Xylophobia sounds like it means “fear of xylophones,” but it really means a “fear of forests.” Anyone who has ever read a fairy tale or gotten lost in the woods knows that there is plenty to be scared of in a forest, especially if you let your imagination run wild. From witches and goblins to wolves and bears, the deep, dark woods have a history of scaring people.
Here are four real forests to avoid . . . or explore, if you dare!
PLUCKLEY SCREAMING WOODS
WHERE: Pluckley, England
WHAT’S SO SCARY: Legend has it that people passing by this forest—which happens to be in the “most haunted village in Britain”—can hear the screams of those who have died there. It is also known as Dering Woods.
OLD HOUSE WOODS
WHERE: Mathews County, Virginia, United States
WHAT’S SO SCARY: This forest is near an old port town on the coast of Virginia. There is no river running through it, which makes it very strange that people have reported seeing an old ship floating by in the fog at the edge of the woods. Some say the ship contains the ghosts of headless pirates looking for their old treasures.
DOW HILL
WHERE: Kurseong, West Bengal, India
WHAT’S SO SCARY: Located near a school that’s said to be haunted, this forest has been the site of many murders. Woodcutters have reported seeing a headless boy roaming the woods.
BALLYBOLEY FOREST
WHERE: Larne, Northern Ireland
WHAT’S SO SCARY: Many superstitions and creepy stories are associated with these woods. Visitors claim they have seen shadowy figures standing still and felt like they were being watched. Some say they have heard screams that could not be traced. One man claimed he found several trees smeared with blood.
Excerpted from Julie Winterbottom’s Frightlopedia, on sale now.
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