Edinburgh-most haunted city of all time. The ancient, narrow streets of the city’s old town are the source of spooky folklore, myths, and stories of ghosts and paranormal activity. The city’s rich history and reports of strange and unnatural activity have generated great interest for ghost hunters and intrepid paranormal societies from all over the world.
Just how did this city get such a sinister reputation? Is it all as insubstantial as a specter? Or is there really something strange and supernatural going on? I’ll let you in on a little secret.
The city of the dead offers three spine-chilling tours. The Underground City of the Dead Ghost Tour takes you into the depths of Edinburgh’s legendary underground city. Here you will walk through the dark tunnels, often referred to as Damnation Alley, that is stalked by a malevolent presence known as the South Bridge Entity.
The City of the Dead Haunted Graveyard Tour gives you access to Edinburgh’s Covenanter’s Prison and the Black Mausoleum, which is haunted by the famous Mackenzie Poltergeist. Hundreds of people actually claim they have encountered a meeting the poltergeist on this tour! According to their website, it combines “the weirdest history with the wildest stories and wickedest humor around”.
Tours are taken by costumed guides whose ability to tell stories in a theatrical way through improvisation and entertainment make each one special and unique.
All the people who signed up met at the Mercat Cross on the high street to begin the ghost tour, which was an easy starting point to find at 7 pm. It was October so in the cold, I was starting to regret booking this Edinburgh city tour when I could have been tucked up in my nice warm hotel but in the end, it was well worth the cold
The stories are humorously told by a creepy conductor and provides a quirky and sinister insight into the madness that has taken place throughout history in the Scottish capital. The city’s hair-raising past will certainly give you a surreal experience when you hear about the city’s frightful history, from Burke and Hare to the Great Scottish Witch Hunts of the 16th and 17th centuries.
We saw the famous haunted Blair Street Underground while guides told us horrifying but real stories of gruesome punishment and unsettled spirits.
Known as Scotland's most haunted underground experience, it takes you beneath the streets of Edinburgh and reveals the dark and unpleasant history of the city. In the Ghost & Torture Tour, walk along the cobbled streets as you listen to frightening stories and visit a torture exhibition.
The Vaults & Graveyard Tour leads you into the famous Greyfriars Kirkyard and the Underground South Bridge Vaults, two of the most hair-raising locations in Edinburgh. The last tour option takes you to Terror Tour where you can explore the underground vaults and uncover the secret behind the infamous stone circle. Beware, that is at-10 terror! A walk-in these ancient tunnels will guarantee to get your blood pumping as you hear the water dripping and feel the presence of the unfortunate people who used to live here.
We explored the vaults as Jenny explained about recent sightings and some more stories to get us in the spooky mood. I kept a close hand on my mum's arm as you really didn’t know if something else was going to brush past you, at least I hope I was holding onto my mum as it was pretty dark so it could have been anyone.
As a fan of the many paranormal shows on cable television, how could I resist an experience warning us about the South Bridge Poltergeist that has been known to attack tourists?
Some are more historical and some are more dramatic. All of the guides on the ghost walk try to bring to life stories of executions, murders, and even body snatchers.
Our ghost walk took us to the back of the church where the Covenanters’ Prison and the Black Mausoleum are located. It was really cold and rainy night, and my group huddled together for warmth or perhaps protection. Our guide warned us about the crunching sound beneath our feet as we walked over the grounds of the cemetery. He said the cemetery was so overcrowded that when the ground gets damp, sometimes broken bits of the bone rise to the surface.
When we reached the gate to the Covenanter’s Prison, we listened intently as the guide jangled the huge keys and whispered when he told us the story about the Covenanters.
In 1638, Scottish Presbyterians signed the National Covenant in Greyfriars to voice their opposition to the Stuart kings for interfering in the affairs of the Church of Scotland. A half-century of merciless persecution of Presbyterians followed the signing of the National Covenant. The persecution reached a terrible climax when the Presbyterians were defeated at the Battle of Bothwell Brig in 1679. Over 1200 prisoners were brought to Edinburgh and 400 ended up in a makeshift prison, described as the world’s first concentration camp, behind Greyfriars to await their trials. The Presbyterian rebels endured horrific living conditions during the winter months. The survivors were executed outside the walls of the cemetery or deported as slaves.
The executed prisoners were buried inside the prison in unmarked graves. Sir George “Bloody” Mackenzie, the judge who ordered the execution of thousands of Covenanters, is buried next to the prison in the Black Mausoleum. I’m sure that did not sit well with the families of the Covenanters. A homeless man, in search of shelter one night in 1999, entered and desecrated Mackenzie’s tomb, an event that allegedly brought forth the Mackenzie Poltergeist. We did not experience anything connected to the Mackenzie Poltergeist, but no one was disappointed. We were probably relieved!
Edinburgh has a fascinating past and the companies that specialize in ghost walks know how to present it in an entertaining and enthralling manner to visitors of the city’s Old Town. There is so much to tell about the history of Edinburgh and about the hauntings that are supposedly backed up by paranormal investigators and by the records of hundreds of tourist experiences kept by the ghost walk companies. Whether the tales spun by the guides are historical or paranormal, they will give you chills and goosebumps.
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