5 Haunted Roads from Around the World

Mar 14

With so many legends and myths of haunted places around the world, there is no surprise that several roads around the world are home to stories of hauntings and spirits.

Here are just 5 of the most haunted roads in the world:

1. Wakehurst Parkway - Australia

As one of the main roads on the Northern Beaches in Sydney, Wakehurst Parkway passes through Narrabeen, Oxford Falls, Frenchs Forest, and North Balgowlah. But if you believe the legends, the road is also a main road for spirit activity.

The most common spirit many claim to see is that of a young woman named Kelly. Sometimes described as a woman in white, others have described her as a nurse or nun but some believe the nun is an entirely different spirit.

Not much is known about the spirit of Kelly or how she even got the name yet many stories end the same, Kelly appears either on the side of the road or in someone’s backseat then disappears. Some stories say Kelly can be found bloodied on the side of the road asking for help. One driver claims to have picked her up and when arriving at a nearby hospital, she disappeared.

But Kelly is not the only supernatural happening on the road, many claim their electronics stop working or their windshield wipers start on their own when traveling down Wakehurst Parkway. Reports of cold spots and sounds of shrieking occurring in the middle of the night is not uncommon along the road.

Though the reports of ghosts can’t and haven’t been definitively proven, Wakehurst Parkway has been the site of an actual tragedy. In 1994 Richard William Leonard, using a compound bow, fired an arrow at Stephen Dempsey, killing him instantly. He later returned for his body, dismembering it, and kept it in his freezer.

Leonard was eventually caught after he and his girlfriend, Denise Shipley, attacked and killed taxi driver Ezzedine Bahmad. An investigation later found the compound bow used to kill Dempsey and Leonard was ultimately sentenced to life in prison for both murders.

2. Nash Road - Columbus, Mississippi

In Lowndes County, Mississippi along Nash Road many have claimed to see the figure of a woman carrying a leg in the middle of the night. She sometimes appears by vehicles or somewhere closes by in the forest staring at the drivers.

There are many variations to her story but many claim to hear the voice of a desperate mother looking for her child, a child who was murdered and dismembered decades ago. With only her leg in her possession, the mother accuses any driver nearby of having committed the deed and she’ll chase down any who stay too long.

Drivers have claimed to hear banging on their cars or find handprints around their trunks after leaving Nash road but if the legends are actually true, is anyone’s guess.

You can read our full Myths, Mysteries, & Monsters article on Nash Road here.

3. The Kinmount Straight on the A75 - Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

A four-mile stretch of road on the A75 in Scotland is nicknamed ‘The Ghost Road’ as there have been over a hundred reports of ghostly figures including animals roaming the roads.

According to a BBC article, a man named Bob Sturgeon who lived near the road and ran a roadside snack van often met truck drivers who had just seen a ghost. Many claimed to see figures resembling people from medieval times wandering aimlessly until they just vanished.

Sturgeon claimed almost a full week never went by that he didn’t hear a truck driver telling his tale of something strange occurring. Some saw eyeless phantoms or screaming women resembling banshees. One driver who had pulled over to take a nap awoke to find a parade of ghostly people surrounding his vehicle. He gave up truck driving after that.

But the most famous sighting was that of brothers, Derek and Norman Ferguson in 1962. Around midnight the two were driving along Kinmount when a large hen appeared out of nowhere and flew toward their windshield. They braced for impact but the hen vanished before it hit.

They then noticed an old woman running towards their car with her arms outstretched and a man with long hair running behind her screaming. As the temperature dropped around them they saw more ghostly animals, large cats, wild dogs, goats, and other strange creatures.

Their car began to sway violently causing Derek to exit the car out of fear. The movement then stopped as soon as he stepped out.

4. Riverdale Road - Colorado

The 11- mile Riverdale Road in Colorado is said to be the home of multiple spirits and a location to the gates of Hell with many referring to the road as one of the most haunted in the United States.

Many believe the reason for all the hauntings and for the road becoming a hotbed of spirits is its history. Centuries ago, after the witch trials that swept across the colonies, the legends claim many witches escaped to Colorado near the site of Riverdale Road.

But it wasn’t long before they were found and hanged on the trees that lined the road. They were intentionally hanged there as a warning to any other witch that may believe the area is a safe haven.

Centuries later some claim their spirits and their ability to use the dark arts created a location where others could perform satanic rituals in order to call upon their same abilities. Others claim the deaths there poisoned the land allowing spirits to easily wander around the road.

You can read our full Myths, Mysteries, & Monsters article on Riverdale Road here.

5. Tuen Mun Road - Hong Kong

In 1977 construction in Hong Kong began on its first-ever expressway but the process was a difficult one. Having to be built along a winding coastline and steep terrain, costs quickly rose.

In an effort to cut these costs, the roadways were narrowed and the design of the roads was less than standard. Changing the geometric design meant a reduction in vehicle visibility and overall safety.

When the 12-mile (19.4 km) road opened in 1978 it wasn’t long before these changes had a negative impact. The number of crashes on the road increased as the years went on and so did the deaths.

Local legend claims some of the spirits of those who met their end on the dangerous road never left and they wander the roads, possibly looking for a way back home. Some drivers have claimed to see these spirits appearing in the middle of the road causing them to swerve in an attempt to miss them.

Some estimates state the number of accidents on Teun Mun Road has reached several hundred and in July 2003, one of the deadliest road accidents in Hong Kong’s history occurred.

A double-decker bus collided with a truck tossing the bus through a barrier and over a bridge. The bus driver and 18 others were killed, with 2 more passengers dying at the hospital.

Since the accident, many claim the spirits of those who died in the crash joined the other wayward spirits on Teun Mun Road for the rest of time.