The English Lake District, with its rugged mountains and sparkling waters, has long been a favourite place for poets, painters and adventurers. Yet beneath its beauty lies a web of myths, legends, and spooky tales. These stories of monsters and supernatural beings have been whispered for generations, offering glimpses into the beliefs and fears of old.
Beasts Born of Landscape and Lore
The Lake District’s medieval roots run deep, and so do its spooky stories. Among the most haunting is the legend of the Claife Crier. According to local lore, ferrymen at Ferry Nab on Lake Windermere would hear mysterious, heart-wrenching cries on stormy nights. These spectral wails, often described as pleas for a boat to cross the lake, were so unnerving that most ferrymen refused to respond. One brave young ferryman, determined to uncover the truth, answered the call only to return terrified and mute. He died a short time later from sheer fear.
It is said the ghostly crier was eventually exorcised and banished to a quarry on Claife Heights, where its mournful cries are still occasionally heard. It is easy to see why the story has endured. With its stormy nights, restless spirit and unanswered cries across Windermere, the Claife Crier makes a perfect Halloween tale, one that still chills locals and visitors alike.
But here’s the twist, as with much folklore, and stories handed down over centuries, there are different versions of the tale. Many agree that it centres on a monk who followed a girl to Claife (a small parish on the west banks of Windermere). She spurned him, leaving him to roam the hilltops and water’s edge of Claife until he succumbed to the elements, his restless spirit lingering long after. His cries for a ferry are as unsettling as they are unclear, tied to the conflicting reasons given for his haunting.
Versions also differ on the monk’s origin. Some folklore places him at Furness Abbey, a thread I have followed in my prequel narrative The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier. Others suggest he came from the monastery on Lady Holme Island, Windermere.
Then there is a version where the girl (Hannah, in my novel) is heard singing sweetly to a crowd. That scene nearly made it into my book during The Abbey Festival chapter, her voice almost hypnotising the listeners.
But in the end I cut the scene. Perhaps I will share that and a few other outtakes on my blog in time, including one or two that reveal a side of the story a little more ‘frisky’ than I wanted the novel itself to be. Watch this space, those extras may shed new light on Hannah’s true nature.
Monsters as Mirrors
What makes these legends so enduring? Monsters and spectral beings often serve as mirrors for human emotions and fears. The Claife Crier, for instance, might symbolise the dangers of curiosity or the consequences of venturing into the unknown. Indeed, The Mereland Chronicles hints at its own consequences if things continue on the path they are following. More will be revealed in later books in the series.
While the folklore leans into ghostly chills, my retelling focuses more on the human drama behind the legend. These stories are not just entertainment. They are part of the region’s cultural heritage, inviting us to see the Lake District as a place where the natural and the supernatural brush against each other.
The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier – A Prequel to Legend
As an author inspired by the legends of the Lake District, I have woven this legends into my debut historical fantasy novel, The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier. The novel serves as a creative prequel to the tale of the Claife Crier legend, exploring the origins of this haunting figure. Through the mysterious character of Hannah, a woman with a hidden past and (super)natural ties, the story delves into themes of mystery and desire, betrayal, and humanity’s strained relationship with nature.
Set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Lake District, the novel reimagines the lead up to the folklore tale, adding depth to the story.
The Wait is Nearly Over!
Pre-orders are moving quickly, and I could not be more excited to see readers already stepping into Mereland ahead of release day. There is a momentum building, the kind of energy you only get once, and I would love you to be part of it.
📖 The Mereland Chronicles: The Crier
Available on Amazon 16 October 2025
Pre-orders open a few weeks prior.
The Lake District’s beasties and spectral tales remind us that even in a world dominated by technology and reason, the allure of the unknown still captivates us. These legends endure because they speak to something primal within us, our fascination with mystery and our respect for the untamed.
👻 As Halloween approaches, if you are searching for eerie legends and haunted tales, the Lake District has one of its own in the story of the Claife Crier. My novel is not a horror story, though the ending chapters carry an unsettling chill. It is mostly a tale of mystery, desire, psychological stress and adventure woven into the folklore that inspired it.
– Scrib.
PJ Scribbans Author 