The legend of Ben MacDhui has held my interest for quite awhile. Back in 1925, a respected and well known climber Professor Norman Collie reported to a stunned audience at a meeting of the Cairngorm Club his experiences with the Fear Liath Mor (as the 'Big Grey Man' is known locally) on Ben MacDhui in 1891. You can read the entire account at The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui.
I recently received the following account that describes a personal experience on the mountain:
Hi - Just found your site and read with interest the page on Ben MacDhui and the feeling of a spectral being. I had exactly the same on that mountain 23 yrs ago. I was walking/ mountain biking with a friend in Scotland and decided to park at Quioch water and cycle/climb up to the cairn on Ben MacDhui it was a bright May Day when we left on mountain bikes to go to the tops and at that point we had no idea that day would leave a lasting impression on me and until I came across your site I thought we were the only ones to have had such an encounter.
It took some hours crossing small streams and hillocks before we came to the foothills of Ben MacDhui. We cycled and pushed the bikes as far up the mountain as we could. And then decided to leave the bikes and make our way up to the cairn as quickly as possible as it was quite late in the day. We pushed on up in glorious weather it wasn't bright sunlight but it also wasn't murky dismal or really over cast - it was extremely cold but we were wrapped up warm. The views were fantastic. On reaching the cairn we decided to have a small snack to aid our return journey and whilst we sat at the cairn I heard a call and looked over to see a Golden Eagle performing twists and turns. It was everything you could ever want to see in Scotland beautiful views from the top, and a golden eagle, more than we could ever have wished for. We were ecstatic and on a high. Finishing our snack of Mars Bars and bananas we decided to get ready for the hike back to the bikes and the long journey back to the car.
It was here that the atmosphere changed and not for the better. From being on high, all of a sudden we'd be aware of a heavy atmosphere that had descended upon us for no disconcerted reason. We turned for home and started to walk and I had the uncanny feeling something was following us - it was a feeling of real dread. I kept looking behind me but there was nothing there. At the same time I heard footsteps following us - keeping just behind me. We walked a little faster and then I stopped suddenly, and low and behold there came from nowhere two distinct footsteps that stopped directly behind me. I was too terrified to look as I had an uncanny feeling that whatever was causing this feeling was huge. I cannot explain why I had the mental impression that this entity was a giant.
Now this will sound silly but I had the impression of a giant ape-like man. I am not saying Bigfoot, Alma or Sasquatch but that was the impression I was given. At this point I took off with my friend at a rate of knots that was dangerous to do because of the shale under foot. But we didn't care the faster we run the more the feeling of dread came over us, as if it was giving chase. It wasn't until we reached the bikes and rode off that the feeling started to dissipate. I was physically shaking and have no wish to ever return to that mountain. Thanks to your site. I now know after all these years I wasn't going mad - thank goodness. Paul K.
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