Scottish Stories Of The Cailleach – Scotland’s Creator Goddess
Few figures in Scottish folklore loom as large or as fascinating as the Cailleach. It’s said that she created the mountains, lochs, glens and islands long ago. Her origins go back into the mists of time, back to when people were more connected to the seasons and nature.
If you know what to look for, she appears all over Scotland, so here are my favourite Scottish stories of the Cailleach!
If you enjoy stories from Scottish Folklore – pick up a copy of the Scotland’s Stories book here!
What Is The Cailleach?
It’s important to know that the Cailleach isn’t your usual Scottish folk creature. She’s a goddess, Scotland’s creator deity and her stories are incredibly old. Descriptions of the Cailleach and her behaviour varies from place to place, but Donald Alexander Mackenzie gave us the most famous description of her.
She’s an ancient, giant, blue-skinned old woman with a single eye and red-rusted teeth. He also told us the Cailleach has another name – Beira. At least you’re unlikely to mistake her for anybody else…
It’s said that she carved Scotland’s mountains with her trusty hammer and dropped chunks of peat and rock from a basket on her back to form islands. Her rule starts at Samhain on the 1st November and she spreads frost, ice and snow across Scotland until, finally exhausted, she disappears at Beltane on the 1st May.
If you ever experience the temperature suddenly dropping, then you know the Cailleach has ridden out from her throne atop Ben Nevis to spread ice and snow. She might be responsible for the snowy conditions that some of us hate, but she also looks after wild animals, especially deer, which makes her ok in my books!
There are stories of the Cailleach in Ireland as well as Scotland, this is most likely a myth from well before the modern countries were formed. You can find far more place names associated with her here in Scotland though, with mountains and glens bearing the name Cailleach across the Highlands and Islands.
Scotland’s Winter Goddess
The most popular Scottish story of the Cailleach also explains the changing of the seasons. It’s sometimes known as the legend of Angus & Bride and there are many versions, but this is my favourite. It surrounds Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Scotland where the Cailleach is holding the beautiful Bride prisoner.
She’s jealous of the girls beauty which is enough to make flowers grow and ice melt. Every day, Bride is forced to attempt impossible chores and then punished for failing them. One day, while struggling to wash the Cailleach’s cloak, a kind old man appeared. He gave the girl a bunch of snowdrops, telling her to show them to her captor.
Naturally, the Cailleach is furious. The appearance of flowers show that her strength is starting to wane. She rides out to every corner of Scotland to spread more frost and keep the land in winter. At the same time, Angus the Prince of Summer is dreaming of Bride and determined to rescue her.
The Cailleach summons storms to stop Angus from sailing across the sea to Scotland, but he arrives on the first day of Spring. Rescuing Bride, they flee back to his Summer Island, but long to return to Scotland. Every time they do, the sun appears in the sky and new flowers grow. However, the Cailleach uses her waning strength to bring cold winds and blow them away again.
Eventually, by May 1st – Beltane – the old winter goddess is exhausted. She can’t fight on any longer and is forced to drink from the Well of Life and sleep until the end of October. With her strength regained, she can capture Bride and start the cycle of the seasons all over again.
How Loch Awe Was Formed
In Scottish stories of the Cailleach, the entire country was created by the goddess, however not all of it was intentional.
One of her favourite haunts was the mighty Ben Cruachan, the highest mountain in Argyll. There she would lift a huge rock, releasing the crystal-clear waters of a well to refresh herself, before securely dropping the stopper back in place. The views and the water were unbeatable.
Then after a particularly long day herding her beloved deer, the Cailleach was far more tired than normal. She lifted the protective stone on the mountain, drank deeply to quench her thirst and began to relax. The relief of finally taking the weight off her feet accompanied by the gentle sound of trickling water was enough to send this ancient goddess off to sleep.
However, she had forgotten to cover the well again and the trickling water became a flowing river which ended up as a raging torrent pouring down the slopes of Ben Cruachan. By the time the Cailleach had awoken, it was too late and all of that water had formed into Loch Awe – the largest freshwater loch in Scotland.
