Argyll Forest, a mystical, centuries-old locale, sits near the coordinates you’ve provided, found in the heart of the ancient Scottish Highlands. Hushed whispers tell us that, once upon a time, this forest was home to an intriguing plethora of magical beasts. These tales date back to the Middle Ages, encapsulating local lore about kelpies, selkies and fearsome, shape-shifting creatures known as each-uisge. The kelpies, water spirits taking the form of handsome horses, had a menacing reputation. Unwary travelers would be drawn to their equine beauty on the edge of a lake or river, only to be dragged into the watery depths once they tried to mount the deceptive creature. The selkies, on the other hand, were more melancholic in their tales. These were seals in the sea, but once on land, they would shed their hides and transform into human. Many a story has been told of a solitary selkie woman, her seal skin stolen and hence bound to marry the human man who possessed it. The most dangerous of all was the each-uisge. Related to the kelpie, this creature lived in the sea and fresh water lochs, taking not just the form of a horse but also of a handsome man or a beautiful woman to lure victims, which would then be eaten, leaving behind only the liver to float ashore. While these tales might seem rooted purely in the realm of the fantastical, they served a cautionary purpose, warning locals and travelers alike to respect the dangerous beauty of Argyll’s wild waters and enigmatic woodland.