fairy path

A fairy path is a route in Irish and Celtic folklore believed to be traveled by fairies, typically running in straight lines across the landscape.

Building on or obstructing these paths was thought to bring misfortune—houses built across fairy paths might suffer mysterious disturbances or bad luck.

The concept persists in rural Ireland, where some still consider these invisible thoroughfares when siting structures: The old farmhouse was moved three feet to avoid blocking the fairy path.