House, COOLBAWN DEMESNE, WEXFORD – Buildings of Ireland 

Coolbawn Castle – Cow House Studios 

Coolbawn House | Haunted Wexford, Ireland | Spirited Isle

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The Haunting Tale of the Crashed Pilot by Wawona Hotel

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It is said that a plane crashed in Yosemite and the pilot was rushed to Wawona Hotel in the park. Although he was quickly found, he died while waiting for a doctor and now it is said that he is haunting the same place he died. 

Amidst the meadows of Yosemite National Park, the historic Wawona Hotel stands as a beacon of hospitality for weary hikers. The Hotel itself opened in 1876 and is just four miles from the Yosemite National Park’s south entry.

Known as Pallachun by the Nootchu native tribe, meaning “a good place to stop,” by the indigenous inhabitants, the site eventually became the setting for a chilling tale that continues to haunt both staff and guests to this day.

The Plane Crash in Yosemite

In the shadow of the Wawona Hotel lies a story shrouded in tragedy—a tale of a pilot whose fate became forever entwined with the rugged landscape of Yosemite in the 1920s. South of the hotel, where the whispering pines cast their long shadows, the pilot’s plane met its untimely end, crashing amidst the towering trees of the national park.

Searching for the Plane: Plane crash in Wawona in 1926 where it said it was 1 killed and 1 injured. Could this be the plane from the legend?

The injured pilot was taken to Moore Cottage, alive but very injured. Moore Cottage is a modest abode nestled on a gentle slope behind the hotel’s main building. With the echoes of his harrowing ordeal reverberating through the air, the injured pilot awaited the arrival of a doctor to tend to his wounds. Yet, fate had other plans, and before medical aid could reach him, the pilot died.

The Haunting of Moore Cottage and Wawona Hotel

However, it seems that the pilot’s spirit never truly checked out of Moore Cottage, lingering in the ethereal realm that veils the boundary between the living and the departed. Over the years, reports have surfaced of ghostly apparitions haunting the hallowed halls of Wawona Hotel, with staff and guests alike bearing witness to the spectral figure of the crashed pilot around the place where he died.

Read More: Check out all Haunted Hotels from around the world

Clad in his weathered leather jacket, his cap pulled low over his brow, and his goggles adorned with a white silk scarf fluttering in the wind, the pilot’s ghost is said to roam the grounds of Moore Cottage. He is especially reported about coming down the stairs of the cottage. 

Moore Cottage: The cottage of the hotel is where most guests have spotted the ghost of the pilot from the plane crash. //Source

Who was the Pilot Haunting the Hotel?

There are a couple of questions as to who and when this happened and the true name behind the accident. Did it even happen as most accounts of this story is described as a legend. 

Could it be the 1926 plane crash of LeRoy Jeffers form New York who was said to have been instantly killed? Could it be a plane crash that fits the description we haven’t been able to find yet?

Because, although remote, Wawona had a landing strip for planes. In 1927, an airline company began carrying passengers, mail, newspapers and light freight on 50-minute flights from Merced to Wawona. The airstrip remained operational until 1941, when the government ruled the meadow unsuitable for air traffic.

Despite the passage of time, the echoes of flight still reverberate through the halls of Wawona Hotel, a haunting reminder of the pilot’s tragic demise and the spectral legacy he left behind. As night descends upon the meadows of Yosemite, the ethereal presence of the crashed pilot lingers.

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References:

https://npgallery.nps.gov/YOSE/AssetDetail/7b817503a46542c5bc6c0fbdbc4d96c3?

LeRoy Jeffers, Explorer and Writer, Killed, Comrade Hurt, in Plane Crash in California – The New York Times 

BAHA :: Yosemite’s Wawona Hotel: “A Good Place to Stop” 

Weird Fresno: Is Yosemite’s Wawona Hotel haunted?

Wawona Hotel ‘a good place to stop’ at Yosemite National Park – East Bay Times 

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The Navarran Prince Haunting the Parador de Olite in Pamplona

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In the former Navarra Kingdom in Spain, there is a former castle that is said to be haunted. The Parador de Olite in Pamplona is said to have a portrait of a prince that is said to be haunted. But it is certainly not the only ghost said to haunt the rooms of the hotel. 

