LoppyLoves

Today's Midweek Mysteries is slightly different from usual, I'll be talking about the origins of Halloween.

Although we mostly associated as an American holiday nowadays, Halloween originated from the Celtic regions (UK, Ireland and Northern France. The Celts celebrated Samhain ( pronounced sow-in) on 31st October, which was celebrated as New Year's Eve during this era. Many of the Halloween traditions we enjoy today actually originated from Celtic superstitions.

Pumpkin Carving

Nowadays we carve pumpkins every year to decorate our homes during October. This tradition originated from England. Halloween night was considered to be the time that the dead could roam the Earth. To protect their homes from the spirits of the dead, people would carve grotesque faces into turnips and leave them in their doorways and window sills to scare away the ghosts.

Trick or Treating

There is a little debate about how this tradition started but 2 theories stand out above the rest. One is that people believed that the lost souls roaming around could be bribed with food. People would leave baskets of food outside their houses as an offering to the spirits, believing that it would protect them from the phantoms' tricks. The other is that one Halloween, peasants would go 'souling'. This would involve them knocking on the doors of wealthier families begging for soul cakes in exchange for prayers for the wealthy families deceased loved ones.

Apple Bobbing

Apple bobbing is believed to have originated as a way of divination. Apples were placed into a barrel and the first person to catch an apple without their hands would be the first to marry, hopefully before the next Halloween.

Night of Fortune-telling

The veil between the realms were believed to be the thinnest on October 31st. Some people still believe that divination is strongest on Halloween night. Some fortune-telling games that people still partake in were started in ancient times. One of these games is throwing an apple peel (usually from a bobbed apple) over the left shoulder and whichever shape it lands in is a future spouses' inital.

Wearing a Costume

This is another tradition that is debated. Some say that this started as a Bonfire Night tradition in England. People would wear a Guy Fawkes mask to hide their true natures. (Bonfire Night in England is celebrated on 5th November). Others say that people would wear masks when leaving their houses on Halloween to confuse the spirits and protect themselves from evil. Maybe both stories are true.

I'd love to hear some of your favourite Halloween traditions, let me know in the comments below!

Happy Halloween!
Loppy x

Sources:
https://www.bustle.com/articles/185948-13-halloween-superstitions-with-bizarre-histories
https://paranormal.lovetoknow.com/urban-legends/halloween-superstitions
https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

*LoppyLoves is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Just so that you are aware, I may get a small fee for any purchases you make through links on this post.

Halloween is fast approaching! If you haven't already planned one, here are some ideas to help you throw a memorable Halloween party!

Get it here

MUSIC

Now That's What I Call Halloween album (3 Discs)

If you're a Spotify user this album is also available as a playlist. Recently I've been playing it at work when I'm working alone, it got a little awkward when halfway through preparing an order the Psycho murder scene music starting blaring out of the speakers...

Photo: Amazon.co.uk

Photo: Amazon.co.uk

Photo: Amazon.co.uk

here

So that's my round up of Halloween products for an awesome (yet simple) party. If you're still looking for a costume then check out my Halloween costume ideas post.

I'd love to hear your plans for this Halloween, let me know below!

Loppy x

This week we're heading to the road I used to live on, Hamraborg, just outside the capital of Iceland.
At the end of the road is an interesting church called Kópavogskirkja (Church of Kópavogur). Sitting atop Borgarholt hill, which is known to be one of the most populated elf colonies in Iceland. The unusual church structure opened in 1963 overlooking both Reykjavík and Kópavogur.

