Colan Woods (and Haunted villages!)

Wild trees

The weather was better today so off we went to Colan Woods. (We had a hard time finding the parking spot so have agreed we need to buy a Satnav for the car as we are starting to travel further afield on some very narrow single track roads where you really don't want to do more miles than you need, and you definitely don't want to have to try to turn around!)












Once we finally got there, we found 6 caches in the wood. We also bumped into another local geocaching family who amazed us by managing the route with a buggy- it was prettty muddy!














We were totally intrigued by a mass of ruined buildings in the woods. It looked like a significant hamlet with a school house, possibly a chapel/church and several other buildings. We guessed they must be from at least the late 1800's when it became expected for children up to the age of 12 to have an education (being married to a history teacher does teach you something!)

Sean clambered all over the walls

 This building had 2 stories and maybe a bell window...


We came home and googled Colan Woods ruins and came up with some strange results. Some people claim that the hamlet was haunted and even that all the villagers suddenly disappeared without trace one day in the early 1900's. We didn't find the "time slips" suggested or feel the haunted atmosphere.... It was however unexpected to find a hamlet that must have been totally abandoned in the relatively recent past.


Nature is now reclaiming the site, to the point where many of the walls in the woods are now almost completely covered with moss and ivy. It really is an amazing place and will linger in my memory for quite some time. It would make a great setting for a mystery story... for when winter comes and we can't go geocaching because of the weather...


Until next time
Gillian