Spain is a country steeped in history and mystery, and what better way to experience it than to stay in a haunted hotel? If you’re a fan of the supernatural, then you’ll want to check out these haunted hotels in Spain. Not only do they offer comfortable lodging and great amenities, but they also come with a bonus: ghosts!

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories from Spain

A haunted hotel is in a former castle close to Pamplona and is there to fulfill a Navarran medieval fantasy for those wanting to stay at something really old and spectacular.

Part of the Haunted Historic Hotel Chain

This former castle is now a part of the National Parador Hotel chain that takes historic sites and turns them into hotels you can stay in and experience the rich history of the building. Spain is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and unique cultural heritage. Among the many treasures that the country holds, Parador Hotels stand out as true gems. 

These hotels are often housed in historic buildings, such as castles, monasteries, and palaces, offering visitors a chance to experience the past in a truly immersive way.

The Rise and Fall of the Kingdom of Navarre

The hotel is found in a small town called Olite in a former castle to the Kings of Navarre from the late middle ages. It was the seat of the kingdom from the reign of Charles 3rd the Noble from 1387 until the conquest by Castille in 1512. 

The Kingdom of Navarre was a disputed Basque kingdom on both sides of the western Pyrenees between present day Spain and France. 

After the Kingdom became a part of Castile the palace started to deteriorate and was neglected for years. It also had several damaging fires over the years that took out some of the towers and its interior. 

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories set in Haunted Castles and Fortresses

It wasn’t until 1937 when they started to rehabilitate the castle back to its former glory. But although there are some documents telling how it once used to be, some of the rich history of the castle seems to be lost forever. 

The Ghost of the Prince in the Portrait

Inside of the building there hangs a portrait of the prince and it is said that the light bulb above it is lit at all times, even when the lights in the rest of the castle is turned off. This is the portrait of Carlos de Viana and he is said to be one of the ghosts haunting the place. 

Read more: Check out all of our ghost stories set in Haunted Hotels

The supposed portrait of the prince hangs in the main hall of the Parador. His face looks tortured and depicts his inner turmoil that his life was as he was sent into exile by his own father. 

Prince Carlos was a Navarran prince living in the castle from 1421 to 1461. He was a man of culture and loved music and literature, translating Aristoteles into Aragonese and wrote the chronicles of the Kings of Navarre by himself. 

Because of his interests, he often found himself at odds with his father, John II of Aragon. They were also political enemies and a civil war broke out in 1451 between the father and son because of disputes about who was the rightful heir to the throne as his father had remarried and favored his stepson to take the throne. The son lost the war but it ended in them reconciling and Charles being appointed as the heir to the Navarre Kingdom. 

Although it looked like it ended in peace, Carlos died soon after in Barcelona and many believed that it was his father’s henchmen or even his stepmother who had poisoned him. It is also possible that he died of tuberculosis as he was known to be a sickly man and prone to depression 

The Other Ghosts of the Parador de Olite

There is also a wing in the castle that is said to be haunted by a strange melody. It is said that sad laments and old melodies can  be heard from the ghosts of the castle, still roaming around. It is especially heard in the towers. 

Many believe it is Carlos III the noble who in his afterlife is taking a walk through the castle with his favorite lion named Marzot. He was the grandfather of the prince in the portrait and similar in many ways about how peculiar they were.

It was under his rule that Olite entered a golden age as a city when they built their castle here and took their seat there as ruler when he built what is known as The New Palace. This new royal seat was built on top of the Roman fortification and the Old Palace from the 12th century. 

The ghost and the strange music from the time of the king can also be seen and heard in Galeria del Rey or the Golden Gallery. It is a gallery next to the King’s chamber overlooking the Patio de las Mereras courtyard enclosed by its gothic tracery. 
The strange music that is sometimes heard was copper sheets that hung from chains in the ceiling and vibrated in the wind. 

The Dona Blanca of the Castle

This former castle is also said to have a Women in White ghost that are said to haunt the Parador de Olite by showing herself in the windows. 

In 1866 a Gustavo Adolfo Becquer visited the castle and saw something he thought had to be a ghost. In one of the Gothic windows in the palace he saw a white figure he guessed to be Doña Leonor de Trastámara haunting the place. 