One night I'd been out in downtown Reykjavík with some friends and I missed the last bus home so I had to take a taxi. The driver was very chatty and was giving me interesting facts about everywhere that we passed (as so many taxi drivers in Reyjavík do - it's a great way to take a tour of the city!). As we got closer to Hamraborg he shuddered as we approached the church.
"You live here...?" he asked slowly. "Do you know about the church?"
I shook my head, a little taken aback and slightly freaked out.
"My grandmother told me that when the church was being built, the elves tried to stop it."
I listened in awe as he told me the story of how the giant drills used to dig the foundations stopped working as soon as they touched the ground on the hill. The contruction workers were baffled as this had never happened before but they assumed that the drill was faulty. They ordered a new drill (at a large expense) and waited for it to be delivered. They tested the drill and it worked fine, so they went back to the hill. Again, as soon as the drill touched the ground, it stopped working. They deemed that the elves didn't want the church in that location so they moved it a few metres away from the original location. The drill worked finally and the church continued to be built with no more problems.

The landscape surrounding the church has been untouched and is very beautiful. Apparently this is so the elves can be left at peace...people don't want anymore trouble from them!

Not far from the church is the road Álfhólsvegur (elf hill road) where another story of the hidden people takes place. Álfhóltsvegur was meant to be the main street in Kópavogur, but when it was constructed the road workers ran into some problems. Near a large boulder, the machinery stopped working. The boulder was discovered to be an elf church. The workers brought in a 'seer' who could communicate with the elves and they all reached an agreement. The elf church had to be relocated to a new site before the work could continue, which it was.

Have you had any experiences with the hidden people of Iceland?

Loppy x

Sources:
https://visitreykjavik.is/kopavogskirkja-church
https://books.google.is/books?id=j-NMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198&lpg=PA198&dq=hamraborg+elves&source=bl&ots=WkRCSu1fp9&sig=g8wcUouTUjr70YbwdXyWwkJBa4g&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiq-aSZqvfdAhWR3KQKHa8ICW4Q6AEwCHoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=hamraborg%20elves&f=false
http://totaliceland.com/why-the-area-around-kopavogur-church-in-iceland-is-untouched/
https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends/huldufolk-supernatural-creatures-hiding-iceland-005870

So in the last few months I've managed to wear out TWO pairs of jeans! Looking through my wardrobe I realised I was seriously lacking in comfortable and appropriate trousers for work (I'm on my feet and moving all day so skinny jeans aren't the best thing to wear), everyday dresses, and skirts. I decided that it was finally time to go clothes shopping. Except I didn't want to do that in Iceland...it's way too expensive.

I'd heard horror stories of the inflated import taxes on imported items and so up until this point I had avoided ordering anything online to be delivered to Iceland. I either ordered it to the UK and waited a few months to collect it on my next visit, or had a relative post it a a gift if it was urgently needed. However this time I decided to be brave and have something sent straight to Iceland for once! I looked on my favourite website Boohoo.com to see what I could find, and was pleasantly surprised to see that they offered delivery to Iceland.

Sweetheart Neck Skater Dress Colour Grape - £20

Photo: Boohoo.com

I've actually owned the same sweetheart neck skater dress before. It had a different name on the website back then (around 2012/2013). It was my favourite dress until one day I wanted to wear it on a date. I was in a rush to leave the house and needed to iron the dress, the iron setting was on high (I hadn't checked it) and the fabric melted!
I was devastated and kept the dress even though it was unwearable. I looked on the Boohoo website back then but couldn't find it, I'm so glad they have it again. I did wear it once more a couple of years after I ruined it. My friend's 21st birthday party was Alice in Wonderland themed. I didn't have a costume but I made some patches out of felt to cover the burn mark.

Anyway I ordered the dress in the colour Grape, I think it is slightly brighter than the last dress but it was the closest colour they had. I did notice that the new dress doesn't seem as well made, the material is thinner than the old dress but it still fits nicely!

The Alice themed decorations I added to my old dress, the clock covers the burn mark!

Tall Jess Cigarette Trousers Colour Black - £7

I was eager to try trousers from the Tall range which is recommended for people 5'6" and over. I'm 5'7" so just about fall into this category. For the last couple of years I've noticed that so many British shops have been selling ankle grazers and not much else. I'm not a fan of ankle grazers, but even full length jeans look like ankle grazers on me sometimes! I hoped that the Tall collection would have some decent full length skinny black trousers, and I didn't want jeans.

