One of the world’s largest whirlpools is in the UK and is notoriously dangerous – once almost claiming the life of celebrated author George Orwell. The Corryvreckan Whirlpool is located the west coast of Scotland between the islands of Jura and Scarba, and is thought to be the third biggest in the world.

The vortex is caused by tide changes, and a vast 200m underwater spike which bounces the fast moving water upwards. It’s notoriously dangerous, capable of sucking people and even boats into it. It’s also incredibly loud, with a roar audible from 10 miles away when it’s at its most ferocious, as per Argyll Cruising. The BBC covered the phenomenon in Scotland’s Sacred Islands with Ben Fogle, in which the presenter and adventurer sailed close to the swirling vortex, and explained the awe and fear it has long provoked.

“A pre-Christian Celtic myth has it that this powerful maelstrom is where Cailleach Beira “The Hag of Winter” washes her great cloak in the churning waters,” he said.

“When it emerges white and clean, she drapes it over the land to bring Scotland it’s first snow.” He adds that St Columba, an Irish abbot who founded an important abbey on the nearby island of Iona and is credited with spreading Christianity in what is now Scotland, was also aware of Corryvreckan’s dangers.

Fogle explained the saint believed “that God had created it to make seafarers pray harder”.

It remains extremely dangerous, though tour operators do take people out to see them.

Stories of seamen being ensnared by its power and drowned have lived long in local folklore, though its not known how many have lost their lives to it over the years.

However, George Orwell, one of Britain’s most celebrated writers was famously involved in a dramatic near miss in 1947, while working on his seminal final novel 1984 on the island of Jura.

During a break in writing, the author is said to have narrowly escaped death when his boat was close to being pulled into it, forcing him and his son Richard to scramble to a small rocky island, as per BBC Scotland.

Passing lobster fisherman then saved them, and ensured that the world wouldn’t be deprived of the completed dystopian novel, which is now regarded as one of the most important works of literature ever.