Haunted Shetland Islands

Haunted Shetland Islands
Paul Dale Roberts, HPI’s Esoteric Detective
Halo Paranormal Investigations
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You are probably wondering where the Shetland Islands are located. The magical Shetland Islands are a group of islands off the coast of Scotland, lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about 50 miles to the northeast of Orkney, which is 110 miles from mainland Scotland, and 140 miles west of Norway. Sophie Valtille when visiting her relatives in Scotland, made a trip over to the Shetland Islands and discovered that there were many ghostly tales that are verbally passed down from one local to another local. Before we get into some of the supernatural tales from the Shetland Islands, let’s take a look at some of the history of these islands. With the population expansion happening in Scandinavia, it led to a shortage of available resources and arable land. This led to a period of Viking expansion, so the Norse gradually shifted their attention from plundering to invasion. Shetland was colonized during the late 8th and 9th centuries, the fate of the existing indigenous Pictish population is somewhat of a mystery. Modern Shetlanders still retain the Norse DNA with many family trees showing the Norse patronymic system. When visiting the Shetland Islands, you will observe a strong Norse presence. Below are some of the paranormal activity that you may find on these islands.

Windhouse (Mid Yell):
Often cited as one of the most haunted houses in the UK, this ruined 18th-century mansion is built on an ancient burial ground, a fact confirmed by the discovery of 13th/14th century skeletons buried nearby. It is said to be home to multiple spirits. According to Sophie Valtille, The Lady in Silk is one of the most popular. Legend has it that the Lady in Silk fell down the stairs and died by blunt force trauma to the head. Her rustling silk gown can still be heard. Then we have the Tall Man, not to be confused with the Tall Man in the movie Phantasm. This Tall Man is a tall figure, that sports a dapper black coat with top hat. He is seen prowling the grounds before vanishing into walls. Sophie Valtille said with her peripheral vision she saw the ghost dog that haunts this house. The Ghost Dog howls and barks during the night. Sophie says that the ghostly dog actually brushed up against her. Sophie feels the ghostly dog is a protective spirit. Another ghost is the Servant Girl Ghost seen climbing an invisible staircase. Her figure is very distinct, and a lot of witnesses think they are seeing a real person, until she vanishes are walks into a solid wall. Reports of paranormal activity at the house include objects moving on their own, unexplained cold spots, disembodied voices, and flickering shadows. The house is linked to a history of tragedies, including the deaths of children from the owning family. Disembodied children voices and laughter is sometimes heard, along with sobbing and crying. A local legend tells of a shipwrecked mariner who encountered and killed a “Trow” (a type of fairy or troll) that haunted the house, but the haunting activity has persisted. The Shetland Islands not only has ghosts, but they have a couple of weird cryptids, the Trow is one of those weird cryptids, the next one you can read about below.

The White Wife Statue
The other weird cryptid is the Finnmen, they are shapeshifting sea-dwellers. The Finnmen can be a malignant or mischievous fairy and is related to the Scandinavian troll. Often depicted as short, ugly, and shy, and typically nocturnal. Finnmen are said to have a fondness for music and may lure or kidnap musicians. It was considered unlucky to see a Finnmen, but auspicious to hear one speak. At the White Wife Statue a local musician was playing a flute, and two locals saw a Finnmen carry the musician away in a large duffel bag. The Finnmen headed to the sea and the musician was never seen again. The White Wife statue by the road on the (Island of Unst) marks the spot where the spirit of a young woman, possibly murdered while trying to reach a village, is said to appear to drivers. Another story is that this woman drowned herself in the Loch of Watlee after years of abuse and now appears to lone male drivers (especially in red cars) in the passenger seat before vanishing.
A statue was erected near the Brig of Watlee to represent this ghostly figure, though its appearance has changed over time. Location: Near the Brig of Watlee on the Island of Unst.

Busta House (Mainland):
This historic hotel is rumored to be haunted by several ghosts, including a “Blue Man” in the library and a servant lad in the kitchen. The main ghost said to haunt Busta House Hotel is Barbara Pitcairn, a young woman at the center of an 18th-century family tragedy involving love, deceit, and death. Staff and guests have reported seeing her and experiencing other paranormal activity. The legend of Barbara Pitcairn Barbara was the orphaned cousin and secret wife of John Gifford, the heir to the Busta estate in the 1700s. When she revealed her marriage to the Giffords, John’s mother, Lady Gifford, cursed him, saying she’d rather see him dead than married to Barbara. Sophie Valtille says that while at the hotel, she felt a lot of cold spots and heard disembodied footsteps walking behind her, as she adventured down the hallway. Sophie discovered that John and his brothers drowned in Busta Voe. The curse took a life of its own. John’s body was recovered and, according to legend, laid at his mother’s feet. Lady Gifford later had Barbara’s marriage certificate stolen and hid it to prevent Barbara’s son, Gideon, from claiming his inheritance, triggering a 93-year lawsuit that ruined the family. Barbara died young and is believed to have returned to the house to search for her son and her lost love. Then we have a Busta House Woman in White. Sophie says that a head chef at the hotel has reportedly seen a lady in white walking through the kitchen on three separate occasions. A waitress reported turning off all the lights in the dining room, only for one to come back on, revealing a woman who then stood up and walked into a wall. One guest reported receiving a phone call at 6 a.m. with no one on the line, an experience they found chilling. When refurbishing a room, a hotel owner made a flippant comment about offending “Barbara.” Afterward, the hotel was plagued by a week of problems with heating, plumbing, and electrics until the owner apologized to the ghost.

Lerwick:
The main town has its own tales, including the “Dutchman’s Leap” cliff where a sailor and pony reportedly fell to their deaths, and former hospital buildings where staff and patients reported sensing spirits or hearing disembodied footsteps. Below are some haunted places in the town of Lerwick:

Shetland Library (Lerwick):
Reputedly haunted by a man in a brown coat. Staff have claimed that books fly off shelves and disembodied footsteps are heard in the basement of the building, which was formerly a church.

Twageos House (Lerwick):
This imposing 18th-century house, which was demolished in the 1960s, was the source of many ghostly happenings. Occupants frequently reported hearing unexplained footsteps, knocks, and a servants’ bell system that would chime on its own. The ghost was often associated with the sound of a wooden-legged fiddler.

Graveland (Lerwick):
The area is rumored to be haunted by the restless spirits of shipwrecked men and a “black dog-like beast”. Also, a Finnman was seen at Graveland in Lerwick. This Finnman was described as tall and thin with a gloomy face and sad eyes. Locals say that this Finnman possessed magical powers and was able to make ships invisible. The Finnmen was able to make phantom fleets that were able to row between Norway and Orkney with seven strokes. Locals says that some Finnmen are very territorial and will punish fishermen who enter their waters, but may be appeased by a Christian cross on the boat’s hull, as they dislike signs of the cross.