Photo: Boohoo.com

I found 2 pairs in the sale, and there was just one black pair of each left in my size! The first were the cigarette trousers. I've owned one pair of cigarette trousers before but they didn't suit me at all! They were ankle grazers though so I thought I'd give them another chance. I absolutely love these trousers! They fit like skinny jeans, they're very comfortable and they're high-waisted with an elasticated waist band. The only thing that I find weird about them is a little V-shape cut out at the top with wires inside. I might take the wires out as they dig in a little bit when I'm sitting down.

Tall Esme Crepe Joggers Colour Black - £8

Photo: Boohoo.com

The other trousers were the crepe joggers. I was most excited about these as I like skinny joggers and I thought they'd be good for work as they look like formal trousers but they're comfortable! the material clings to all the wrong places and creases up, although I could probably get away with wearing them with a long top. There's another problem with them...they're too long! I couldn't believe how long these were! The cigarette trousers are the perfect length for me but the joggers bunch up a lot around the ankles.

*Edit* It's been over a month since I bought these and now they've become my favourite trousers. They look quite stylish with the ankles rolled up and they after I washed them they don't cling so badly! The material is very thin though so I've had to wear them with thermal leggings on cold days.

Plain Full Circle Midi Skirt Colour Black - £14

Photo: Boohoo.com

I used to live in black skater skirts back home. I didn't bring one with me to Iceland and have learnt to live without them but this caught my eye. The ones I used to wear were mini skirts, and a mini skater skirt would be awful in Iceland - the first gust of wind and I'd be exposed! This midi one is is perfect though, and it's long enough to wear throughout the winter months (with thermal tights underneath!). The material is thick and the skirt feels sturdy.

Long Sleeve Midi Dress Colour Berry - £14

Photo: Boohoo.com

I was so excited for this everyday dress...but I was so disappointed when it arrived. It creases so easily and it's very badly made, there's gaps in the stitching between the skirt and bodice and the hemline isn't even. That being said I'll still wear it, it's very comfortable but very thin. I thought that this would be a good Winter dress but I'd need to wear a thermal vest underneath it to stay warm.

Importation fees

Now for the scary part - the taxes! From the stories I'd heard I was expecting to pay 100% or more in taxes on what I'd bought! I'd heard of people spending 1500 krona on something and paying 5000 krona in tax and handling at the post office. I hoped it wouldn't come to that!

Here are the numbers:

Subtotal of items: £63 (8,759 isk)
Delivery: £9.99 (1,389 isk)
Total before import fees: £72.99 (10,148 isk)

Customs duty: 2681 isk (£19.29)
Total after import fees: 12,830 isk (£92.28)

Divided between the five items that means I paid just 2,566 isk (£18.46) per piece including postage and import taxes, which is still a massive bargain for Iceland!
Strangely only the skirt was listed on the customs declaration, I don't know if this had anything to do with the low fee but I thought it was very reasonable non-the-less. I was relieved that it all worked out okay and I will definitely be ordering again in the future!

Loppy x

In this week's Midweek Mysteries I'll be telling you about what is known to be the most haunted house in Iceland, Höfði. Located in the Borgatún business district of Reykjavík, Höfði has a rich and interesting history behind it.

Originally built in 1909 for the French Consulate Jean-Paul Brillouin, Höfði still retains features from that time, such as the letters RF (République Française) above an inside doorway. It was built in an Art Noveau Norwegian/French style and was built in Norway before being shipped to Iceland. Jean-Paul complained about the house being haunted, and only stayed in it for 4 years before selling it and leaving the country.

