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墨書 Inktalez
Ben Macdui is the second highest peak in the United Kingdom, located on the southwestern edge of the Cairngorms in Scotland. With an elevation of 4,295 feet, its undulating Arctic wilderness, endless snow-covered tundra, and the breathtaking views that emerge along the hiking trails make it a renowned destination for mountaineering adventures.
However, since the last century, many climbers have reported encountering a strange humanoid creature on these beautiful, rolling peaks.
These chilling experiences have become their unshakeable nightmares, and this is the legendary creature known in Scottish folklore as the Gray Man.
Strictly speaking, the Gray Man should be referred to as The Gray Man, a mysterious being that exists somewhere between legend and reality. Broad-shouldered and long-armed, with dark skin and standing over 10 feet tall, it has an exceptionally gaunt appearance and often appears accompanied by a light mountain mist.
In reality, very few people have actually seen this creature, so descriptions of its form are scarce.
At the end of 1925, British scientist and mountaineer John Norman Colley recounted a terrifying experience from 35 years earlier during the annual meeting of the Scottish Mountaineering Club and Cairngorm Club. He described his solo ascent of Ben Macdui.
As he returned from the iconic stone cairn at the summit, visibility was reduced by fog. Suddenly, he felt he could hear footsteps that did not belong to him; with every few steps he took, he would hear a sound as if something was chasing him from behind—something three or four times larger than himself.
His years of exploration had conditioned him to give himself psychological reassurances. He told himself that these were just noises. After a while, he decided to stop and observe to see what was causing the disturbance. But the fog obscured his vision; he could see nothing.
When he continued onward, the oppressive sound behind him resumed. An overwhelming fear of the unknown surged within him, prompting him to flee.
He described that fear as unprecedented, even causing a sensation of choking in his throat; he couldn't afford to stop and check his surroundings.
He stumbled and ran for about four or five miles through the chaos until he reached the northern Rotimosk Forest, where he could no longer hear that sound.
Professor Cree stated that regardless of what others think about this matter, he himself would absolutely never return there.
Professor Norman Cleary's remarks had a significant impact at the time, attracting considerable media attention.
In no time, more climbers began to admit that they had experienced similar occurrences on Ben Macdui, but had refrained from speaking out due to fear of ridicule.
In 1939, Scottish writer Alastair Birswick documented discussions he had with several climbers about the rumors of the Gray Man in Chapter 13, Section 2 of his book, Endless. He included two stories he had collected.
The first account was from a climber who traversed Ben Macdui at night, heading towards Korlur. His experience was very similar to that of Professor Corley; as he reached the summit and began descending, he heard an eerie sound of footsteps behind him. He was certain that these footsteps did not belong to him, as he heard them every three steps he took.
He stopped to try and see what was behind him. However, the mountain fog was thick, and he could see nothing except for the moon. He considered that the sound might be an echo of his boots striking the stones, but it should have responded with every step he took.
Terrified, he tried not to think about it and did not run away; he simply continued forward until he was about 1,000 feet from Larch Forest, at which point the sound ceased.
The second person's experience was also quite similar. At the Ben Macdui Summit, he heard strange footsteps coming from a few yards behind him, averaging one sound for every two and a half steps he took.
The difference was that this individual was climbing during the day in summer. As the fog gradually lifted, he turned to look behind him but found nothing there, and the footsteps ceased.
It is worth noting that Alastair did not record specific times or identities for these two incidents in his book; he merely mentioned that they were two climbers who wished to remain anonymous.
But the story did not end there.
During World War II, Dansam and another climber, Richard Freer, ascended Lairig Ghru Pass in search of a crashed plane.
He described that afternoon when he suddenly heard Wooler seemingly talking to someone. As he approached, he found himself joining the conversation.
It was a strange experience, as if it were a form of mental communication.
They were speaking with an invisible person, and after a while, they suddenly realized that there was no one else there besides themselves. Oddly enough, neither of them could remember what they had actually said afterward.
The author, Alfred Gray, had also personally interviewed Fleel, who mentioned that one of his climbing partners had spent the night near a large rock at the summit and had seen a massive brown creature walking down the mountain under the moonlight.
The creature was covered in brown fur, and in comparison to its shoulder width and body length, its head was disproportionately large with a very thick neck.
He concluded that the creature was male and unlike any human. Its posture was very upright, standing over 20 feet tall, and fear made him curl up in his tent, waiting until dawn.
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