The Lothians offers an abundance of tranquil and picturesque walks but for those who believe we are not alone in the universe, one trail could be preferred.
The Dechmont UFO Trail in West Lothian is one of a kind walk where hikers can learn all about the mysterious 'Robert Taylor incident which remains the only alien criminal investigation in Scotland.
Visitors can wonder through the scenic woodlands, taking in the wildlife and views of the Dechmont Law hill.
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Back in November 9, 1979, West Lothian local Robert 'Bob' Taylor claimed to have seen an extraterrestrial spacecraft in the sky. He said that he parked his truck at the side of the road near the M8 and walked his dog through the forest and up the side of the hill.
It was then he claimed to have seen a 'flying dome' roughly 6.4 metres in diameter hovering above the forest floor in a clearing, as the Daily Record writes.
According to Robert, the unidentified flying object was "a dark metallic material with a rough texture like sandpaper" and featured an outer rim "set with small propellers".
He added that small spheres "similar to sea mines" then emerged from the aircraft and dragged him towards it, at which point he lost consciousness. The forester stated that the last thing he remembered was a strong a foul odour akin to "burning brakes".
When he woke up, Robert claims that the strange objects were nowhere to be seen. He was then forced to walk all the way back home to Livingston after his truck didn't start.
Once home, his wife noticed that his clothes were muddied and dishevelled, as well as having various cuts on his body. They called the police, who took Taylor back to the scene of the incident.
Once there, the police found "ladder-shaped" marks at the locations where Taylor claimed to see the UFO, as well as smaller marks that he said were made by the smaller mine-like objects.
The incident was recorded by the police as an assault, making it the only UFO sighting in the UK that has ever been designated a criminal investigation.
While there have been countless theories explaining the unusual event over the years, with some believing that Taylor suffered a temporal lobe epilepsy or a "mini-stroke", what happened on that night in 1979 remains a mystery.
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