Colchester Big Hairy Man 2012

This is wonderful account and to me an important one as it shows just how close they come to town and the different effect they have depending on your mindset and approach upon seeing one, the lady witness in this account is so laid back about her partners statement on seeing the figure and the partner's reaction is classic for an average brit. This sighting always makes me smile.

Colchester (June, 2012) - Suffolk is a very rural county, but like all of England in my opinion, a long way from anything remotely like wilderness!  Anyway it was early afternoon and my partner and myself were out walking along a quiet road. To our left were some woods and to our right some open fields. We were just walking along, chatting when my partner turned to me and said something like “oooh, I’ve just seen a big hairy man in the woods”. I had a brief look into the woods and didn’t expect to see anything –  and I didn’t. Nevertheless I was keen to get away, not scared exactly, just keen to get away.

That was about it really nothing more to it, he saw a quick glimpse of a big hairy man. I didn’t discuss it too much with him until a few weeks ago. He said the figure was about 6.5 – 7 feet tall, and it seemed to have longer hair on the head and upper body.  It was following a parallel course to us in the woods. I asked him if it had looked at us a any point. He said “he didn’t remember” but the fact that it may have looked at us is what may have caught my partner's attention in the first place.  My partner said he could detect some definition in the facial area, but no clear features and was also aware of strong muscular definition in the upper body area; even through the hair covered all of the body. At no time did my partner feel menaced or afraid of what he saw and just kind of laughed it off.

So it seems you don't have to travel far to catch a glimpse of our forest folk. Whilst checking the map i did notice the River Colne is a stones throw from the account, and the road is the old roman road at Chalkley Woods.

How do we begin looking is a phrase i hear often, and it's impossible to tell everything i know and have come to realise in a short sentence, and it often depends on what you want from the research, if it's money or fame then i'm afraid i can't help you, if it's a body or dna i can't provide that either alas, and to be as honest as possible i wouldn't share it if i had it, for me they are an ancient people who should be revered and respected, so if it's just the knowledge of who they are you seek or a relationship of some kind then the answer is inside you already.

As we all travels different roads in our pursuit of understanding, we are all coming from our own path, all finding our own steps.  So what works for you may not work for others and vise versa. I think what's important is to do what feels right to you, any woods or green space can be used, just find a quiet spot and look around for a place that suits you, get settled there and then over time get to know it inside out, see what changes occur and what seems odd or out of place.  You may have to try a few places till you find the one that suits you best, and enjoy it.  See if you can see any of the structures or glyphs the other researchers find, it seems impossible at first but over time you will come to recognise them and start to see them everywhere, but as a general rule if it seems weird and out of place then take a few shots or video, or use it simply as a reference point or trail marker and move on until you find the other signs, it's ok to want to know more, just be respectful when you're out and enjoy the day, because a bad day outside is worth any good day stuck in bored.

You don't have to even do the research, simply by connecting with nature and your surroundings will give you a better idea of what and who uses the woods and green spaces, i used to talk out loud and sing, i would leave nuts and seeds for the wildlife and bring any rubbish back out that i can manage, its rare i get out these days, but it still do all this from my tiny little garden at home.  Bliss can be found anywhere if you stop looking and just be in the moment for even a short time.

So whatever your technique or skill set is, and no matter how long or short your hours outdoors are you will find a way that works for you and for the woods too.  And i guarantee you will benefit from it.  In a lot of the sighting accounts people are just going about their own business when the sighting happens, or young children playing see them, people who are usually engrossed in something else and they become aware of being watched, so i think it's important to just be yourself when you're out and about, just do what you enjoy doing and anything you do see or hear will be a bonus. Take the children and grandchildren along, let them play as we did as children. Nature's classroom all of its own whatever your age.