In 1914, the Icelandic poet and judge Einar Benediktsson moved to Höfði with his family. Interestingly, he was born on Halloween, although this is irrevelant to the story! Einar began to feel uncomfortable in his new home and he also believed it to be haunted. He concluded that he was being haunted by a young woman called Sólborg Jónsdottir, who had poisoned herself after Einar's verdict on a court case involving her. He complained that he had to keep the lights on in the house at night, as her spirit would often appear to him. A few years later, he sold the house.

Over the years another 10 people lived at Höfði, although none of them stayed very long. Many of them cited the hauntings as the reason for leaving. The locals started talking, and rumours spread that the site was built on an ancient Viking burial ground - which is why the liquor cabinets were habitually raided by spirits! Others said that a former caretaker haunted the grounds, although there are no records of a caretaker dying at the property.

The British Embassy bought the house in the 1940s, and it was used as the first British embassy in Iceland. In 1952 the British ambassador John Greenway moved to Höfði. He would be the last ever resident. He immediately began seeing apparitions of a young lady dressed in white whom he named 'The White Lady'. He insisted that the embassy sell the house and move elsewhere, due to 'bumps in the night'. He escalated the case and sought for special permission from the Home Office to sell the house, which he received. The Icelandic government bought the house that same year and no one has lived in it since. It is now used to hold important meetings, such as the Reykjavík Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986. Unfortunately, it is closed to the public.

When asked the address the rumours of the hauntings, the Icelandic Foreign Ministry released the following statement:

'We do not confirm or deny that the Höfði has a ghost.'

You'll just have to decide for yourselves...

Sweet dreams...

Loppy x

Sources:
https://naturekicks.com/haunted-places-in-iceland-that-you-should-never-visit/
https://www.nat.is/travelguide/ahugav_st_hofdi.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%B6f%C3%B0i
https://visitreykjavik.is/hofdi-house
https://grapevine.is/mag/2017/09/21/time-capsule-hofdi/
https://books.google.is/books?id=j-NMBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA173&lpg=PA173&dq=einar+benediktsson+haunted&source=bl&ots=WkRBYtVdna&sig=-kNMIpHdio9n__COvFWLR5U94sg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiHtuWalOvdAhUDL1AKHXqtAFUQ6AEwBXoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=einar%20benediktsson%20haunted&f=false

This is a really cheap, simple and healthy breakfast recipe that is also great for a grab and go breakfast. It is extremely inexpensive, and can be made even cheaper if needed. It is still very cheap to make in Iceland! The basic concept is oats soaked in liquid, with something added (usually dried fruit or nuts).

I've added the costing with current prices from Kronan supermarket. Prices correct at time of writing.

Ingredients:

30g Oats - 5kr (179kr for 1kg bag)
40ml Oat milk - 11kr (269kr for 1 litre)
20g Raisins - 14kr (169kr for 250g)
15g Dried cranberries - 30kr (399kr for 200g)
15g Coconut cubes - 45kr (299kr for 100g)
15g Chia seeds - 9kr (299kr for 500g)

In a small container add 20-30g oats. It will look like a small amount but they are very filling! Add a small handful of raisins and cover with milk. Stir everything together and pop in the fridge overnight. That's it, so simple! This basic recipe costs just 30kr per serving! That's 21p in sterling, proving that eating in Iceland doesn't have to be expensive.

That's the basic recipe but you can add whatever you like to the mixture. I've added some dried cranberries, a few coconut cubes and a tablespoon of chia seeds. It's still cheap with these extras at just 114kr (78p) a serving and the possibilities are endless! If you'd like it sweeter, add some honey or maple syrup.

Variations:

Mocha: Replace milk with cooled coffee, add cacao nibs in place of raisins. Add a teaspoon of cocoa powder and sweeten to taste.
Blueberry bircher: Replace milk with yoghurt (can be plain or flavoured), replace raisins with blueberries (dried or fresh). Top with fresh blueberries in the morning.
Apple and cinnamon: Replace milk with half plain yoghurt and half apple juice, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

I'd love to hear what variations you come up with! Let me know in the comment below.

