Where to go hunting for mythical beasts, such as vampires, Nessie, Scylla and Charyibdis, in Romania, Scotland, Australia, the USA and Italy.
Transylvania, Romania
This region of Western Romania has Bram Stoker to thank for its reputation as the home of creatures of the night. Ever since Stoker decided that chief vampire Count Dracula lived in the region, the area has become synonymous with horror and the living dead. The locals insist that garlic and wooden stakes are not necessary, however, pointing out that it is one of the most beautiful regions in Europe. Amongst the thick forests are many fabulous medieval cities, crammed with architectural highlights such as the wooden churches of Maramureş and the rather vampire-ish Hunyadi Castle. There’s also surprisingly good, and very cheap, skiing to be found here.
Loch Ness, Scotland
Nessie is probably the most famous mythical creature of them all, and many still believe that she inhabits the murky waters of Scotland’s second biggest lake, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Running south west of the highland city of Inverness, the Loch has been pored over thoroughly by thousands of scientists and millions of tourists over the years, but the elusive giant still refuses to show her face properly. Monster or no monster, the Loch is surrounded by glens, hills and castles, making a boat trip worth it even if there’s no chance of spotting Nessie.
The Devil’s Marbles, Northern Territory
In Aboriginal culture, the Rainbow Serpent is thought to be responsible for carving out much of the landscape, as well as creating water sources and replenishing supplies. Many a Dreamtime story involves this great snake, which is viewed with both reverence and fear for its protection of its people and punishment of law-breakers. According to the indigenous Kaytetye people, it will have children too. They believe that the Devil’s Marbles, a scattering of huge mysterious boulders 114km south of Tennant Creek, are the Rainbow Serpent’s eggs. Perhaps best to see them before they hatch…
The Strait Of Messina, Italy
The narrow stretch of water separating Sicily from the Italian mainland is thought to be the setting for the Greek legend of Scylla and Charyibdis, as mentioned in both Jason and the Argonauts and Homer’s Odyssey. Charybdis was the daughter of Poseidon, a sea monster that took the form of a whirlpool – a natural one of which occurs in the Strait. Scylla was a six-headed monster that devoured anything that came close, and both took opposite sides of a narrow passage, making sailors choose between two equally horrible fates. Today you can sail across the strait on a ferry without drowning or being eaten alive.
Gifford Pinchot National Forest, USA
In the north western state of Washington, this 1.3m acre protected area is home to many a sighting of Bigfoot, the giant, hairy scourge of country America. In 2000, a team of researchers made a cast of a curious imprint they found on the ground here, and believe it to be the result of a Sasquatch sitting down and reaching out for food. The body dimensions of the cast are 50% bigger than those of a human, whilst analysis of hair samples showed them to belong to a primate. The forest, if you can avoid the furry behemoths, is a great place for walking, and is home of the Mount St Helens volcano.
This article was originally written for the Sun-Herald. Copyright David Whitley.
