The Ghost of Garlieston Straight
The long straight leading to Garlieston from Kirkinner has long been an eerie stretch to travel alone.
Stories of ghostly goings-on and strange apparitions along the three-mile stretch are nothing new for the older residents of this sleepy harbour village.
But not so long ago, a local man of 40 years old was driving home from work at the back of two in the morning when something startled him in the woods ahead.
Driving at speed, the man was going to fast to slow down in time but as he whizzed past, a young girl in a white nightdress stood watching him from the roadside, having stepped out from the misty woods and dripping from the heavy rain falling around her.
Slamming on the brakes, the man reversed at speed, shocked at the sight of a young girl so far from a house at this time of the morning.
He spotted her at the back of the car as he stared in his rear-view mirror and stopped the car.
Engine still running, he pulled on his handbrake and opened the door to help her as she was obviously lost.
Jumping out, he asked "What on Earth are you out here for?"
But... there was no one there. The man, certain she'd ran back into the woods, abandoned the car with the door open and the radio still blaring and headed into the dense woodlands, shouting out as he stepped forward.
After a few minutes, he realised he was in danger of being unable to find his way back so turned, shook his head, decided he would call police when he got home and ventured off towards the light of his headlamps through the trees.
He neared his car and as he reached out to open the door it occured to him that he couldn't remember having closed it. He also noticed a deadly silence... hadn't he left the radio on?
Reprimanding himself for being so paranoid, he took the driver's seat again and as he did so - darkness. His headlights went black.
Stunned with fear for a split second, the man turned off his engine, waited 10 seconds and flicked the key back on. This time, his lights came on with it and he put the car into first gear, drove off and let out a small laugh.
Not a mile up the road, the man began to spot the orange glow of streetlights from the village and breathed a sigh of relief.
He finally arrived at his home and parked the car up for the night before walking towards his front door. As he entered and closed it, he turned back to glance at his car - and saw the girl in the driver's seat, watching him.
He has never driven that car since and now travels via Sorbie so as to avoid the Straight.
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Weather for Newton Stewart
Thursday 17 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