Loppy x

This week's Midweek Mysteries I'll be telling you a true story from the cemetery in Glasgow, the South Necropolis.

The Gorbals was a poverty-stricken area of Glasgow in the 1950s. Running water wasn't a commodity in most households and the area was filthy, covered in thick black smog. The streets were over run with gangs and violence, it wasn't a nice place to grow up to say the least. There were no public playgrounds for the children, so they would often play in the local cemetery which was a lovely green area atop a hill. In 1954 a rumour spread around the school playground that 2 children from The Gorbals had gone missing whilst playing in the cemetery. The story spread like wildfire that a 7 foot tall vampire with iron teeth was to blame. It had supposedly eaten the children. The adults of course wouldn't believe them, so they decided to take the matter into their own hands.

A tomb within Glasgow Necropolis

On an autumn evening in September, a policeman was called to Glasgow Necropolis on reports of hundreds of children running amok in the cemetery. The children were armed with stakes, knives and dogs and told the police man that they were hunting the Gorbals Vampire which had eaten two of their friends. The police man of course dismissed their claims, but he couldn't get the children to leave the cemetery. The hunt went on for another 2 nights, after which the children either got tired of hunting or decided that the vampire wasn't real after all. The local media at the time covered the story and tried to contact the police regarding the case of the missing children, but no report had been filed of the 2 Gorbals children going missing from the cemetery. The mass hysteria around the vampire was put down to 'American comic book culture' allowing the children's imaginations to run wild. It didn't help that an American comic book had been released around the same time called 'The Vampire with the Iron Teeth'. There is also an old ghost story about 'Jenny wi' the iron teeth' who supposedly haunted Glasgow in the 18th Century.

Whether there ever was a vampire or not in the South Necropolis, the children at the time certainly believed it! Some of them who were on the hunt still maintain to this day that they saw the vampire with their own eyes. But they didn't manage catch it...

Sweet dreams...

Loppy x

Sources:
https://ebooks.visitscotland.com/ghosts-myths-legends/vampire-glasgow-necropolis/
https://www.scotclans.com/the-vampire-of-the-gorbals/
https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-gorbals-vampire-and-monster-hunt-that-shook-glasgow-1-4076003
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Necropolis

This week has turned colder and the leaves are starting to turn. Autumn is setting in here in South Iceland. As soon as the weather starts to turn I start to crave soup. It's what I live on during the colder months, and there's nothing I love more than a roasted vegetable soup.

My Viking has been feeling ill for over a week now, suspected throat infection. He's been drinking lots of herbal tea with honey but I wanted to get a good dose of vitamins into him.

We had a large sweet potato in the fridge that needed to be used up and some onions and garlic. This would've been enough for a basic soup but I wanted to add a couple of other vegetables so I bought a butternut squash and a small bag of carrots (the only veg that I'm absolutely sure go well with sweet potato). And the result was Roasted Orange Root Soup.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 Large sweet potato
1 Medium butternut squash
5 Medium carrots
1 Medium onion
3 Cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons dried rosemary or 3 sprigs of fresh
1 Tablespoon dried Thyme or 1 sprig fresh
Salt
Pepper
Oil
Vegetable Stock
Chili (optional)

Method:

Chop the vegetables including the onion into small bite sized pieces. Spread over a baking tray with the whole cloves of garlic and drizzle oil over. Shake over the Rosemary and Thyme and a little salt and pepper. Toss the vegetables until they are evenly covered with herbs and oil. Roast for 40 minutes at 200°C/Gas mark 6.

Test that the vegetables are mashable with the back of a fork and remove from the oven. When cooled slightly, tip the veg into a blender with about ½ litre of stock and blend until smooth. If you prefer a chunky soup, just blend half of the veg.

Tip the soup into a pot and warm through, adding more water/stock if necessary and salt and pepper to taste.

