The woods are lovely, dark and deep - but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before
I sleep.
The immortal words of Robert Frost, written in his 1922 poem - Stopping by Woods on a
Snowy Evening.
The forest has played an important role in global culture since ancient times.
Ever since we first sat around a blazing campfire, we’d tell stories about the dangerous creatures
that lurked in the woods - and that arcane magic has, essentially, never really left.
What’s going on guys - and welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube - Top 5
Scary Videos.
As always, I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - as today, we curiously take a look
at the Top 5 Scariest Forests You Shouldn’t Visit At Night.
Roll the clip.
For the curious amongst you, that clip was from 2004’s The Village - directed by M.
Night Shyamalan.
Which, if you’re up for only watching 75% of a film - then this one's for you.
Before we dive into this list horror fans - you know how it is by now, make sure to
hit that thumbs up button and ding that subscribe bell so you can stay up to date with our latest
and greatest uploads.
Show us some love in the comment section down below - and if you stick around till the end,
I’ll be reading out some of your most creative comments from the past few days.
Just a small precursor - you’ll probably expecting the Aokigahara Forest or the Island
of the Dolls on this list - but for the sake of keeping things fresh and interesting, spoilers
- they’re not.
On with the show.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Hoia Baciu Forest, Romania.
Purportedly the most haunted forest in the world - which is arguable, but it’s definitely
the most haunted forest in Romania.
Although - they do have the whole Transylvania thing too - so I don’t even know what to
think anymore.
Situated near Cluj-Napoca, the Hoia Baciu Forest covers an area of over 250 hectares
- and has fervently been referred to as the Bermuda Triangle of the country.
It carries the reputation of being the location of thousands of ghost sightings, unexplained
apparitions, disembodied faces appearing in photographs - and even a hot spot for UFO
activity.
It’s most notorious feature its what locals call - the dead zone, an inexplicable clearing
in the forest that is a complete vegetation dead zone.
A nearly perfectly circle deep in the centre of the woods where nothing has grown for centuries.
Soil samples have been taken of this site, and even local geologists have claimed that
there is no explanation for the lack of vegetation.
Which is worrying, right?
Granted - while a lot of the mystery surrounding the forest has been exaggerated by local legend
- there’s something not quite right about this place.
This mystery continues.
Coming in at Number 4 - The Black Forest, Germany
I mean - this place literally got its name from being a dark, ominous, creepy tangle
of wood and thorns.
And then we had the old Brothers Grimm, who took one look at the place and thought - this
place is creepy, let’s write some fairy tales about it.
Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood - they ARE the folk legends that they are,
because of the sinister dread of The Black Forest.
Don’t get me wrong - this place is beautiful, and a breathtaking sight to behold - but beneath
the surface are some truly hair raising tales.
Take the legend of the Freischutzen for example - arcane marksmen of legend that were said
to have retreated into the forest to make a pact with the devil.
They never made it out alive, but instead were bound to the Black Forest - shooting
at intruders with demonic accuracy.
Then there's the wolf of Freudenstadt - an elusive beast that always managed to catch
a sheep without being seen.
When a farmer stayed awake to catch it - he managed to shoot the wolf, and the next morning
a villager was found lying in his bed, covered in blood - with a gunshot wound to his chest.
The Black Forest has been a hive for European folk tales and urban legend - and a mystical
reminder that not everything may be as it seems.
Next up at Number 3 - The Devil’s Tramping Ground, North Carolina
I mean - it’s kind of in the name, but it seems that the entirety of North Carolina
has an obsession with naming things after the Devil.
Devil’s Rock, the Devil’s Courthouse, Seven Devils, Kill Devil Hills, Devil’s
Branch, Devil’s Chimney, Devil’s Nest - Devil’s Knob, hell - even the Devil’s
Potato Patch - and of course, The Devil’s Tramping Ground.
Strangely enough though - this forest bares a striking resemblance to that of the Hoia
Baciu Forest in Romania, and the tramping ground itself is a strange, unexplained barren
patch of Earth where nothing grows.
