When the Hands Grab the Wheel: The Hairy Hands of Dartmoor

Dartmoor—a windswept, mist-clad moor in Devon—has spawned many eerie legends, but none capture the imagination quite like the tale of the Hairy Hands. This blog unspools the spine-chilling story of these spectral appendages, weaving together historical accounts, folkloric interpretations, and modern skepticism, all in one engrossing ten-minute read.

1. The Tale Begins: A Road Haunted

The legend takes form on the remote B3212, the lonely stretch of road that links Postbridge and Two Bridges deep within Dartmoor. From around 1910, reports began to emerge of vehicles—cars, motorbikes, even horse-drawn carts—suddenly jerking off the road, as though gripped by an unseen force. Some drivers and riders claimed they’d felt—or seen—hairy, disembodied hands seizing their steering wheel or handlebars, yanking control from them instantly.

2. The 1921 Tragedy that Made Headlines

While early sightings were often shrugged off, the story exploded into public awareness in June 1921, when Dr. E.H. Helby, the medical officer at Dartmoor Prison, was tragically killed. Riding his motorcycle with two children in the sidecar, Dr. Helby apparently lost control, and the children later recounted that their father seemed to be desperately wrestling with the handlebars before shouting for them to jump away.

Soon followed more distressing accounts: a coach driver’s passengers thrown from their seats, and an army captain reporting “invisible hands” that forcefully yanked his motorcycle off the road.

Journalist Rufus Endle even shared a personal experience in Michael Williams’s Supernatural Dartmoor, describing how “a pair of hands gripped the driving wheel and I had to fight for control,” only to have them vanish just as mysteriously.

3. When Campgrounds Aren’t Safe

Not all encounters occurred within moving vehicles. In 1924, a couple camping in the moor awoke to find a shadowy, hairy hand attempting to intrude into their caravan at night. The woman made the sign of the cross—and the hand retreated into the darkness.

4. Theories Abound: Ghostly Origins or Road Design?

Explanations for the Hairy Hands vary widely:

• Spiritual vengeance or cursed souls: Some local variants blame the hands on a man who once perished in an accident on the same road. Others mention malevolent energies feeding off fear, manifesting as hairy hands.

  
  

• Psychological suggestion and atmospheric dread: Dartmoor’s isolation, fog-laden moors, and eerie ambiance might prime visitors for supernatural experiences.

  
  

• Modern rationalism—road geometry and careless driving: Investigations revealed the road’s dangerous camber—a steep tilting of the surface—could cause vehicles to veer off unexpectedly, particularly on poorly maintained early 20th-century vehicles.

  
  

Regardless of their cause, the legend thrived, becoming woven into the cultural fabric of Dartmoor, and referenced in plays (like “The Hairy Hand of Dartmoor” on BBC Radio 4, 1999), comedy shows (QI, Have I Got More News for You), and more.

5. The Legend Lives On

Though sightings dwindled over time, the Hairy Hands remain a staple of Dartmoor lore—even as late as 2008 in some retellings.

The tale continues to captivate:

• DarkHistories notes how a simple accident story grew into “a fully fledged cryptid legend,” thanks to press amplification and human appetite for the supernatural.

• We Are South Devon discusses how the myth has evolved and endured, hinting that its grip on local imagination hasn’t loosened.

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Poignantly, Postbridge—a tiny hamlet straddling this haunted stretch of road—is forever linked to the legend.

Final Thoughts: Gripping the Wheel of Truth

• The legend of the Hairy Hands remains haunting precisely because it blends credible tragedy (Dr. Helby’s crash) with spine-tingling anecdotes.

  
  

• It begs the question: Was it supernatural mischief, or simply sketchy road engineering and unfamiliar drivers?

  
  

• Either way, Dartmoor’s shadowy roads and shifting mists offer the perfect stage for the unknown—and our imaginations are always waiting to step in.

  
  

So next time you find yourself behind the wheel on a quiet moorland road at dusk... maybe keep both hands at 10 and 2—and a respectful nod to the legends that still linger under Dartmoor’s fog.