Dartmoor Spooks

Hello folks,

Now that the nights are drawing in and winter is fast approaching.......

I thought I would open up the debate about Dartmoor Spooks. I'd love to know from anyone if they have had any strange experiences on or near Dartmoor.

Most of us have read the well know legends and stories, but if any one has any first hand stories, would be great to hear about them.

Thanks All.

No spooks on Dartmoor, but in the Dockyard in Plymouth, sorry Devonport we keep going alongside near the old hangman's cells. and trust me the early hours of the morning it is really scary around there even for a 28 year old, plus they did that t.v showw on them and surppose to be haunted by a young girl of 7 and a sailor. god knows, all i know is you dont want to hang around at night...


As for the moors I know there are several books on the matter as for first hand stories, I dont tend to spend the nights on the moor..

Years ago when I used to live in Somerset we lived at an old farm where I saw this guy dressed as a cavalier sitting on the floor looking downwards in my Parents room... it seemed he had no legs from the knees downwards then I remembered the stairs used to be there - when I looked away for a second at something and looked back he had gone.

Another time I was walking past a graveyard when I had a shadow parallel to me walking with me but there was no one there... now work that one out!

Not a chance! I hope I am never in the situation to get spooked on Dartmoor I would never go out in the dark there! I am too much of a wimp and would never venture back out again!
By the way, just reading this in my living room was scary enough for me, i'm scared of my own shadow when i'm on my own and have been known to still check under the bed and in the wardrobe before going to sleep, its pitiful!!

The shortening days mean I do a fair bit of my running on Dartmoor at night from about now. It's been fairly uneventful up to now although it's easy to get a bit freaked if the brakes are off your imagination! I run with my dog Spook who usually goes on ahead and I call him back occasionally. One night around Great Staple Tor he started barking into the air and running around in tight circles. End of run. Back to car. Home.

Oh yes.... and the phantom hammers of Cox Tor. Running up there one moonlit night I stopped at the trig to look at the view. I could hear sharp tapping noises to my left and right not unlike rock hammers on granite, but a bit muffled. When I turned they moved round until it sounded like I was surrounded by them. I eventually sussed the tapping sound was my pulse in my ears which my imagination had turned into something else!

Yes my imagination definately runs away with itself! (Although its kinda my job as i'm a drama teacher). The tapping to me would have been the ghosts of old Dartmoor prisoners about their hard work hoping to take revenge on some unsuspecting law abiding citizen!

Counts me out, then

smileyriley wrote:Not a chance! I hope I am never in the situation to get spooked on Dartmoor I would never go out in the dark there!

Being on the Moors in the dark is not so bad. In the dark and in the rain is the worst (for me)

I would say that what has 'worried' me at times has been walking my dog when there is just a little light left. You can make out things like gorse bushes, but no details. The worry is when the 'bushes' suddenly move! Damn ponies...

An odd time on the Moors was also during the total eclipse several years ago. I was up by the North Hessary. It all went very quiet and cold. Very strange.



John.

I was sitting out the back of my house in St Budeaux at the time of the Eclipse, and it is strange you mentioned the word "quiet" even though it was cloudy and I had Pink Floyd blasting out of the speakers (Dark side of the Moon - what else?) I sensed this eerie silence in the air yet the shadow seemed to "whoosh" through... weird!

I was stood on the Hoe with hundreds of others and yes it was very eerie when the sun disappeared. I think it was because all the birds suddenly went quiet. Strange!!