Regardless of whether or not you’re a believer in the paranormal, it never hurts to get into the ‘spirit’ of ghosts and ghouls especially around Halloween as this ancient festival was deeply traditional to Scotland even before being celebrated worldwide.
What’s more, there’s no better place to do this than Edinburgh as the Capital city holds a dark history that would send chills down your spine - and with ghost tours, occult spots and haunted buildings aplenty it’s the best place at the best time to explore its spooky underbelly. After all, locations like Greyfriars Kirkyard alone still contain at least half a million bodies packed beneath the thin crusts of its soil.
With all that said, here are ten of Edinburgh’s most haunted locations.
5. The White Hart Inn
People claim that this is Edinburgh's oldest pub as some parts of the building date back to 1516. With over 500 years of history it has naturally accrued many ghostly tales over the years - reports of shadow people, unexplained noises and slamming doors moving completely on their own are what led the pub to be called the 'most haunted pub' in 2005. Photo: No Swan So Fine via Wikimedia Commons
6. The Real Mary King's Close
Mary King's Close, located off the Royal Mile, features many spine-chilling urban legends. It is said that plague victims were quarantined here and left to die on the street, their remains ultimately being abandoned and built over in the years to come. These piles of corpses would have been disturbingly tall and accounted for thousands of people. To this day, local residents report hearing eerie voices or seeing ghostly figures. Photo: Submitted via Rob McDougall
7. Deacon Brodie's Tavern
This tavern is amongst Edinbugh's 'most haunted pubs' and it is named after a local ghost, Deacon William Brodie. Brodie was a well-respected Head of the Town Council in Edinburgh by day but by night he was the leader of a savage gang of robbers that funded his extravagant lifestyle of drinking and gambling. Eventually he was caught and was taken to the gibbet to be hanged, he tried to bribe the hangman not to use a steel collar so that he may escape, but this failed. His enraged spirit is still said to roam the Royal Mile to this day, spotted with rope marks around its neck. Photo: Daniel Naczk via Wikimedia Commons
8. Edinburgh Castle
Considered the most famous landmark of all here in Edinburgh, the castle has existed since the 12th century and seen a lot of bloody conflict and tragedy. One of the castle's most famous spirits is the young bagpiper ghost, who was sent under the tunnels to explore - playing his bagpipes so his party could follow his location by sound - but he stopped playing and they closed the tunnel leaving him to die. Multiple reports have occurred of visitors hearing the sound of bagpipes in this tunnel ever since. Ultimately, he is but one of many tortured souls left to perish within the castle walls. Photo: PA