When the sun shines and outlines the battlements with gold, it still seems that the banners can be seen fluttering and the steely helmets throw sparks of fire; when twilight bathes the ruins in a violet and mysterious tint, it still seems that the afternoon breeze murmurs a song moaning between the angles of the minstrels’ tower, and in some gothic window, on whose sill it sways in the breath of air the blue bell of a wild vine, it is believed to see a white and light shape appear for an instant and disappear. 
– Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, about the Castle of Olite in: Notes from a trip through Navarre.

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References:

Navarrese Civil War (1451–1455) – Wikipedia

Charles, Prince of Viana – Wikipedia

Olite Castle – Castles, Palaces and Fortresses

Olite: Su palacio, su fantasma. Pinceladas de su historia – Pontevedra Viva

Palace of the Kings of Navarre of Olite – Wikipedia

Parador de Olite

Haunted Hotels in Spain

Paradores: Dormir con un fantasma en Olite | Guía Repsol

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The Yosemite Ghost in Grouse Lake

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By the crystal clear waters of Grouse Lake, there is allegedly a ghost of a Native American boy who drowned many, many years ago. Now he calls out for help, but don’t be fooled as he supposedly drags those approaching down to the bottom.

Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains. 

Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Grouse Lake, a serene place by the mountains southwest within Yosemite National Park, harbors a ghostly secret dating back to September, 1857 when it was first written down. Galen Clark, Yosemite’s first park ranger.

Galen Clark had traveled to Yosemite and explored the area. He is the first white man to supposedly have seen the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. He was also one of the lobbyists to make Yosemite a park and helped President Abraham Lincoln write the legislation to establish it as such. He was then named the park’s guardian and stayed that way for 24 years. 

The Scary Hike of Chilnualna Falls Trail

Grouse Lake is one of the destinations if you follow the steep and long Chilnualna Falls Trail in the southwest corner of Yosemite National Park, which was dubbed as the scariest hiking trail in the U.S by Travel Channel. 

According to Clark’s entry in his diary he reported an otherworldly wail by the lake, believed to be a dog when he was hunting deer, but that turned out to be something much darker.

Grouse Lake: Grouse Lake is a picturesque alpine lake located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, specifically within the Stanislaus National Forest. Grouse Lake is nestled amidst stunning granite peaks, lush forests, and scenic meadows, making it a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and backpackers. //Source

On this trail you can also hike up to The Bridal Veil Waterfall which is also thought to be haunted by an ominous spirit known as Po-ho-no that pushes people off the cliff to their death. 

The Wailing Ghost by Grouse Lake

A big part of Clark’s life was exploring the area that would become Yosemite National Park and he spent a lot of time trailing through the wilderness.

One of the days he was on a deer hunt he stopped by a small lake he had named Grouse Lake because of the grouse he saw there once. A large group of local natives stopped on the opposite side of the lake to get water, also on a deer hunt. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Lakes

This is when Clark heard the cry of what he thought sounded like a sulking puppy and went over to the natives and asked if some of them were missing a puppy. He stayed with them that night and was told that it was something completely else. 

The sound of the cries of a dog was actually the dying screams of a native american boy who drowned in the lake many years ago and you shouldn’t go near it because of the danger it posed for those the ghost managed to lure down to the water. 

The spirit of the boy was always crying after them after help, but no one dared to. According to the legend, the spirit of the wailing boy would grab the legs of those trying to help and drag them under the water to drown. 

Haunting and Hiking the Grouse Lake Trail

By day the area is filled with green trees, blue sky and fresh air. By night, the popular hiking spot is lit up by bonfires around the lake for other travelers. But be aware, perhaps don’t follow the sound of something that could sound like the crying of a long drowned boy from the water. 

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References:

Day Hiking Trails: Backpack to lake haunted by drowned boy in Yosemite National Park  

The Ghost of Grouse Lake – HITRECORD Document 

Nation’s First Park Ranger Hears Crying Ghost 

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Yosemite View Lodge’s Shadow People

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In the motel styled lodgings by the Merced River, you are as close to the Yosemite Valley as you can get. And according to the people that have stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge, many tell tales about shadow silhouettes by their beds and strange interactions with the paranormal.

Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains. 

Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

On the banks of the Merced River in El Portal, California, the Yosemite View Lodge is the last stop before the wilderness of the Yosemite National Park. 

Merced River: It flows through the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the central part of the state. It originates in the Sierra Nevada and runs for approximately 145 miles (233 kilometers) before joining the San Joaquin River. It’s known for its scenic beauty passing through Yosemite National Park, where it forms iconic features such as Yosemite Valley and Yosemite Falls. Could it also be the source of some of the ghost stories told from the National Park?