*Optional* This soup works really well with a bit of spice, just add some dried or fresh chili to the blender for a fiery kick! Or for some added sweetness, roast an orange bell pepper with the other vegetables.

Serve with a chunky bread roll and enjoy!

Three cloves of garlic may seem excessive but it really adds a boost to your immune system and it possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Rosemary is also anti-inflammatory and can even help to relieve pain! Thyme can help you to recover from a cold and is great at relieving a sore throat. This soup is packed full of goodness to aid you through the winter. I hope you enjoy it!

Loppy x

Halloween is fast approaching, so with that in mind I thought I'd compile a list of costume ideas! From affordable and simple, to historical and detailed, this list should have everyone covered!

Black wings and halo - £4.99+FREE DELIVERY

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This black angel wings and halo set is an affordable way to turn any outfit into a costume! It is also available in white if you don't want to be a dark angel. It would love lovely over a simple black dress, or even a dark purple or red. Or if you're not into dresses maybe you could be inspired by the Train song Angel in Blue Jeans...

Get it here

Plus size spider - Starting from £9.99

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This stunning spiderweb costume comes in sizes XL-3XL. The prices vary (not really sure why?) with the most expensive size being 2XL at £13.67. The cold shoulder detailing and the bat wing sleeves look very elegant and almost too beautiful to be just a costume!

Get it here

Carry me® zombie - £39.99+FREE DELIVERY

Photo: amazon.co.uk

If you like funny costumes rather than scary costumes, this is the one for you! Wear your own t-shirt and this costume on the bottom, then run around the party with flailing arms screaming for help. Then please send me a video because I'd love to see that.

Get it here

Cat face swing dress - Starting from £9.89

Photo: amazon.co.uk

Again this one varies in price! It starts from £9.89 for size 8/10 to £13.49 for size 20/22. It is available in sizes 8/10 - 24/26. There are actually 28 different designs to choose from in this listing! I've chosen this one as it could actually be worn year round, and if you like to keep your costume simple then this is a great choice. You could pair it with a cat ear hairband (like this one) for a cheap, effortless costume.

Get it here

Temporary tattoo wounds - £1.17+FREE DELIVERY

Photo: amazon.co.uk

Possibly one of the cheapest costume ideas ever! Dress however you want and then accessorise with some cuts and bloody handprints. You could rip some old clothes, and back brush your hair to look like you've just escaped from something awful. These ship from China though so you'll need to order them soon to get them in time for Halloween!

Get it here

Medieval friar/hooded monk - £19.99

Photo: amazon.co.uk

Bizarrely this costume is £19.99 or £16 if you order a large. It runs from size S to XL and is available in 5 colours, although this deep red one is my favourite. It comes with a wooden cross and a rope belt so accessories are taken care of. This costume is great if you like to be well covered, and you can wear layers underneath it if the party is outside in the cold weather. The loose fitting robe covers a multitude of sins...*pun intended*

Get it here

Purple vintage style Halloween dress - £6.52+£1.49 delivery

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This 1950's style swing dress is stunning! It has a sweetheart neckline and lace sleeves with a full skirt that flares out from the waist. It is available in black or purple and the hemline features some fun Halloween motives.

Get it here

Unisex 'This is my Halloween costume' T-shirt - Starting from £8.50+FREE DELIVERY

Photo: amazon.co.uk

Another one with varying prices, It's starts at £8.50 but 2XL and 3XL are £8.99, all come with free delivery. The sizes run from S-3XL and it's available in 3 colours but this black one is my favourite. This is a unisex top so I think it would be a loose fit.

Get it here

Medieval dress £23.99+FREE DELIVERY

Photo: amazon.co.uk

This medieval dress is beautiful and comes in 2 colours. It's available in sizes S-2XL and is another full coverage option. I think this would work with a bloody choker (like this one) as an Anne Boleyn costume!

