“Still the pipes play, though there’s no breath left in his lungs.
And she waits by the cliff—pale, barefoot, beautiful—watching the sea where he drowned.”
🌫 1. The Tower, the Daughter, and the Piper
The year was 1615. Fraserburgh, the Broch, stood wind-bitten and sea-beaten on Scotland’s northeast edge, where gulls shrieked louder than sermons and salt crusted every door. On the headland stood Kinnaird Castle, and beside it, the Wine Tower—a crimson-lipped outpost lashed by waves and hidden gossip.
Inside that tower, Isobel Fraser, youngest daughter of Laird Alexander Fraser, sang in secret and looked always out to sea. Her voice carried like gull-cry, mournful and haunting.
And when she sang, Sandy Tulloch, the piper’s son from Broadsea, would stand in the shadow of the cliff, listening.
One day, she heard his pipes reply.
🎶 2. A Love Both Hidden and Doomed
They met in stolen moments—beneath the tower’s stair, in the salt caves below, in moonlight on the rocks. Sandy played for her, fingers dancing on wood worn smooth by wind. Isobel taught him to speak French, to read Latin from her father’s books.
And love, as it does, bloomed wild where it shouldn’t.
But her father discovered them.
The Laird was a hard man. He’d fought with both steel and tongue, brokered marriages with lands, and bled coin to secure alliances.
A penniless piper’s son would not take his daughter.
So Sandy was chained in the sea cave beneath the tower, his pipes taken from him.
🌊 3. The Selchie Hole
The cave flooded twice daily with the tide, known to locals as the Selchie Hole—named for the seals that cried like children in the dark.
As the sea rose that night, Isobel pounded the rocks above, but the guards held firm.
Sandy sang as he drowned. A low, slow dirge. Wordless. Heart-breaking. Not with voice, but with memory. And from deep below, the sound of pipes rose, as if the sea itself wept.
When dawn came, the cave was silent.
That evening, Isobel walked barefoot to the tower window, combed her hair with a shell, and stepped off the edge.
Her white dress fluttered like a gull’s wing before she vanished into the surf.
🕯 4. The Echo That Remains
They buried no bodies. There were none to find.
But the Wine Tower changed after that.
Its stones, once ochre and solid, ran streaked with red. Some said it was blood. Others claimed iron runoff. The Laird never spoke of his daughter again.
But those who lived nearby swore they heard bagpipes playing when no one stood upon the rocks.
And still today, when fog rolls in off the sea and the waves strike sharp against the base of the tower, visitors hear music—low, lilting, mournful.
Some say it’s just the wind.
But others, especially those in love or mourning, hear the piper’s song—and feel someone watching from the window above.
- Original tales adapted by Nick Kimber
Visitor’s Guide: The Wine Tower & Selchie Hole
Where Legend Meets History on Fraserburgh’s Rugged Coast
📍 Location
Wine Tower, Kinnaird Head, Fraserburgh, AB43 9DU
Part of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
Visit official site
🏰 A Brief History of the Wine Tower
Built: 16th century, possibly around 1570
Purpose: Theories vary—storage for wine (hence the name), a lookout post, a banqueting retreat, or even a private chapel
Structure: 3 storeys, with intricate carved ceiling bosses and a stone spiral stair
Later Use: Possibly connected to the lighthouse keepers; now preserved as part of local heritage
Despite the romantic name, the tower has always held a darker allure—isolated, wind-battered, and teetering dramatically over the cliffs.
🌊 The Selchie Hole
Beneath the tower lies a natural sea cave, accessible only at low tide and often swamped by waves. Known locally as the Selchie Hole, it’s connected in legend with both drowned lovers and the seal-people myths of Scottish folklore.
Safety Note: Never attempt to enter the cave without local guidance or at high tide—it floods rapidly and without warning.
👻 What Visitors Say They’ve Experienced
Phantom bagpipe music on quiet mornings
Red streaks on the tower walls, said to appear wetter after storms
Unexplained cold spots around the staircase
A presence at the third-floor window, even when the tower is locked
🧭 What to Do on Your Visit
Explore the Tower: View the carved ceiling bosses, look out over the sea, and feel the weight of centuries.
Trace the Story: Stand at the tower’s base and listen. If you dare, whisper Isobel’s name.
Walk the Headland: Visit the nearby Kinnaird Head Lighthouse—originally Fraser Castle, converted in 1787.
Watch the Tide: Walk along the beach and look toward the cave mouth. At dusk, the waves tell stories.
📚 Extend the Experience
Pair your visit with a stop at the Fraserburgh Heritage Centre or Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
Visit in autumn or late winter, when the mist thickens and the sea feels closer
Stay nearby and explore local folklore walks, including Broadsea and Sandhaven
✨ Final Thought
The Ghost Piper’s tale isn’t just a ghost story—it’s a symbol of love denied, of class divided, and of music that refuses to die. Whether you believe or not, you’ll leave the Wine Tower changed.
The sea takes many things.
But sometimes… it gives something back.