In Wales, October 31 is a magical night when ghosts, fairies, and all manner of supernatural creatures may be encountered.
On this special Halloween podcast episode, join Mark Rees ( author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the secret origins of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween.
In the early 1900s a pioneering American author from New England published what is considered to be the first history of Halloween, and by using that as our starting point for the spookiest day of the year we will uncover:
All of these questions and more will be explored in this special Halloween episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast!
Halloween in Wales: 5 special episodesOctober is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the third of five stand-alone specials.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?In Celtic times, each day began at sunset.
October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great foreboding and apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to subscribe to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast which will be focusing on the festival all through October, and check out the book The A-Z of Curious Wales for lots more weird and wonderful facts.
What is the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he explores the weird and wonderful history of Wales.
The world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends, GHOSTS & FOLKLORE OF WALES combines Mark’s research and insights from his books and articles with long-lost tales from some ancient tomes into a truly unique podcast experience.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday, and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to the fantastical beasts from the Mabinogion,
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
EP63 Haunted Rivers: Wailing spirits, monstrous serpents, bottomless pits and the devil in disguise - explore the strange legends of the Welsh waterways on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP62 The Ghost Police: When the police are the ghosts, who ya gonna call? There were no Ghostbusters to deal with paranormal activity in the Swinging Sixties! - Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP61 The Fairy-Haunted Mines: What creatures lurk deep beneath the Welsh mountains? Goblins, gnomes, basilisks? Go in search of the coblynau and more on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP60 The Disembodied Hand at the Haunted Mansion: A ghostly hand - like Thing from The Addams Family - has long haunted a Welsh home. Let's go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP59 The Spectral Nun and the Skeleton in the Wall: Why are religious ghosts haunting a Welsh parish? Let's go on a paranormal investigation on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP58 The Mystery of the Macabre Magician: When an infamous Welsh wizard is hired to solve a crime things get a little bit gothic. Find out all the secrets on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP57 The Phantom Werewolf: A "real-life" horror story in which a strange wolf-like creature with hellish eyes terrorises holidaymakers in the Welsh mountains - Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP56 The Witch's Curse: A dark and tragic folk tale in which a Welsh woman is struck down by witchcraft - or is it all in her mind? Find out more on the magical Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP55 The Phantom from Pennsylvania; or, An American Ghost in Wales: Why is an apparition from Philadelphia haunting the Swansea Valley? Let's go hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP54 The Magic of Water: Wash with vampires, fight evil spirits, turn water into wine and protect coffee from witches - it's all on this fascinating Welsh on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP53 The Haunted Cemetery and the White Mist: Paranormal activity is reported in Victorian Wrexham - but is it really supernatural? Let's go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP52 Beware the Fairy Lights!: Discover the secrets of the Ellylldan, the dangerous Welsh elf-fire which haunt the forests much like the English Will-o’-wisp, on Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP51 The Golden Ghost: When an ancient burial site is disturbed, eerie secrets are revealed. Let's go ghost hunting in search of a centuries-old spirit on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP50 Party with the Fairy Folk: Warning- the fairies of Wales (y tylwyth teg) have been known to prank those who disturb their revelries! Find out more on episode 50 of the Ghosts and Folklore podcast
EP49 For Whom the Bell Tolls: A Gothic funeral tradition that keeps away evil spirits, plague, fairies and the Devil! Explore the mysteries of church bells on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP48 Soul Lights, Astral Bodies and Strange Omens: Can the soul really leave the body at will? Is there a link to the corpse candles/ death omens? Find out on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP47 The Elf Ladies' Stray Fairy Cow: Magical farm animals emerge from a dark and ominous lake in this cautionary folk tale on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP46 Ghost of the Hanged Lady: The tragic tale of a spirit with a message for a heart-broken traveller. It's time to go on a paranormal investigation on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast...
EP45 Folklore of the Sea: Spooky spirit candles, soul-stealing Devils, clairvoyant cats and Davy Jones' Locker - explore the weird and wonderful Welsh coast on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP44 The Haunted Mansion; or, a Cardiff Ghost Story: A lady in grey is one of the many paranormal guests haunting a Victorian house. Let's go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
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