The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui

Am Fear Liath Mòr, the Big Grey Man, is a supernatural entity reported on Ben MacDhui, Britain’s second highest peak. Climbers describe overwhelming terror, the sound of footsteps, and glimpses of a huge grey figure. The phenomenon has been reported for over a century.

The Mountain

Ben MacDhui (4,295 feet) lies in the Cairngorm mountains of the Scottish Highlands. The summit is remote and often shrouded in mist. Climbers must be experienced to tackle it, making the witness population particularly credible.

The First Report

Professor Norman Collie, a distinguished mountaineer, first reported the phenomenon in 1925, describing an encounter in 1891. He heard crunching footsteps following him in the mist, each taking twice the length of his own stride. He fled in terror.

The Description

Witnesses describe various phenomena: footsteps that follow but never catch up, overwhelming feelings of terror and dread, the sense of a huge presence, and occasionally glimpses of a tall, grey, humanoid figure in the mist.

The Explanations

Proposed explanations include Brocken specters (climbers’ own shadows cast on mist), infrasound from wind, optical illusions, and psychological effects of isolation and altitude. None fully explains the consistency of reports.

Famous Witnesses

Multiple respected climbers have reported experiences on Ben MacDhui, including mountaineers, scientists, and soldiers. The caliber of witnesses distinguishes the phenomenon from typical ghost stories.

Assessment

The Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui represents one of Scotland’s most persistent supernatural phenomena. The witnesses are experienced mountaineers, not prone to fantasy. Something on Ben MacDhui induces genuine terror in those who encounter it.