On the surface, Yosemite View Lodge exudes rustic tranquility. Yet, beneath the veneer of peaceful surroundings lies a tapestry of ghostly tales, unsettling apparitions, and mysterious occurrences that makes guests leave reviews online that it is beautiful, nice, but haunted.

Midnight Shadow People

Many of the reports about the haunted rumors of Yosemite View Lodge are about apparitions that can be described as some type of Shadow people. These specters, elusive and enigmatic, make frequent appearances in the lodge’s guest rooms, catching unaware guests. 

These apparitions often dissolve when the guests seem to examine the thing further. One chilling account tells of three friends who, oblivious to the hotel’s haunted reputation, were visited by a shadowy figure near the fireplace. Other people tell about what they believe is their family, but noticing that there is an additional figure in the room. Some are even said to have packed up their stuff and left because of these experiences. 

Read More: Check out all Haunted Hotels

What could this be? Could it be the old lodgings and strangeness of being in a hotel that plays a trick on people? Could it have something to do with weary travelers experiencing things like night terrors in their dreams? Or could this phenomena actually be attributed to ghosts?

The River People’s Presence

One guest, accompanied by a friend, bore witness to an otherworldly encounter during their second night staying at Yosemite View Lodge. Startled awake, they beheld the shadowy silhouette of a figure, devoid of features, standing near their bed—a specter approximately five feet tall. 

Shadow People: What is this type of haunting going on at the Yosemite View Lodge? Several of the guests have told stories about seeing figures and shadows in their rooms.

Terrified, the guest summoned her fellow traveler, coining the term “river people” in an attempt to fathom the origin of this apparition, wondering if it harbored a connection to the ancient spirits of the nearby Merced River. Because even though the hotel doesn’t really have much ghostly history attached to it, the surrounding area certainly has. 

A self proclaimed psychic herself, the guest delved into the phenomenon and discovered that others had encountered similar river-dwelling spirits.

The Masked Child

Another strange story coming from the motel is about the strange child that suddenly appeared. A writer checked into the hotel to get her writing done when she saw a child in the reception wearing a strange mask. The little girl was standing together with her family as they were checking in as well with her animal mask. Although she thought the child looked creepy, she didn’t think much about it. 

Then she saw the child again sitting at the table with its parents when the writer came down for breakfast. The little girl turned to her as if the child knew that she would enter the dining room. 

When the writer saw the little girl again, it was when she woke up after writing on her book and saw the child standing in her room, watching her. She was sure that she had locked the door, but  asked if the child had lost her way and needed help to find the room, the child only shook its head slowly and walked away. 

The last time the writer encountered the child was after a shower and the child was standing in the bathroom. This made the writer storm down to the reception and demanded that the parents would control their kid. The reception called the room up, and horror and confusion followed. They didn’t have a child. 

The Haunted Yosemite View Lodge

As the Merced River flows silently by, Yosemite View Lodge remains a silent testament to the ethereal mysteries that dance on the edges of perception. What could these supposed shadow people and guests’ strange interactions be? 

Within its walls, the whispers of the River People and the elusive shadows of the night converge, weaving a haunting tale that lingers long after the echoes of the Merced fade into the Yosemite twilight.

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References:

Yosemite View Lodge – FrightFind 

excellent, but haunted! – Review of Cedar Lodge, El Portal, CA – Tripadvisor 

Yosemite View Lodge ~ El Portal (just before the entrance to Yosemite) 

Supernatural Child Checks into the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal 

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The Dark History and Mysterious Hauntings of Bhangarh Fort

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If you’re a fan of ghost stories and haunted places, you might have heard the supernatural tales of Bhangarh Fort. Often deemed to be the most well known haunted place in India, the fort and surrounding village is said to have been cursed to doom. 

Bhangarh Fort in the Alwar district in Rajasthan, India is known as one of the most haunted places in the world and there are even government signs warning people to stay away from the place after dark.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Bhangarh Fort, or भानगढ़ दुर्ग as it is in Hindi was built in 1573 century by Raja Bhagwant Das, a ruler of the Kachwaha Rajput dynasty when the surrounding town also was established and is today well preserved and frequented by tourists. 