The Cailleach Of Glen Nevis
One of my favourite Cailleach legends comes from Glen Nevis, a beautiful place in the shadow of the mighty mountain Ben Nevis.
When the Cailleach wasn’t sculpting the hills and glens she was known to protect the wild animals, especially deer. A long time ago, a group of hunters were stalking red deer in Glen Nevis when they heard a peculiar singing. That singing was accompanied by a loud tapping. The group realised this was the Cailleach keeping time while milking her herd of deer.
With the old Goddess protecting her herd, the hunters knew they had no chance of catching one. They all left Glen Nevis apart from one brave soul. He needed to feed his family regardless of the Cailleach and he couldn’t go home empty handed.
All day he hunted with the singing in his ears but there wasn’t a single deer to be found. When he sat that night by his fire, the tune of the day inspired him and he sang:
“The grizzled Cailleach, tall and stern; Swift she glides over peak and cairn.”
After a few more lines he looked across the fire, and there was the old Goddess, chuckling at him. Nobody had been brave enough to actually call on her help before. She explained to him that her herd was growing too large and the brave young hunter could be useful. The next day, he should follow the sound of her singing and she would mark him out a deer to shoot.
From that day on, the man was blessed with incredible luck as a hunter. He never took more than he needed and the Cailleach made sure that he would succeed. All because he had been brave enough to call on the Cailleach for help instead of running away from her.
The Corryvreckan Whirlpool
Just off Scotland’s West coast lies the third biggest whirlpool in the world. Sitting between the Isles of Jura and Scarba, the Corryvreckan Whirlpool is a very special, yet dangerous place. Here’s a guide I wrote all about visiting it in person!
There are many tales of how the Corryvreckan got its name, but it’s one of the many spots linked with the Cailleach! Legend says that after awaking on Samhain and beginning her winter reign, she travels south from Ben Nevis.
Arriving at the Paps of Jura, also connected with the Cailleach, she bends down between the island and Scarba. There, like a giant washing machine, she cleans her great plaid in the Corryvreckan Whirpool, Now bright white, it’s spread out over Scotland’s mountaintops which explains the dusting of snow up there! That’s why it’s the Corryvreckan – Coire Bhreacain being Gaelic for the cauldron of the plaid!
Tigh nam Bodach
There’s one very special place with a very important story of the Cailleach in Scotland. It takes an entire day if you want to visit it for yourself, usually including a couple hours of driving each way to Glen Lyon!
After driving most of the way down the longest, loneliest and loveliest glen in Scotland, you begin a 3 hour hike to Glen Cailleach! Trust me that it’s worth the effort to come face to face with Tigh nam Bodach and its ancient, sacred stones.
Those stones can only be found between Beltane and Samhain, since they’re safely blocked up inside the little house every winter, in what’s said to be the oldest continuous pagan ritual anywhere in Britain. Three of the stones represent the Bodach, Cailleach and Nighean and this is the story of how they got here.
A long time ago, a fierce snowstorm blew through Glen Lyon, forcing the locals to barricade themselves inside and hope for the best. Then whilst peeking through a window, somebody spotted an enormous couple fighting their way over the mountain pass. It was the Cailleach travelling with her husband, the pair asked for shelter and were willingly welcomed into the community.
Soon, the Cailleach gave birth to her daughter the Nighean and during their time in the glen, things were peaceful and productive. All good things must come to an end though and eventually the family moved on, but they had a parting gift. These three stones, one to represent each of them, were left behind and some magic left along with them.
As long as the stones were cared for just as well as this special family had been, then Glen Lyon would always remain peaceful.
Some people like to say that things like this should be kept secret, but if it wasn’t for public knowledge, this shrine would have been destroyed by a hydro-electric scheme! Only the right type of people are willing to make the journey to visit Tigh nam Bodach, it’s a huge amount of effort just to damage something.
I’ve made the pilgrimage three times and only ever seen one other person on their way there! It’s honestly one of the most incredible places that I’ve ever experienced!
You can find lots more stories just like these in the Scotland’s Stories book, available here! If you enjoyed learning Scottish stories of the Cailleach, then you might like these traditional tales of the Devil too!
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