Five of the best: Ghostly Edinburgh tours

With its narrow closes and rich - sometimes violent - history, Edinburgh is the perfect setting for a good old-fashioned ghost story.

The capital’s Old Town has plenty of ghost, ghoul, graveyard or paranormal tours to be discovered. Here are five of the best...

THE DOUBLE DEAD WALK

You are taken on a 90-minute trip through the darkest passages of Edinburgh’s history. If you don’t believe in ghosts and supernatural entities, the Mackenzie Poltergeist in the Covenanter’s Prison could convince you. Black Hart Entertainment’s Double Dead Walk starts from the large black tour sign, continues to the South Bridge Vaults and from there on it’s to the Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Price: £12.50 (£10.50)

Dates: every day at 7.30pm and 9pm (Halloween to Easter) and 7.30pm and 10pm (Easter to Halloween)

Duration: 1.5 hours

NB: No unaccompanied children; limited numbers apply; please wear sensible foot gear, online pre-booking possible

More info: www.blackhart.uk.com/doubledead

PARANORMAL UNDERGROUND

Mercat Tours offers you a trip through the vaults of South Bridge you won’t forget. These former dwellings are full of literally breathtaking mysteries. During extensive scientific research within the scope of the Edinburgh Ghost Project 2001 abnormally high levels of paranormal activities were reportedly witnessed. You will have the opportunity to use handheld electro-magnetic field recorders to explore the ghostly hotspots yourself. The tour starts at Mercat Cross, High Street and ends at Interpretation Room, Blair Street.

Price: £10 (£8) for adults, £5 for children and £25 for families (2 adults and 2 children)

Dates: every day at 5.45pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 4.45pm, excluding 24, 25 and 26 December

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes

Note:No children under 5 years of age allowed, pre-booking recommended

More info: www.mercattours.com/paranormal-underground

OVERNIGHT GHOST HUNT

Auld Reekie Tours offers an exclusive event for groups of 15 people or more. You can book the vaults of Niddry’s Wynd for a whole night and investigate paranormal activities to your heart’s content. You will join paranormal investigators using equipment such as recorders or thermometers to convince you of the presence of ghosts in these haunted vaults.

Price: depending on size of group from £30 down to £20

Dates: 17 March, 7 April, 5 and 26 May, 8 and 23 June and 1 July

Duration: one whole night

Note: call 0131 558 8307 for booking; only for over 18s

More info: www.auldreekietours.com/flashversion

THE WITCHERY MURDER AND MYSTERY TOUR

Want a different sort of ghoulfest? Then you might consider the Witchery Murder and Mystery Tour. Dive into 75 minutes of black humour – some say it’s scary, some say it’s not. But be sure you’ll have a lot of fun and still be given plenty of information about Edinburgh’s dark history. The guides assume the roles of historical characters who were accused of witchery and hung at the Grassmarket. The tours start outside the Witchery Restaurant, before Edinburgh Castle.

Price: £8,50 for adults and £6 for children under 16

Dates: every day at 7pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9pm during March

Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Note: pre-booking

More info: www.witcherytours.com

GHOST TOUR

You will visit more places on this tour than on any other, among them Calton Hill and the Old Calton Cemetery, the site of witch burnings or Pagan ruins – so you get to see quite a lot for your money. Hosted by New Edinburgh Tours, you will start at Tron Kirk, High Street.

Price: £10 (students pay £8)

Dates: every day at 9.30pm

Duration: 1.5 hours

Note: pre-booking, 10% discount for groups of 10 or more

More info: www.newedinburghtours.com