Scotland is a land of wonders, a land that has inspired many stories told and untold. While some tales are well known to many, there are still many spots around the country surrounded by legends, mystery or both. So, let’s have a look at some of the most mysterious places in Scotland that you did not know about.
1. The Secret Scottish Pyramid
Surprisingly, Scotland is also home to a pyramid of its own, and it’s widely known as The Secret Scottish Pyramid. Located in the scenic woodland of Cairngorms National Park in the North East of Scotland, the pyramid has royal ties unrelated to the Ancient Egyptians. However, the true meaning of the majestic structure is not the first thing that would come to mind. The pyramid is also known as Prince Albert’s Pyramid and carries a sentimental value: it was built to symbolize Queen Victoria’s love for Prince Albert after his death. Apparently, Prince Albert loved nature and the great outdoors, so the memorial was built in one of his beloved spots not too far from the Royal Balmoral Estate.
2. Torwood Blue Pool
Around a half an hour’s drive away from Edinburgh, there is a mysterious man-made pool with amazingly blue waters called Torwood Blue Pool, with a remaining mystery surrounding its origins. Plus, the pool can be found close to Torwood Castle by only using navigation: there are no signposts. Basically, no one really knows where the structure came from: the round, brick-layered blue pool is about six meters in diameter and four meters deep and was uncovered by a 10-year-old boy in 1961. The boy’s name was Nigel Turnbull, who later vowed to solve the enigma of where the pool with amazingly blue water came from, but died before any theory could get properly validated.
3. Ring Of Brodgar
Ring of Brodgar is one of the most important structures of Scotland’s Neolithic history and dates back to roughly 2500BC. The circle is around 5000 years old, which means it is older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Egypt, yet younger than its smaller neighbour, Stones of Stenness. Also, the famous site of Stonehenge could fit inside of Ring of Brodgar, making it the largest stone circle in Scotland. According to historians, the Ring of Brodgar is a part of the many ancient ceremonial sites around Orkney. However, the true answer behind the true meaning behind this enigmatic structure is unknown, as the site has no astronomical alignment like other ceremonial sites around the world. We will probably never find out the truth, so all we can do is enjoy those beautiful sunset shots of Orkney.
4. Glenfarg Railway Tunnels
This one is more for a mysterious walk in the dark, as the origins of the Glenfarg Railway Tunnels are no secret. The structures are located just South of Perth, where curious train enthusiasts or ordinary adventurers can embark on a unique type of walk. The two tunnels are, unsurprisingly, rather dark and wet, stretching out 500 meters in length. Those mystery seekers embarking on the walks will need a good torch, especially if planning a visit to the North tunnel. Glenfarg Railway Tunnels were fully functional up until the 1970s, used as part of the North British Railway Forth Railway Bridge since 1890. The line was a direct link between Edinburgh and Perth, but it was extremely steep in the Glenfarg area, so the line was closed to allow for the construction of the M90.
5. Fortingall Yew
While Fortingall is not considered one of the most mysterious places in Scotland, the mystery surrounds a single, very old, tree. Fortingall Yew is an ancient European yew that way predates modern history with a varied estimated age of between 3,000 and 9,000 years old, making it possibly the oldest tree in Europe. Now that’s a large gap for an age estimate! No one really knows how old exactly the tree is, as it is extremely difficult to accurately determine the exact age of the tree: the number of rings in the heartwood is needed to do this, and the tree trunk is split into three now.
6. Bonnybridge
Out of all the mysterious places in Scotland, this one is rather strange: the unsuspecting wee town of Bonnybridge is actually the world’s biggest UFO hotspot, based on the number of yearly reports of UFOs. The reason Bonnybridge has claimed this unusual title is quite straightforward: since 1992, when a local driver claimed seeing a strange flying object in the sky, an average of around 300 UFO sightings have been reported every single year. What is more, the area is also known as The Falkirk Triangle, seemingly similar to the infamous Bermuda Triangle. While there are theories, no one really knows what exactly hundreds of people are seeing in the sky, as there are no proven explanations to this date. Plus, Edinburgh has been recently uncovered as the city with the most UFO sightings in the UK, with 18% of the population claiming to have seen something strange in the sky.