Legend of the Hermit Curse

According to the legend, the fort has been cursed for a long time. A hermit or sadhu named Guru Balu Nath used this place for meditation and had a house there. King Raja Bhagwant Das pleaded with the sage and wanted to build the fort there. The guru agreed on one condition: the shadow of the fort would not reach him and no house should be taller than his own. 

Although King Raja Bhagwant Das agreed to this term, it wasn’t upheld and the meditation spot for the sage fell into shadow when the columns that were added later of the fort were built too high. 

Royal Palace Bhangarh: A fortress wit an entire city and palace inside although most of it is in ruins today, the Bhangarh Fort is thought to be one of India’s most haunted places in the country. //Source: Chainwit /WIkimedia

So the hermit cursed the fort and the entire Bhangarh village ended up being destroyed as seen by how there are no roofs. Before 1720 there used to live over 10 000 people in the village until the population started to dwindle and today the village is just a ghost town.

Legend of the Black Magician

This is not the only legend, and not even the only curse that is said to linger at the Bhangarh Fort. Legend has it that a sorcerer and necromancer named Singhia fell in love with the princess of Bhangarh, Ratnavati much later. 

She is often said to have been the daughter of Chatr Singh, who was the grandson of Raja Bhagwant Das. She was said to be quite beautiful and Singhia fell in love with her. He tried to use black magic to make her fall in love with him by using sorcery on the oil she used for massages. Often it is said that they met in the market place and he tried to sell it to her. But Princess Ratnavati discovered his plan and threw the oil onto a huge stone that cracked, revealing its magical powers. 

Read more: Check out all of the Haunted Castles around the world

The stone rolled on top and crushed the magician to death. Before he died, Singhia cursed the fort and all who lived there, saying that the city would be destroyed and no one would be able to live within its walls. 

The curse came true when the fort was attacked and destroyed by the Mughal army as it was annexed by force in 1720, and it has remained close to abandoned ever since compared to its former glory.

How it turned out for the princess is uncertain, but it is said that she is haunting the Bhangarh Fort, and at night you can hear her together with the people of Bhangarh, cursed to forever be trapped in limbo as one of the spirits that comes out after sundown. 

The Supernatural Experiences Reported by Visitors and Locals

Visitors and locals alike have reported a variety of supernatural experiences at Bhangarh Fort. Some have claimed to see ghostly apparitions, while others have reported hearing strange noises and feeling a sense of unease or fear and paranoia when taking a trip around the fort. 

There have also been reports of people feeling as though they were being touched or pushed by an unseen force on the ground of the fort. 

The Archeological Survey of India has put up signs everywhere around Bhangarh Fort of not coming here after dark and before sunrise. Despite the ban on visiting the fort after dark, some still venture there in search of a supernatural thrill. According to the legends, those who do, will never return.

Although the fort is supposedly haunted, it can also be dangerous because of the dark. Something that three friends experienced when they stayed after sundown and one of them fell into a well. Although rescued from the well on the way to the hospital, they got into a road accident and died. 

The Explanation Behind the Roofless Village

There are some things that legends claim that a more natural explanation tries to debunk. When talking about the roofless village, it is said by the locals that the way they are structured, are not meant to have roofs, and if built, it would collapse. They also claim that many have died because of this. It used to be a flourishing village, but today it is deserted.

The Abandoned Ghost City: Ruins of the Royal Palace in Bhangarh Fort, Rajasthan. //Radha Joshi/Wikimedia

As for why it is close to deserted today with only 1250 people remaining in 2001 in a village outside the old city limits, is a bit uncertain. After the death of Chatr Singh in 1630, it is said that it was the start of Bhangar’s slow decline. 

The deserting of the village and the fort might have something to do with the famine in 1783 that pretty quickly either drove the inhabitants away, or killed them off. 

The Current State of Bhangarh Fort

Despite its reputation as one of the most haunted places in India, Bhangarh Fort has become a popular tourist destination in recent years. The government has invested in the preservation and restoration of the fort, and visitors can now explore the ruins and learn about its history through guided tours. 

Although if you are a foreigner, you need a special permit to get into the Bhangarh Fort, a step the government took because of their disregard for the rules in the area. But do you really want to visit?

