A photographer who snapped images of the ‘elusive’ figure has endured a torrid few years after suffering family heartbreak
A photographer has shared “an extremely scary” sighting that he stumbled upon at a forest. Christened the “Moss Monster” by those who have seen it, Martin Jones would not disclose its exact location, except to say it’s near Capel Hermon in Coed y Brenin
The humanoid figure has been described as a “bit too lifelike” for some people’s liking. After Martin shared photos online of the moss-covered tree trunk, he was asked by one man: “Did you check if it was still breathing?”
The forest, covering 36sq km, is home to the UK’s first purpose-built mountain biking centre, reports North Wales Live.
Nearby are other spooky shapes such as moss-topped tree stumps dubbed “moss-rooms” for their likeness to fungi. But it is the Moss Monster – crouching as if ready to pounce – that has got some people spooked.
“I’d probably have jumped if I was walking along and saw that!” said a woman online.
Another agreed, adding: “I would most certainly pee my pants.”
Thanks to their humid climates, the Celtic rainforests of Meirionnydd have an abundance of mosses that populate their ancient trees. The resulting formations let imaginations run riot.
For Martin, 58, his photography is a form of catharsis after a torrid period in his life.
In 2012, his 22-year-old daughter Lona Wyn Jones, a carer, was the innocent victim of a road crash near Bala, Gwynedd. Martin was left enraged by the driver’s sentence. “I was really disappointed with the justice system,” he said.
Originally from Llanfachreth, near Dolgellau, he moved from Llan Ffestiniog to his current home in Brithdir two years after the tragedy. A month later he suffered a major stroke.
“I nearly died,” he said. “I stopped breathing for a while and was paralysed. I couldn’t speak except to swear and since then I’ve suffered four mini strokes, the last one in April.
“The doctors say they’re caused by smoking and stress. I used to smoke and, after my daughter’s death, I suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. People cope with grief in different ways and unfortunately I had so much anger in me after what happened to Lona.”
His speech recovered but, as a first language Welsh speaker, the stroke had a profound effect. “I now find it much easier to speak in English,” said Martin. “I really struggle with Welsh spellings.”
A former gold miner, he worked across Britain from Yorkshire to west Scotland. In Gwynedd, he had spells in Corris and at Clogau St David’s – once Britain’s richest gold mine – near his current home in Bontddu.
His favourite stint was at the now closed Gwynfynydd gold mine, which yielded gold worth £141.5m in today’s prices. Located in Coed y Brenin, it’s another reason why Martin likes roaming the forest for his photos.
He took up photography in 2019 and has since amassed a 67,000-image portfolio of local landscapes, animals and birds. A new passion is astro-photography. “I love going to the Trawsfynydd area,” he said. “It’s so peaceful and there’s very little light. All you can hear is the owls hooting, sheep scuffling and wild ponies walking by.”
Martin said his love for his two surviving children saved his life. His photography made a huge difference too. “I’ve suffered trauma all my life and I’ve faced a series of mental health challenges,” he said. “I’ve been in some very dark places. I never grieved properly because I had so much anger.
“Every week I go back to Llanfachreth to be with my daughter at her graveside, which helps greatly. But I live alone and I have too much time to think about things.
“Photography has given me a focus – it takes my mind off things and it keeps me active. For anyone suffering mental health issues, I recommend taking it up.”
Finding odd, moss-covered formations in Coed y Brenin is not top of Martin’s to-do photography list. But he’s appreciated the online reaction. Already, he’s had inquiries from a moss appreciation group – he didn’t realise it was a thing. Others have asked for the exact location.
“The strange thing is, the elusive Moss Monster is next to a biking trail,” he said. “Thousands must ride past it every year without noticing it – they’re going too fast!”