The list of the most creepy forests, which were the subject of legends and where ghosts were allegedly seen

Many great works are related to magical forests around the world. Sometimes these stories are about ghosts. There are forests all over the world that are full of mysterious legends and ghosts.

The Black Forest, located in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, holds a special place. After all, this forest is so dense with spruce and pine trees that sunlight barely penetrates it, TravelLeisure magazine writes.

It is the perfect playground for mythological creatures such as sorcerers, werewolves, witches and gnomes. This is not surprising as many of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tales are set in the Black Forest. In addition, Karl Friedrich Kahlert's classic Gothic novel Die Geisterbanner immerses the reader in the world of Black Forest necromancy.

Numerous legends are also associated with Wychwood Forest in England. This is a former royal hunting ground where visitors feel invisible hands touching their shoulders or hear the thunder of invisible horses. The most convincing is the case of Amy Robsart, the wife of the Earl of Leicester, who mysteriously died of a broken neck. Later, when the Earl was hunting in the woods, the ghost of his late wife met him and predicted that he would join her in 10 days, which he did after he suddenly fell ill.

Devil's Tramping Ground is a camping site located in the woods near the Harper's Crossroads area of North Carolina (USA). The site is the subject of ongoing local legends and lore, often claiming that the devil "walks" and stalks a barren circle on the ground where nothing is supposed to grow.

There are many legends surrounding the Doe Hill Forest in India. One of them says that the forest is a centre of paranormal phenomena, and loggers report seeing a headless boy wandering among the trees. Many visitors have reported an eerie feeling of being watched.

The Hoia Forest in Romania has been fascinating paranormal enthusiasts for over half a century. The forest is named after a shepherd who went missing with his flock of 200 sheep. All the trees, which are said to have once stood straight, are now twisted into knots. Locals claim that the forest, which has a circular clearing in its centre, is a portal, and those who pass through it may never return.

La Isla de las Muñecas in Mexico is a place where hundreds of dolls hang, recreating the eerie effect of a horror movie. More than 50 years ago, the island's only resident, Don Julian Santana, claimed to have discovered the body of a girl in one of the island's canals. He also found a doll floating nearby and, as a sign of respect, hung it on a tree. It was the first of thousands of dolls he would string together until 2001 when he died. Some believe that the dolls, many of which are missing limbs, are evil spirits.

A hiking trail through the Randolph Forest in Maine follows a strip of land to a long-defunct railroad that used to transport former Union soldiers to veterans' homes. Some visitors to the forest have reported seeing balls of light and hearing unexplained voices, almost like singing. Others claim to have seen ghosts. During the day, the forest seems harmless, but it is not recommended to walk in the forest when night falls.

The vast Freetown-Fall River Forest in Massachusetts is home to beautiful hiking trails, scenic vistas, and inviting picnic areas but it also has a dark past. Investigations into several murders in the late 1970s uncovered a local cult that allegedly performed satanic rituals in the middle of the forest. The forest is also part of the so-called Bridgewater Triangle, a 200-square-mile area in southeastern Massachusetts known for paranormal activity.

The famous Epping Forest in London is the scene of horror stories, both real and not so real. It served as a hideout for various robbers and murderers and was also used as a hiding place for the bodies of murder victims, including children killed by maniacs. In an episode of the British television show Great British Ghosts, the host and crew tried to find a ghost but got lost in the woods themselves before being rescued.

Old House Woods in Virginia is known for being named after an abandoned colonial-era manor house where people are haunted by the ghosts of British soldiers and pirates who buried treasure there in the 17th and 18th centuries. Many legends of missing treasure hunters are associated with this forest.