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References:

Bhangarh Fort – Wikipedia 

5 mysterious facts about Bhangarh that will scare you to bits | Times of India Travel 

12 Things to Know About Bhangarh Fort, The Most Haunted Place in India 

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The Haunted Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park

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A Luxury hotel in the wilderness of Yosemite National Park, the Ahwahnee Hotel has housed many famous guests, and some of the guests have, according to rumors, never really checked out and lingers in the hotel as ghosts.

Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains. 

Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Many people come to seek a simple life, tenting under the stars. Still, there are also many lodges and hotels in the park for those that would like to watch the splendid nature through the windows. Many of these hotels have haunted rumors around them, but none more so than the Ahwahnee Hotel.

Ahwahnee Hotel: The alleged haunted Ahwahnee Hotel is situated amidst the dramatic landscape of the Yosemite National Park. It is said that it is haunted by the founders of the hotel as well as a US president who visited the hotel not long before he was killed.

The Historic Ahwahnee Hotel

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In the heart of the Yosemite Valley right by the famous Half Dome you will find the legendary and historic Ahwahnee Hotel that was built in 1927 as a luxury hotel for the park’s visitors built by the Yosemite Park and Curry Company. 

The y-shaped building has 97 hotel rooms, but including the cottages as well, there are 121, all inspired by Native American designs. It is situated below a meadow area that was once Miwok village.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Hotels

The Ahwahnee Hotel’s interior design is said to have inspired the fictional horror hotel Overlook Hotel in Kubrick’s version of The Shining. Because although the hotel in the book was inspired after Stephen King’s stay at the Stanley Hotel in Colorado, the hotel lobby as well as the red elevator with blood gushing out from it look eerily similar to the one found at The Ahwahnee Hotel.

The Founding Ghosts Haunting the Hotel

The Ahwahnee Hotel is said to be haunted by the ghosts of Donald Tresidder and Mary Curry Tresidde who took the place from being a tent camp to a luxury hotel. Donald met Mary at a visit at the park where Mary was the daughter of Camp Curry and together they spent their life dedicated to the Ahwahnee Hotel and the Yosemite Valley. 

In their later years of their life they lived in a private living quarters on the sixth floor of the hotel. The first to go was Donald while away in New York in 1948. Mary died in the Ahwahnee Hotel in 1970 but both are said to have stayed on in their afterlife. 

Historic Haunted Hotel: On July 14, 1927, the Ahwahnee Hotel was formally opened to the public and managed by the Yosemite Hotel and Curry Company. During the second world war it was also used as a hospital. The “U.S. Naval Convalescent Hospital Yosemite National Park, California” was commissioned on June 25, 1943.

According to the legends coming from the guests and staff working at the Ahwahnee Hotel, they are still both haunting the hotel they put their heart and soul into developing. Mary is said to be especially active and it is said she wakes people up to get them dancing in the wonderful common rooms of the building. 

The ghost of Mary is also said to be haunting her former home on the 6th floor where even some guests claim they have felt as if a ghost have tucked them into bed as well as folding their clothing. So all in all, a pretty popular and most helpful ghost overall. 

She is not alone however, according to some claiming to have seen her husband, Donald, also wandering the halls of the Ahwahnee Hotel. The ghost of Donald is mostly seen walking down the stairs of the hotel to get a glass of milk. 

A Presidential Haunting at the Ahwahnee Hotel

In addition to celebrities and famed socialites, many presidents have stayed in the Ahwahnee Hotel, like Reagan, Eisenhower and Obama, but only one of them is rumored to be haunting the hotel. 

John F. Kennedy came and stayed at the Ahwahnee Hotel in 1962 on the 3rd floor, and many claim that they have experienced strange things on that floor that they claim has to be tied to the former president.

People working in the Ahwahnee Hotel have reported seeing him rocking in the rocking chair he requested while he stayed at the hotel when he was alive in the early 1960s because of his bad back. 

The chair in question is also said to be moving around on its own when no one is there. Today, there are no rocking chairs in the hotel, and if you see one, it is not supposed to be there. 

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References:

‘Her face turned white’: Stories of Yosemite’s ghosts and hidden graves 

Ahwahnee Hotel – FrightFind 

Ahwahnee Hotel – Wikipedia

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Ballinagarde House and the Devil that Came to Visit

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Ballinagarde House is today only ruins, but once it was a stately home with strange ties to the Limerick Hellfire Club that is steeped in mystery. There is also said that the Devil himself came for a visit. 

