As the days get shorter and the nights get longer and darker, we’re thinking about spooky season and all the fun to be had in autumn and winter. If you’re heading out on a trip, this season, are you brave enough to drive on some of the UK’s most haunted roads?
Whether you’re a believer or a sceptic, these roads have unsettling histories that we’re going to share with you!
The Devil’s Highway
The A666 near Bolton is also known as The Devil’s Highway. We’re sure you know that 666 is known as ‘the number of the beast’. Many drivers report strange sightings as they travel along this road, shadowy figures who seem to appear and disappear into the night… Other sightings include an elderly woman with long hair and a monk who, in the Civil War, was put to death in the nearby Turton Tower.
Setting aside the supernatural for a moment, there are an unusually high number of accidents on this stretch of road. They’re almost three times higher than other roads in Greater Manchester. Could it be that a mysterious apparition distracts people as they drive, or causing other problems on the road?
Blue Bell Hill
Reportedly one of the most haunted roads in the UK is the main stretch between Medway and Maidstone, known as Blue Bell Hill in Kent (A229). Many people have reported seeing a woman running in front of their cars, their eyes meeting right before the moment of impact, where she just vanishes.
These experiences started in 1965, after two cars hit in a fatal collision. Three women died. One of them was due to be married the very next day. Maybe being parted so tragically from her lover before their special day is why she can’t move on…
The Haunted M6
The M6 is thought of as the most haunted highways in the UK. There are so many different tales of spooky sightings, from vanishing hitchhikers to phantom lorries, but there’s one in particular we want to focus on here.
We owe so much of our history to the Romans, and the M6 is actually one of them! The road we know today is actually built on the original Roman route. It’s said that many people have reported seeing Roman soldiers marching along the road, just as they did 2000 years ago.
A616 Stocksbridge Bypass
The A616 Stocksbridge Bypass in South Yorkshire is a reasonably new road in the UK. But, its short history is full of ghostly sightings. Reports of a leaping ghoul trying to hitch a ride and a floating monk have been told by many road users, but the most unsettling of all the stories involves a group of children.
In 1987, when the road was nearing completion, two security guards reported a strange sighting. They saw three children in odd clothing playing by one of the electricity pylons. As they went to make sure the children were safe, the figures appeared to vanish into thin air. The creepiest thing, they were singing ring a ring a roses…
A75 Dumfries to Straener
There have been lots of sightings of spooky happenings along the A75 in Scotland. The road runs from Dumfries to Straener, with the most haunted spot being around Kinmount. Sightings of a group of ghostly figures with handcarts and carrying bundles wandering the road have been seen for more than 50 years. They are thought to be a medieval camp, walking through the night to their next safe stop.
Get in touch
We’d love to hear any of your stories from haunted roads in the UK! Tweet us @Meashams.
If you’re planning a trip this spooky season, we’re on hand to help make the travel easier. Take a look at our range of cars, vans and minibuses to hire and get in touch today.