clooty well Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Clooty wells.
These are trees that people go to and tie up a small rag of cloth to a branch. They tie up a problem in the rag and it is left their untill it rots off, for someone else to untie it means they will receive that persons problem. They are associated with springs and wells [usually with healing powers]
Although some are linked to saints, most were likely the home of water spirits. There are 2/3 near Inverness that people still visit to tie rags to on May the first.
This custom is completely unknown in the central belt and lowlands of scotland.

NellyD, AdrianW has marked this note useful