In its heyday, Ballinagarde House, locally known as The Grange, was a symbol of prestige and social standing, a stately mansion that spoke of its owner’s prominence in society. Built in 1774 in Limerick in Ireland by John Croker, this magnificent residence once bore witness to opulence and affluence, yet its halls now echo with the eerie whispers of history and ghostly legends.

John Croker, the son of the John that built the mansion, was also considered a fair landlord that helped the local community during the Great Famine in Ireland. However, the lasting impression of the Croker family was that they were unpleasant and stubborn folk, especially the next couple of generations.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

However, like many grand estates, its fate took a dark turn as the weight of financial misfortune and bankruptcy cast a shadow over its future. Over the years, the house dwindled from a majestic abode to a mere shell of its former self—a haunting transformation that mirrors the ghostly tales that surround it until it was abandoned by the Croker family in the 1930s.

When the Devil Came to Visit

When John Croker’s son, Edward took over the mansion however, it all changed. He was not well liked and was known to just spend his days spending his family fortune. It is also said that he was the one that brought the devil back to Ballingarde House.

Edward had encountered a stranger on horseback on his travels and invited him back to the house for dinner. In true Irish fashion they welcomed the weary traveler into their home, offering warmth, sustenance, and the quintessential Irish hospitality.

As the night wore on and the guest succumbed to a deep slumber, a servant was removing the visitor’s boots. 

The legend speaks of the servant’s shock and disbelief as they uncovered a sight that defied all reason—an otherworldly transformation that revealed the unmistakable hooves of the Devil himself. The visitor, it seemed, was no ordinary mortal but a sinister entity in disguise, slipping into the warmth of the house to deceive and bewilder.

Ever since then, locals have told about a mysterious man seen on a horse coming toward the ruins of the house, and there is still a local saying when stating a fact that goes like: “As sure as the devil was in Ballinagarde.”

Not the Only Place for the Legend

Though the tale may seem like a mere folktale or a product of the imagination, it has become an indelible part of Ballinagarde House’s enigmatic history. The spectral echoes of this peculiar encounter resonate through the halls, leaving visitors to wonder whether the legend may hold a grain of truth.

When the Devil came to visit: The story about a visitor turning out to be the devil himself is a story told throughout Ireland, especially from the old mansions, and especially those mansions that have a connection to the Hellfire Club. This was a gentleman’s club in Ireland and Britain, known for its debauchery and interest in the occult.

Actually, the tale of the Devil coming to a grand house only to be revealed because of his hooves is not only told in Bellingarde House. The Hellfire Club in Dublin as well as the haunted Loftus Hall also have very similar stories about this. 

There are even rumors that Edward was in fact a part of the Hellfire Club in Limerick himself and his mansion was the original meeting place. 

Ballinagarde House Today

Today, Ballinagarde House may stand as a ghostly shell of its former glory and is close to a pile of rubble, but its walls remain steeped in history and intrigue. It invites those who dare to explore its eerie confines to uncover the mysteries that shroud this once-grand mansion. 

With legends of diabolical disguises and supernatural encounters, Ballinagarde House continues to be a place where the line between reality and the paranormal blurs, beckoning the curious to delve deeper into its haunting past.

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References:

Ballinagarde House | Haunted Limerick, Ireland | Spirited Isle 

Paranormal investigators uncover link to Limerick Hellfire Club 

Ballinagarde House | The World’s Most Haunted | Quotev 

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The Evil Spirit Po-ho-no of Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park

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Hiking up to the beautiful waterfall Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park, you wouldn’t believe it is supposedly haunted by the Native American legend of Po-ho-no that are said to push people off the cliffs. 

Yosemite National Park covers 759,620 acres and stretches into four counties in California. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1984 and is filled with granite cliffs, giant sequoia groves, crystal clear lakes and streams and storming waterfalls from the mountains. 

Although the European settlers’ story in Yosemite is from 1851 when it was “found” by James D. Savage, the Native Americans story in the valley stretches back to nearly 4000 years. As for human presence, perhaps as far as 10 000 years. And by the look of it, it also seems to be one of the more haunted National Parks in the USA as well. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

Yosemite National Park’s vast expanse harbors a legend steeped in tragedy and malevolence. One of the most famous legends comes from the Native Americans from the 620 feet high Bridal Veil Falls, one of Yosemite’s 26 main waterfalls. In spring it will most day be a rainbow as the sun slowly sets in the afternoons. 

