In the remote and stark region of Dartmoor in Devon, England, lies a stretch of road known as the B3212.

This seemingly ordinary road has gained notoriety over the years due to a series of eerie encounters known as the “Hairy Hands” incidents.

Today, we delve into the depths of Dartmoor’s folklore to explore the mysterious events surrounding the Hairy Hands, examining the timeline, eyewitness accounts, and theories behind this chilling phenomenon.

Timeline of Events:
The earliest documented reports of the Hairy Hands incident date back to the early 20th century, although exact dates and details are scarce.

According to local folklore, travellers passing through the desolate moorland roads of Dartmoor would encounter an unseen force grabbing at the steering wheels of their vehicles, causing them to swerve off the road.
One of the most well-documented cases of the Hairy Hands incident occurred in 1921. A medical officer named Dr. E.H. Helby was traveling along the B3212 with his wife and their maid when their car suddenly veered off the road. Although Dr. Helby managed to regain control, his maid sustained serious injuries and later died from her wounds. Dr. Helby reported that he felt an inexplicable force gripping the steering wheel, preventing him from steering the car properly.
Throughout the mid-20th century, reports of encounters with the Hairy Hands continued to surface sporadically. Travellers passing through Dartmoor would recount tales of feeling a strange sensation of hands gripping their vehicles, often accompanied by sightings of shadowy figures darting across the road.
The Hairy Hands incident gained renewed attention in the 1960s and 1970s, with several high-profile cases reported in the media. In one incident, a motorcyclist claimed that a pair of hairy hands had attempted to wrestle control of his bike while he was riding through Dartmoor at night. Another report involved a family whose car inexplicably veered off the road, narrowly avoiding a collision with a tree.

Despite advances in technology and changes in road infrastructure, reports of encounters with the Hairy Hands persist to this day. Modern-day travellers passing through Dartmoor occasionally report experiencing similar sensations of an unseen force gripping their vehicles, reigniting interest in the phenomenon among paranormal enthusiasts and sceptics alike.

Eyewitness accounts of the Hairy Hands incident vary widely, with some attributing the phenomenon to supernatural forces, while others offer more rational explanations. Sceptics argue that the reported encounters may be the result of natural phenomena such as gusts of wind or psychological factors such as panic-induced hallucinations.

However, believers in the paranormal point to the long history of sightings and the consistency of the reports as evidence of something more mysterious at play. Some speculate that the Hairy Hands may be the spirits of deceased travelers or the lingering energy of tragic events that have occurred along the haunted highways of Dartmoor.

The Hairy Hands incident remains one of the most enduring mysteries of Dartmoor’s folklore. Whether the result of supernatural forces or natural phenomena, the chilling encounters reported by travellers passing through the desolate moorland roads continue to captivate the imagination and fuel speculation about the unknown forces that may lurk in the shadows of the night.

As long as the B3212 winds its way through the mist-shrouded landscapes of Dartmoor, the legend of the Hairy Hands will endure as a haunting reminder of the mysteries that lie hidden within the heart of the moors.