Get it here

So that's my round up of awesome Halloween costume ideas for this October. Do you have any favourites from this list? I'd love to hear what you're dressing up as this year!

Loppy x

This week's Midweek Mysteries will be based on Birmingham, UK - my home town. There are many ghostly tales from Birmingham, and in particular, the historic Jewellery Quarter. In this post I'll be telling you about the ghouls that reside in both of the JQ cemeteries; Warstone Lane and Key Hill.

You get off the train at the Jewellery quarter station and you spot the graves through the platform fence. Curiosity gets the better of you and you feel the urge to wander around the tombstones. You exit the station and walk down the side road to Icknield Street, then you find your way to the cemetery gates. Once you step inside, it seems eerily dark despite the bright daylight outside. The ancient trees block a lot of the light in the cemetery, and you start to feel uneasy.
Right in front of you there is a bench, which has been covered with rocks. There is also a large ring of rocks stacked before the bench. You shudder off the thought that some kind of ritual has taken place here...

You start to follow the path towards the back of the graveyard, noting the dates on the tombs, some of them date back to the 1800s.
You look to the left and spot a crumbling wall lined with arches of inscribed stone and decide to take a closer look. They look like giant gravestones set into the wall and you recognise some of the names. Joseph Chamberlain, mayor of Birmingham. Alfred Bird, inventor of eggless custard. It's an odd place to put a grave marker, you think as you gauge the height of the stones, at least 6ft tall. You think you hear someone else in the cemetery, and quickly glance around, feeling some deep, primal instinct to hide.

There are some loud bangs coming from different directions, and the clanking of metal hitting metal. You peer out from behind the tomb but no one is with you. Maybe it's the spirits of deceased jewellers, you think, before shaking the absurd thought out of your head.
You smell something in the air, the aroma is similar to pear drops, and intoxicating. You suddenly start to feel rather sick, and a heaviness falls over you. You need air.

Warstone Lane Cemetery

You leave Key Hill and walk back down Icknield Street, passing the turning that you came down. You spot another cemetery further ahead, this one has no fence and looks bright and airy. The trees don't block the sun out here. You step inside and see a huge coliseum-type structure towering over you. There is are a few large trees in the middle, surrounded by gravestones. It's rather beautiful, and it looks better maintained than Key Hill.
You walk up to one of the many doors lining the coliseum but they are bricked up. Memorials are inscribed on some of the doors and you suddenly realise what the structure is - the catacombs of Birmingham.

Fascinated, you climb the steps up the two tiers of tombs until you reach the top. Looking down, it's even more impressive. Nature has slowly started to take over and it's crumbling in places but that only adds to it's beauty. You look around at the rest of the cemetery, this one looks smaller than the first. A few locals are walking dogs and you even see a couple of jewellers sitting on a bench eating lunch! There is definitely a more positive vibe here, and the heaviness you felt before has lifted. The smell of pear drops has returned though. "Always smells of bloody cyanide out here" You hear one the jewellers say. "Maybe it's just stuck to your clothes from work, told you that you shouldn't have gone to the plating department..." You slowly wander around the graves, admiring the decorative carvings and glimpsing the dates. There are a mix of very old and more modern graves here, the latest ones you see are dated to the 1980s.

From the corner of your eye you catch site of an interesting looking building, a bit like a gatehouse. It looks very gothic and the charcoal grey brick work only adds to the look. You go to take a closer look. Next to the building is a large rock mounted on a plinth. There is an inscription below it reading:

This felsite boulder was deposited near here

by a glacier during the Ice Age: being at one

time used as a parish boundary mark, it

was known as the ‘Hoar Stone’ of which the

modern War Stone is a corruption

You feel a chill run over you, and have the sense of someone watching you. Looking above the War Stone, you see a lady gazing at you. She looks like she needs help, so you jog over to her. She silently starts to walk away but you follow her through the graveyard, calling after her. She smells of pear drops, maybe she was in Key Hill with you. You shudder at the thought that this woman might be stalking you and stop chasing her. You watch her walk among the graves, her long white dress trailing on the ground. She turns to look at you one last time before she walks straight through a tree and vanishes from sight. The heaviness has returned...