The Beautiful yet Haunted Bridal Veil Falls

The Bridal Veil Falls is in the Yosemite Valley on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And although it only takes up only one percent of the park, it is considered the centerpiece of the park and where most people visit.

To get to the Bridal Veil Falls you have to walk up the Chilnualna Falls Trail, which was dubbed as the scariest hiking trail in the U.S by Travel Channel. Not because of the dangerous nature, but because of the haunted legends. The trail leads to the waterfall, but it is at the Bridal Veil Falls you will find the spirits. Along the trail you will also pass Grouse Lake, another haunted place within the park. 

Read More: For more tales about haunted waterfalls, check out ghost stories like The Ghost Bride in the Waterfall Pool or The Hauntings of the Chute de la Dame Blanche

The water source of the waterfall comes from Ostrander Lake, 10 miles south and is all year round. It has a strong wind and can make the falling water look like it flows sideways, sometimes it doesn’t even look like the water reaches the ground even. Perhaps this is what prompted the legend of the evil spirit of Po-ho-no?

Po-ho-no is The Spirit of the Evil Wind

The story comes from the native american tribes of Ahwahnechee of the Yosemite Miwok who still live in the surrounding area of Yosemite and has done so for several thousands of years, although the US federal government has evicted them from the park several times, the last one being in 1969. They are one of the tribes that are still fighting for Federal Recognition. 

The very word Yosemite comes from the Miwok yohhe’meti which means, “they are killers” and was the name the Miwok gave to the tribe. 

The legend goes that women of the Ahwahnechee tribe gathered grass to weave baskets on a spring day close to Bridal Veil Falls. They had a long tradition of using the local splints from American dogwood, big-leaf-maple, Willow and American Hazelnut among some sorts. One of the women was too close to the water as she was picking grass. In some versions it was an old woman and a young girl picking berries or some sort of plants they ate or brewed drinks from. 

The Native American Legends: This is a painting by Albert Bierstadt from 1872. It shows the Miwok tribe in the Mariposa Indian Encampment, Yosemite Valley. This was also where they sent the Ahwahnechee tribe that many of the legends and stories about the Yosemite National Park originates from. //Source

The rocks were slippery from the wet moss and an unknown danger was lurking just ahead. Because the natives knew the waterfall as: Po-ho-no, or The Spirit of the Evil Wind. 

Po-ho-no, meaning the Evil One or Puffing wind depending on who you ask, lived in the mist and had placed the slippery mossy stones there, just waiting for things to unfold. The young woman slipped and fell into the water, and it was like an unseen force pushed her off the edge and she died on the rocks below, to never be found. The rest of the women ran back to their valley and their homes, huts known as o-chum, to tell what happened to the rest of the tribe, scared to suffer the same fate. 

They returned to search for her, but she was never found ever again, and it is said that many souls suffered the same fate as the spirit of Po-ho-no had imprisoned her there, making her work to lure other to the same fate she had suffered, Only then would she be released to get home to the Great Spirit in the West. 

The Haunted Bridal Veil Falls

After this, the chief of the tribes allegedly forbade anyone from going close to this evil spirit by the Bridal Veil Falls of the misty cascading water. However, over the years, many hikers have met their end at the waterfall and the natives still talk about an unseen force pushing people over the edge to meet their watery end on the rocks below. 

After this many legends have come about this waterfall. Some say that you shouldn’t look directly into the waterfall as you leave the valley as it will curse you. Another more hopeful legend is that by inhaling the mist of the gushing waterfall, your marriage will be blessed. 

So if you feel a gushing wind as you hike up the path to get a look at the beautiful Bridal Veil Falls, perhaps think twice.

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References:

Lights and Shadows of Yosemite (1926) “The Legend of Po-ho-no—The Evil Wind,” by Katherine Ames Taylor 

Haunted Hikes in Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Olympic » Just Roughin It 

Bridalveil Fall – Extranomical 

Ahwahnechee – Wikipedia 

Indians of the Yosemite: Chapter Seven: Myths and Legends 

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/public/gdcmassbookdig/yosemitelegends00smit/yosemitelegends00smit.pdf

Spirit of Pohono in Yosemite — Intimate Landscape by Charlotte Gibb! 

Yosemite Valley – Wikipedia 

An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.

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