Creepy 'Moss Monster' that's scaring people in Eryri forest

A CREEPY figure in a Gwynedd forest has been christened the “Moss Monster” by those who have seen it.

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

The 'Moss Monster' waits for passersby in a small hollow.

When photographer Martin Jones paid a visit, he imagined it would be “extremely scary - especially at dusk”.

The humanoid figure has been described as a “bit too lifelike” for some people's liking. After Martin shared photos online of the moss-covered tree trunk, he was asked by one man: “Did you check if it was still breathing?”

Martin won't disclose the exact location, except to say it's near Capel Hermon in Coed y Brenin. The forest, covering 36 sq km, is home to the UK’s first purpose-built mountain biking centre.

Nearby are other spooky shapes such as moss-topped tree stumps dubbed “moss-rooms” for their likeness to fungi. But it is the Moss Monster - crouching as if ready to pounce - that has got some people spooked.

"I'd probably have jumped if I was walking along and saw that!” said a woman online. Another agreed, adding: “I would most certainly pee my pants.”

Thanks to their humid climates, the Celtic rainforests of Meirionnydd have an abundance of mosses that populate their ancient trees. The resulting formations let imaginations run riot.