The catacombs in Warstone Lane Cemetery

Key Hill Cemetery (formerly known as Birmingham General) opened in 1836 as a nonconformist graveyard. Many famous people who resided in Birmingham are buried there. There have been many reports of paranormal activity in the cemetery over the years, included the sound of bangs and clanking metal. Some people have claimed to see a soldier smoking in the back of the cemetery. There was even a report of a humanoid kangaroo-like creature jumping out from the graveyard, and stopping a car in the road before returning to where it came from!

Warstone Lane Cemetery (formerly known as Brookfields) opened in 1847 as a Church of England burial ground. It is rich in history. During World War II the catacombs were used as emergency accomodation to house families. They used to be open to the public but have since being determined a safety risk and were closed up several years ago. The catacombs were found to be releasing vapours from the decomposing bodies which caused a smoking ban in the cemetery, as it was believed that cigarettes could ignite the gases in the air. The vapours were also responsible for the Birmingham Cemeteries Act, which requires that coffins that won't be buried, such as in the catacombs, should be sealed properly with lead.
There are thought to be a few spirits residing in Warstone Lane. The most famous one is the White Lady. She is said to be young, and appears in a few different costumes, the most noted one being her white dress. An aroma similar to pear drops (cyanide) follows her around and it is disputed whether she simply worked in the jewellery trade or took her own life with the poison. She has been spotted a couple of times in Key Hill too.

So that concludes our tour of the Jewellery Quarter graveyards. I hope you enjoyed it and I'd love to hear where you'd like to explore next!

Sweet dreams...

Loppy x

Sources:

https://jewelleryquarter.net/tours/gruesome-jewellery-quarter/the-grey-lady-of-warstone-lane/

http://www.birminghamconservationtrust.org/2012/10/19/haunted-heritage-warstone-lane-cemetery/
https://www.paranormaldatabase.com/hotspots/birmingham.php
https://www.facebook.com/historyhaunted/posts/history-and-haunting-of-warstone-lane-cemetery-birmingham-england-uk/635320076494076/

https://www.spookyisles.com/2015/03/5-haunted-places-to-visit-in-birmingham/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Hill_Cemetery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warstone_Lane_Cemetery

Today has been a very grey, rainy day in Selfoss. The days are slowly drawing in and the temperature is dropping. Although I long for the dark Winter days, snow and log fires, it can get rather boring being holed up inside all day. The Autumn and Winter months are the time that I read the most. There's nothing cosier that curling up on the sofa with a hot chocolate, a fleece blanket and a good book.

Although I have a stack of books ready to see me through the Winter, and I'll no doubt buy some more on my next visit home, it came to my attention today that I didn't bring any bookmarks with me to Iceland! I've been using scraps of paper all year. So with that in mind I decided to spend some time today designing a few bookmarks using my photos of Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík.

They all feature the LoppyLoves web URL and a quote from one of my most popular posts; I Quit My Dream Job And Left For Iceland.

Please feel free to Download them and print them for your own use, I'd love to know if you do use them! Which one is your favourite?

Loppy x

DECORATIONS (Indoors)

Halloween motif decorations

Skeleton toilet door cover

Bathroom mirror sticker

Green LED sign

Bag of bones

Crime scene tape

MUSIC

Now That's What I Call Halloween album (3 Discs)

DECORATIONS (Outdoors)

The Creeper From the Grave garden statue

Skeleton Bride and Groom Statues

Outdoor cobwebs

MISCELLANEOUS

Wine glass charms

Murder Mystery Game

Halloween themed 2 litre bottle labels

INSTAGRAM