Blue Men of the Minch or Storm Kelpies may look like blue-coloured humans but are something more sinister. They inhabit the stretch of water between the northern Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland, looking for sailors to drown and stricken boats to sink #folklore #Scotland

According to lore, Macbeth was cursed from the beginning. A coven of witches objected to Shakespeare using real incantations, so they put a curse on the play #Shakespeare #folklore art: by Daniel Gardner

In the July 2025 issue of Cumbria and Lakeland Walker magazine Stephen's regular article on Cumbrian folklore, and this month: the Nursery Bogie used to frighten children into good behaviour #folklore #lakedistrict #cumbria

The Dogdyke Werewolf is a tale by Christopher Marlowe in 1926: at Langrick Fen, Lincolnshire, near Dogdyke; ancient remains and amongst them was what looked like a human skeleton with a wolf's head #werewolves #folklore #lincolnshire #conceptart from 'The Wolfman' 2010

"If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they'd immediately go out" #wyrdwednesday #williamblake art: William Blake, "The Sun in His Wrath"

This frightening mask was worn as a disguise by the outlawed Covenanter minister Alexander Peden. The mask, made from leather and fabric, the beard and wig from real human hair #BookologyThursday #Scotland 📷 National Museums Scotland

Brownie comes out at night while the owners of the house are asleep to perform various chores, pulling pranks on homeowners who take him for granted. Shellycoat is a Brownie most often seen by the bank of a river, fishing. #folklore #Scotland #illustrations : Stephen G. Rae

In Scots Gealic folklore, 'cait sìth' is a faerie cat, a faerie that takes the shape of a black cat with a distinctive white spot on it's chest also: lucha sìth - faerie mouse cu sìth - faerie dog lacha shìth - faerie duck #faeriefriday #caturday #Scotland

At Brodick Castle, an ethereal white stag will be seen walking the castle grounds, whenever a Chief of the Hamiltons (the castle's historic owners) is close to death #folklore #supernatural #ayrshire art: Mary Feywood

Elf-hame Caves, Dalry Elves come riding out on horses the size of mice; their long yellow hair tied in knots of gold; with bows made of human ribs and arrow heads dipped in hemlock poison #folklore #elves #ayrshire

If holidaying in the Cairngorms, beware the 'Big Grey Man of Ben Macdui'. He is a giant ape-like figure, uttering a strange language similar to Gaelic, witnessed on the mountain, and there's a feeling of dread in all who see him. #FolkloreSunday #Scotland

The Kelpies are a pair of monumental steel horse-heads by Andy Scott. Kelpies are water-horses that, when on land will encourage you to ride on their backs before diving into the water, and drowning you. #folklore #landart #Scotland

The water-horse in Wales is 'ceffyl dŵr', inhabiting mostly mountain pools, waterfalls and rivers. It assumes the shape of a horse, usually grey or black with a white mane, to entice travellers to ride him, to their doom! #folklore #supernatural #wales art: Jana Heidersdorf

The Nykur is a shapeshifting water-horse from Icelandic lore. It lures people to ride on its back, before leaping into the freezing water, to drown them. The sound of cracking ice is a sign Nykur is nearby. #folklore #supernatural #iceland 📷 Icelandic horses by Drew Doggett

Nøkken is a shapeshifting water-horse in Norwegian lore. Those mounting the 'horse' will be taken on a perilous journey, finally into the watery depths, to drown #FairytaleTuesday #folklore #norway art: Jonny Andvik

Brigadoon, 1954; a fantasy film about a mysterious medieval Scottish Village that only appears for a day every 100 years. The name is taken from Brig o' Doon, Alloway near Robert Burns' birthplace; made famous in his poem Tam o' Shanter #WyrdWednesday #Ayrshire

The next Full Moon is the Buck Moon on 10th July; the antlers of male deer, the bucks, are in full-growth at this time. Other names include Berry Moon, Raspberry Moon, Salmon Moon and Thunder Moon. #FullMoon #BuckMoon

In the Scottish Highlands, chief amongst the forest spirits is the Uruisg, a half human and half goat being; similar to the faun Ofelia meets, who informs of her three tasks. #BookologyThursday #fantasy #film Pan's Labyrinth, 2006 Dir. Guillermo del Toro

In 1871, Rev James Rust recounted the steps taken by the Church of Scotland to "uproot the remains of druidical superstition". There were three places within his own parish still dedicated to the 'good people', faeries. #faeriefriday #folklore #Scotland art: Brian Froud