UK’s most haunted roads as drivers report spooky sightings
Motorists with a penchant for the paranormal are in for a treat this Halloween, as motoring experts at LeaseCar.uk unveiled a list of the UK’s 12 most haunted roads, teeming with eerie apparitions.
The list includes sightings of spectral children, ghostly soldiers, and even phantom trains, not to mention the occasional werewolf, adding an extra layer of fright to nighttime drives.
LeaseCar.uk’s Tim Alcock has shared his insights, saying: “Most of us will have heard stories about haunted houses, cemeteries, hospitals and hotels, but who knew there were so many roads that boast their fair share of ghouls, too? “.
With All Hallows’ Eve just around the corner, Alcock reveals: “So with Halloween just around the corner, we’ve researched and revealed 12 of the scariest roads in the UK, in case you feel like taking your own phantom-filled road trip this spooky season.”
He adds a chilling note for sceptics and believers alike: “Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the stories alone are enough to send a chill down your spine”, reports Hull Live[1].
1. Blue Bell Hill in Kent
One such haunted highway is Blue Bell Hill in Kent, notorious for numerous sightings of phantasmal figures, particularly the ghost of Judith Langham, a young bride tragically killed on her wedding day 19 November 1965 at the tender age of 22.
Reports suggest that a spectral figure in a white dress haunts the road, startling drivers who believe they’ve hit her. However, when they exit their vehicles to offer assistance, she vanishes into thin air.
2. Stockbridge Bypass, Sheffield.
In 1988, a new thoroughfare was constructed across the Peak District, linking the M1 with the Woodhead Pass and the A1616. As soon as construction began, tales of strange happenings started to emerge, earning the road a reputation for paranormal activity.
During the construction phase, it’s said that two security guards spotted children playing on the site. As they approached, the youngsters vanished without leaving any footprints behind.
3. M6 motorway
This route has been in use for nearly two millennia, dating back to the Roman occupation of England in 55 BC. It’s therefore not surprising that the M6 has its fair share of ghostly sightings.
Motorists travelling on the M6 have reported witnessing unusual phenomena, such as Roman soldiers marching across the carriageway. Some claim to have seen a pair of eyes peering at them from behind the bushes.
4. The B519 by The Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead.
A sharp bend in the B519 near The Spaniard’s Inn in Hampstead is reputedly haunted by an eighteenth-century highwayman.
The spectre’s father is said to have once owned the pub, and his phantom son continues to haunt the road, targeting unsuspecting motorists.
5. A666, ‘The Devil’s Highway’, Bolton.
It seems fitting that a road named after The Number of the Beast would be haunted. The A666 has been the site of numerous accidents caused by sightings of a stooped figure limping along the roadside.
Known as the A666 ghost, dashcam footage from 2015 captured a white apparition appearing out of nowhere on the deserted road. The video shows the figure slowly advancing towards a terrified driver while the passenger screams for help.
6. The Old Tay Bridge, Dundee.
In the winter of 1879, a violent storm caused the Old Tay Bridge to collapse while a train was crossing it. The six-carriage train plunged into the icy waters of the Tay, tragically killing all 75 passengers on board.
According to local folklore, each year on the anniversary of the disaster, a ghostly train can be seen crossing the old bridge, accompanied by the chilling screams of the victims.
7. Platt Lane, Lancashire.
This Westhoughton road runs near the site of the 1910 Pretoria pit tragedy, which claimed the lives of 344 miners. Numerous motorists have reported seeing eerie eyes peering out from the hedges at the roadside, and spectral miners trudging alongside cars or hauling coal wagons behind them.
8. The A636, Wiltshire.
A notorious stretch of the A636, ominously known as ‘Sally in the Woods’, is believed to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl who tragically lost her life after being struck by a vehicle. Numerous sightings have been reported by motorists, and an alarming number of fatal accidents – seven to be exact – have occurred without any logical explanation, leading many to suspect paranormal involvement.
9. The B1249, Yorkshire.
The B1249 between Driffield and Staxton Hill in East Riding of Yorkshire has its own eerie history. Wolves once roamed these lands until they were hunted to extinction in the 15th century.
However, reports of werewolf sightings persist. In the 1960s, author Charles Christian recounted a chilling tale of a lorry driver who was left petrified when a red-eyed, hairy creature attempted to break through his windscreen on this isolated road.
More recently, in August 2016, a young woman claimed to have seen a monstrous creature “like a big dog, probably bigger than my car, but it had a human face” in the nearby village of Halsham.
10. A3, Surrey.
The A3 near Burpham in Surrey has its own spectral tale. In December 2002, Surrey Police responded to reports of a car swerving off the road.
Upon investigation, they discovered a car in a ditch with the remains of a driver who had died five months prior. This led to speculation that the sighting may have been a ghostly re-enactment of the fatal crash.
11. Cock Lane, near the Old Bailey in London.
Motorists may not encounter anything unusual on the road itself, but one of the houses is reportedly haunted by the spirits of two women who passed away there in the 1760s. It’s said that eerie sounds and screams can still be heard as you drive past.
12. Electric Brae, Aryshire, Scotland.
While there haven’t been any ghost sightings as such, this road has long been a source of intrigue due to a different kind of paranormal activity. Despite seeming to go uphill, a vehicle left in neutral will slowly start to move.
For years, it was thought that a mysterious magnetic force or a witch’s curse was at work. In reality, the Electric Brae is a ‘gravity hill’, where the perceived uphill slope is just an optical illusion.
Nonetheless, it remains a favourite among drivers keen to experience the phenomenon for themselves.
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References
- ^ Hull Live (www.hulldailymail.co.uk)
- ^ PlymouthLive is now on WhatsApp (chat.whatsapp.com)
- ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
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