WELCOME TO ISSUE 18 of isle of wéired news – bringing you the weirdest news from around the world.
In this cryptid-heavy issue: a Loch Ness “expert” theorises that Nessie might be a mum; the biggest search yet of Loch Ness is being planned for September; Bigfoot is spotted in Washington State, Connecticut and Texas; and a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary is attacked in Medjugorje.
Enjoy!
Little Nessies?
Nessie experts have become concerned recently about the infrequency of Nessie sightings in the last year, causing some to speculate that Nessie may even be dead (see issue 15).
However, Rob Long* from the Loch Ness Exploration group believes that Nessie’s absence may be explained by the arrival of little Nessies.
“We believe Nessie stays very very deep, hidden among the caves, and only showing her head on very few occasions. But it would make sense if she has had babies, she has been quieter than usual in the last year, and she has probably been keeping her babies safe, but sightings are back up again in recent weeks,” he said.
“Sightings in recent months have reported smaller objects and shapes than we usually get, so it has led us to wonder if she may have had some babies.
“It is likely these little beasts will be braver than mum. They have no fear just yet and will be learning the ropes.
“Could 2026 be the year we finally get definitive proof she is there?”
Source(s): Daily Star, 22 July 2026
*Rob Long from the Loch Ness Exploration group is quoted in both of this issue’s Nessie stories, which originally appeared in the Daily Star newspaper. However, according to the Loch Ness Exploration Facebook page, no one at Loch Ness Exploration knows who Rob Long is!
Another Nessie Vigil
A group called Loch Ness Hunter is planning the biggest search yet for the Loch Ness monster.
The search – which is expected to take place in September, pending approval from the authorities – will have hundreds of volunteers stationed at various vantage points around the loch.
Drones fitted with infrared cameras will patrol the surface of the loch, while a hydrophone will monitor for unusual sounds beneath the surface.
“Nessie is there, and we all know it, and we don’t want to scare or put her in fear, but it would be great to subtly be able to get some answers into the legend,” said Rob Long from Loch Ness Exploration.
“She isn’t breaking the surface as much over the past year, but we think it is clear she is still very much treating the area as home.”
This latest search comes hot on the heels of the Loch Ness Surface Watch, which was organised by The Loch Ness Experience in May.
“There are lots of different groups, but is not competitive,” says Rob. “Instead we all look at different times in different ways and collate all our evidence.
“It is a really friendly community and I hope we can get a breakthrough soon.”
Source(s): Daily Star, 26 July 2026
Bigfoot in Washington State
A witness – known only as Gael K – claims to have had a Bigfoot sighting in May while driving in Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
She described it as a “reddish brown furry figure.”
Gael K reported her sighting to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization (BFRO). She wrote: “I was driving in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest on Wind River Road – approximately 1-2 miles south of Hemlock Road (north of Carson).
“I noticed debris falling from the bank of the road and a large bolder in the ditch. I looked up the embankment to see what may have caused it.
“I was traveling about 50 MPH so the viewing was very brief. I saw a reddish brown furry figure standing at the edge of the embankment.
“The terrain behind it was heavy forestation. Because I was driving it is hard to say the height and I did not see a face. It may have had it’s back to me but it was standing upright and definitely not human or a bear …
“My original instinct was that the bolder had been pushed down the embankment.”
According to Gael, the boulder had landed close to a jogger, but the jogger was unaware of the “large hairy creature.”
Source(s): Female First, 21 July 2026
Bigfoot in Connecticut
Kevin Klimas spent the 4th of July weekend in a cabin in Voluntown, Connecticut. When he was leaving for home, something ran in front of his car.
It was 8.5 feet tall, walked on two legs and was completely covered in matted, greasy brown hair. It had a cone-shaped head, very little hair on its face, and no visible genitalia.
Klimas says it wasn’t a bear.
He reported his sighting to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organisation (BFRO).
According to Mike Young from the BFRO, Klimas’s description of the creature is incredibly similar to a 2019 Sasquatch encounter in the same location.
“The description is almost identical,” said Young.
Source(s): New York Post, 26 July 2026
Bigfoot in Texas
A Texas farmer believes he has caught a “real Bigfoot on camera.”
It happened in October 2025. The farmer, Robyn Underwood, was alerted to the creature’s presence by his dogs.
He said that, initially, the creature was walking upright on two legs. Then it got down on all-fours.
Robyn’s dogs ran after it.
“Once they saw what it was, when it stepped through the tree line, they stopped barking and ran back to the house,” he said.
“We tried to video it and take pictures, but it’s so far away that when we blow them up to try to see what it is, it is hard to tell.”
Robyn submitted a video to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organisation. Caroline Curtis, an investigator with the BFRO, says it’s unlikely to be a hoax.
“I believe the family sounds sincere and believable,” she said. “They are not attempting to hoax us.”
Source(s): Female First, 28 July 2026
Another Bigfoot Sighting in Texas
On 12 June, Dustin Dean had an encounter with Bigfoot while driving through east Texas.
“It is where 80 turns into a two lane road and dense woods on either side,” he wrote in his report to the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organisation. “It was 1:20am on Friday June 12, 2026. It was stepping out of the woods on the eastbound side like it was going to cross the road.
“I had my bright lights on and I saw it clear as day. When it saw my headlights it turned facing me as it turned back into the woods. It’s face still looking in my direction as it took one stride back into the woods.”
Despite the briefness of the sighting, Dean has been able to provide a very detailed description of the creature.
“Its hair was matted with a brownish red look and its face was not like you see in pictures. It did have the ape-like nose but its mouth was more human-like instead of an ape or chimpanzee.
“Its eyes didn’t glow but did reflect the light enough to look hazy reflective. I got such a good look at its face that I can still see it.
“Its face was elongated not round. I figured it would have more facial hair but its was more skin than hair. It did have hair around the face that looked more like a mane.
“It was 7 – 8 foot tall and about 3 – 4 foot wide at the chest. By the time I passed it, it had already disappeared into the dark woods.”
Dean’s wife was in the car with him. She didn’t see the creature as she was looking at her phone at the time. According to Dean, she was very much against going back to look for the creature.
Following his report, Dean was interviewed by Matthew Moneymaker from the BFRO. Moneymaker says Dean is a credible witness.
Source(s): Female First, 20 July 2026
Medjugorje Shrine Attacked
In the early hours of Tuesday, 28 July, a statue of the Virgin Mary was vandalised and a church set on fire in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the Blessed Virgin Mary has reportedly been appearing and delivering messages since 1981.
The face and hands of the statue were painted black – and the words “Devil in a skirt” were daubed on the pedestal.
Near the statue a banner was found on a fence with a message written in Polish. In addition to listing the names of the original six Medjugorje visionaries, it said: “They are fraudsters, I have proof.”
The events in Medjugorje have always been controversial and have never been formally recognised as supernatural by the Vatican. But in 2024, in recognition of the spiritual benefits associated with Medjugorje, the Vatican granted a “nihil obstat” – allowing Catholics to participate in devotions and pilgrimages associated with Medjugorje.
The shrine remains open while the authorities investigate.
Source(s): apnews.com, 28 July 2026; The Sun, 29 July 2026
Unless otherwise attributed, all images were created by the author using Microsoft Copilot (AI)