As the local legend goes - the place itself was the site of a battle between two rival
tribes of Native Americans.
Supposedly, the blood of those killed soaked the ground so thoroughly that nothing would
ever grown there again.
Allegedly, not even a single blade of grass with grow in the limits of the circle - seeds
have been sowed there that refused to sprout, and otherwise healthy transplanted plants
wither and die within a few days.
Obviously, the local legend has mutated into varying versions throughout the course of
history - but one thing remains the same, no one really knows what on Earth is going
on at The Devil’s Tramping Ground.
Swinging in now at Number 2 - Epping Forest, England
Of course - we’ve got to throw England somewhere in this mix, and there’s nowhere more notorious
than Epping Forest in Essex.
Although the home of many alleged paranormal sightings - the real matter of fact is that
Epping Forest is the grizzly site of over 15 murders, and has notoriously been used
as the hideout and retreat for murderers and criminals throughout British history.
Throughout the Iron Age - the forest itself is thought to be the location for numerous
Roman battles - and is thought to be a candidate for the unknown final resting place of Boudica,
Queen of the British Iceni tribe.
Allegedly, her ghost walks amongst the dense thicket, at the deepest part of the wood.
Epping Forest was also used as a hideout for the infamous highwayman - Dick Turpin, who
had retreated into the forest following a string of robberies and assaults, alongside
other highwaymen such as Tom King and Sixteen String Jack.
In more recent times though, Epping Forest has seen a series of brutal and tragic murders.
In the 1970’s - two children were found dead in a copse near Lippitts Hill - which
would eventually become known as the Babes in the Wood murders, a tragic case that deeply
affected the nation.
Epping Forest is unparalleled in its violent and grizzly significance - and it’s a place
where I definitely wouldn’t like to take a stroll through late at night.
And finally at our Number 1 spot - The Pine Barrens, New Jersey.
Without a doubt - the most haunted - and well, just straight up weird place in America.
There are so many folk legends surrounding the New Jersey Pine Barrens that it’s hard
to pinpoint exactly where to begin - but there is one tale that supersedes all others.
The Legend of the Jersey Devil, and the Pine Barrens most notorious resident.
Although it’s origins are unclear, the most widely held belief of the Jersey Devil begins
with a Mrs. Leeds - a resident of Estellville, a town which borders the Pinelands.
When she found out that she was pregnant for the 13th time - in disgust, she cried out
- Let it be the devil!
Well, when the baby arrived, that’s exactly what it was - and it gave a screech, unfolded
its wings - and flew out the window into the dense and desolate Pine Barrens.
The creature has allegedly haunted the Pine Barrens for over 250 years - and locals, affectionately
known as Piney’s, consider its sightings to be too numerous to explain away as fiction.
It doesn’t end there though - because The Pine Barrens harbour many more creepy tales
than just the Jersey Devil.
Captain Kidd, the headless ghost of a Scottish sailor.
The ghostly visage of the Black Dog.
The Golden Haired Girl - the ghost of James Still.
The White Stag.
The Blue Hole.
There is a hell of a lot of creepy stuff in New Jersey, and all of it pretty much happens
in the Pine Barrens.
Well - there we have it horror fans - let us know what you think is the creepiest forest
on Planet Earth in the comment section below.
Before we depart, let’s read out some of your most creative comments from the past
few days.
Amanda Schroeder says - So glad I found your channel!
This has been a good and creepy binge!
Well Amanda, keep that horror binge going - and we’re super stoked to have you on
board, cheers for being a horror fan.
Riri Pari says - You guys wanna know what the scariest video posted on YouTube?
YouTube Rewind 2018.
…….. Well, you’re not wrong there Riri - you’re not wrong at all.
K/Pop!
Well - that’s enough horrifying content for now, horror fans - cheers for sticking
around all the way till the end.
It’s been a pleasure seeing you all once again, as always, I’ve been your horror
host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching Top 5 Scary Videos - and until next time, you
take it easy.