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Beasts of the bog unearthed for sculpture trail

BBC A sculpture of a mythical creature made from of moss, stone, leaves and earthBBC
A mythical creature, built of moss, stone, and earth, forms part of a walking trail at Tophill Low Nature Reserve

Tales of mythical beasts once believed to inhabit East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire have inspired themed sculptures.

The creatures form the basis of a spooky walking trail at Tophill Low Nature Reserve near Driffield.

Geologist Richard Myerscough said early fenland settlers would invent stories to keep their children safe from venturing out into the marsh.

"They would hear peculiar noises in the night, not knowing what they were," he said. "Out in the bogs methane would ignite forming Willow the Wisp fires and again, they would see those at night."

Geologist Richard Myerscough holds a flint axe left by the people of Doggerland.
Geologist Richard Myerscough says early settlers were surrounded by noises in the darkness

Inspiration for the creatures included in the half-term walking trail has come from books of local folklore.

One includes the boggle - an imaginary hobgoblin bringing fear or terror, and the bargeest - a spectre "with large flaming eyes as big a saucers" whose appearance "was a sign of death."

The "Legends of the Carrs" was written Marie Balfour. Richard Hampshire reads about Tiddy Munn who lived in the Ancholme Valley near Brigg
Richard Hampshire from Yorkshire Water reads from MC Balfour's Legends of the Carrs

Another is the Lincolnshire Tiddy Mun which according to legend came out in the mist at night "limpety lobelty, like a drearie wee au'd gran'ther" with his long and tangled white hair and beard and a "pyewipe screech".

The 'Tiddy Mun' sculpture woven from willow and hemp
Tiddy Mun has been made out of willow and hemp at Tophill Low

Tophill Low reserve warden Richard Hampshire said his favourite story was of Auld Goggie, a sprite which took the form of a giant caterpillar and was the guardian of the orchard.

Legend has it he predated on any children that went in to steal apples.

"I suspect it might have been an invention to keep those pesky kids out of the orchard," Mr Hampshire said.

A self guided tour of a sculpture trail of the old beasties of the bog is open during October half term.

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