‘Haunted’ ravine with evil dog’s ghost is impossible to see from the road | UK | Travel

Situated in an abandoned mine area, nestled within the Wharfedale region of the Yorkshire Dales, lies a collapsed limestone gorge, brimming with historical tales, legends and even a potentially alarming resident.

If you weren’t aware of its existence, the enigmatic cavern is virtually impossible to spot, concealed off the road, and therefore it provides a genuine hidden treasure for walkers.

Troller’s Gill is an iconic location cherished by keen hikers who journey to the area hoping to witness its splendour, as it packs substantial beauty into a brief route.

The difficulty level for the route is fairly moderate, largely due to its few sections that require scrambling, with an overall distance of 2.6 km. It’s a walk that should take approximately one hour and therefore can be added onto the end of any other hiking or exploring plans you have for your time spent in the Dales.

To reach this alluring point, you can park on New Road, which is free, before discovering this luminous green gem. When you arrive, you’ll understand why it’s such a talked-about location and observe its rocky stream, which appears to be flowing from nowhere.

Approximately a 15-minute walk from your car, you’ll notice a disused mine, the old workings of Gill Heads Mine, which has remained unused since the early 1980s.

The entrance is a substantial gate with rockfall blocking it partially, and it’s advised that you do not enter the mine itself as there is a risk of danger, with potholes and risk of collapse.

Legends and myths

Since its existence began, Trollers Gill has been cloaked in enigma but there’s one tale that stands out above them all. It’s thought that the location was haunted by a Barghest, a massive hound with large luminous eyes.

According to ancient folklore, encountering the dog was not a positive sign but rather a portent of death, as those who came across the monstrous creature were frequently crushed to death or torn to pieces, stories suggest.

One tale recounts the story of a man, John Lambert of Skirethorns, who bragged in a local pub about what he’d do to the big dog, which involved ‘giving it a good thrashing’ if he were to ever encounter it. But in fact, rumour has it, he met the dog on his way home, and it fatally crushed him.

John Henry Dixon from Grassington may have been the first person to document such matters when he contributed a poem to a book published in 1827, William Hone’s Table Book.

In the ballad he describes a courageous man who sets out to pay a visit to the Gill in the hopes of summoning the great Barghest.

When he ventured into the gorge, he sensed the spirit of the stream urging him to turn back, but he disregarded it. He drew a protective magic circle around himself “with charms unblest”.

In his short story, the stream surged and roared, accompanied by a powerful wind, rushing down the valley. He glimpsed the enormous shadow of the snarling dog, its eyes illuminating the gorge walls.

The wild creature launched itself at the man and seized him as its next victim to the valley, where his body was subsequently discovered.

Various mystical beasts and beings have been reported inhabiting the gorge, which quite literally takes its name from trolls. It’s believed that Trollers’ Gill originates from ‘Troll’s Valley’, drawing from the Scandinavian language of those who settled in this area.

Their culture and folklore indicate that the term ‘troll’ represents various supernatural beings, ranging from lumbering giants to goblins, and naturally ‘trolls living under the bridge’.

Meanwhile, the term ‘trolldom’ was considered to mean sorcery and therefore suggests the name stems from the notion of the valley being haunted, bewitched or belonging to supernatural entities.