Haunted A75 Investigation
Welcome to our brand new blog featuring one of Scotland’s most haunted roads - the A75…
Often referred to as the ‘Ghost Road’ or ‘Ghost Alley’, Kinmount Straight is a wide stretch of road between Carrutherstown and Annan that has baffled and intrigued paranormal researchers for decades. I began following reports on the road when I was a teenager and recall my interest being fired up by a spate of eye-witness accounts in the 1990’s. The hauntings encompass everything from phantom hitchhikers, including a hessian-hooded figure to strange creatures such as wild dogs and cats with even a shape-shifting bear thrown into this bizarre paranormal cocktail! The story doesn’t end there; let us now continue our journey to what is now the old A75 or B721 between Gretna and Annan. On this infamous thoroughfare, certain motorists have found themselves faced with what must surely be a driver’s worst nightmare; a person walking out in front of them. After that split-second of horror as they brace themselves for impact, the initial shock turns to sheer bewilderment as witnesses search in vain for evidence of an accident…
Owing to the diversity of these weird and wonderful sightings, I could dedicate a whole series of blogs to the A75’s rich history of ghosts and hauntings, however instead of reading about it, Mostly Ghostly Investigations have devised a thrilling new ghost tour which will take intrepid participants on a guided coach trip with a difference! Our Haunted Highways Tour will cover the most haunted areas of the A75, giving people a unique insight into the strange occurrences and possible theories as to why these roads are so deeply steeped in paranormal intrigue. We’ll be announcing further details shortly including a full press release so watch this space!
On Saturday 15th June, we took to the road and conducted part one of our official investigation. No stranger to investigating roadside phantoms, the team headed to Dornock, which is situated between Annan and Eastriggs. The whole village has a reputation for unusual happenings which include a ghostly lady seen on the Skew Bridge, just west of Dornock. We manoeuvred our cars into a rather tricky parking spot on the embankment and commenced ‘asking out’. The feeling in general was one of calm with no tangible signals from ‘the other side’. That was until John saw a woman in black standing by the bridge. He described the side profile of a rather stern looking lady wearing a flat black hat and what appeared to be a black dress, only visible as far as her waist. From John’s perspective, the woman seemed to look towards Dornock village. When I asked about the duration of this image, John said it was definitely more than a glimpse, long enough to make out the details. He looked away and then back just to be sure. The Carlisle bus passed us and John got a brief feeling that the lady had been startled by it, apart from that, no communication ensued. Billy, who sat in the passenger seat, reported a bit of light-headedness which he attributed to being tired; he also caught a white or light coloured shape moving from left to right out the corner of his eye – simple tiredness or something else…
For our next location, we headed onto the high road, and turned into Kelhead Quarry. Now used for fishing, we chose the former quarry for it’s links with Kinmount Estate and one of the spirit people who has been witnessed standing close to the bus shelter on Kinmount Straight. There was also a car park – the logistics of investigating roads are challenging at best and maintaining health and safety is paramount. Using a name for one of the road’s various alleged spirits, we asked out, hoping as always for a response; John picked up the name ‘Richard’ - could this be a first or second name? Perhaps someone linked to Kinmount or the road itself? No further information came through.
Our final destination of the night would be the Hoddom/Ecclefechan Road-End and the rather curious old building that sits by the roadside at Kinmount Estate. We think it’s an old bus shelter but cannot be sure; another wee snippet to research. Needless to say if any readers know it’s purpose, please get in touch. The date stone reads ‘C.B. 1958’ and within it is an old bench that sits rather low to the ground. Billy decided to check it out, closely followed by John. James, Mary and I sat in the car and continued to invite communication. It was around 11:30pm and the road had quietened down significantly; it was barely recognisable when compared with the relentless stream of daytime traffic. Using their torches, the guys had a good look round the shelter. Once they returned to the car, both of them reported a heavy, almost oppressive feeling. John picked up his own tell-tale signs of spirit activity which usually manifest with a strange sensation in the stomach and shortness of breath. This persisted throughout their visit to the shelter but did not develop any further. Back at the car however, Billy reported pain in his right thigh, similar to the after-effects of cramp. John likened his own feelings to those at Garlieston Straight, where we have carried out numerous investigations; as if someone was close to the car. Around this time, John ‘linked’ with someone, a man giving the name George - he did not provide a surname. This man claimed to be the gentleman seen standing by Kinmount wall, balanced on his crutches and said he was responsible for affecting Billy’s leg. He suggested Billy’s discomfort was nowhere near as bad as his own. George told us there were other spirits nearby including many animals, both in physical life and spirit form. A short time later, we headed home; John and George maintained their link until it broke off somewhere along the road. By the time we reached Dumfries, the mysterious pain in Billy’s leg had vanished…
We plan to return for part two in the coming weeks and look forward to updating you on our research. A full investigation report will be written in due course - copies available on request.
Have you seen a ghost on the A75? Would you like to comment on our investigation findings or find out more about our Haunted Highways Tour? If so, please contact the team through our website or by phoning 07791 047835 or 07912 145865. You can also follow us on Twitter.