Scotland is full of stories of ghosts, ghouls, witches, wizards and warlocks.
Here, we present ten of the most haunted locations in Scotland for you to visit – if you have the nerve, that is…
1. Glamis Castle
This 15th century castle is the setting for Shakespeare’s Macbeth and is without doubt one of the most haunted buildings in the UK, with frequent sightings of the Grey Lady, Jack the Runner, the White Lady, the bloodymouthed ghost and Earl Beardie. Whether or not you manage to glimpse one of these paranormal beings, you will certainly feel their presence as you tour the castle.
2. Culloden Moor
The windswept Culloden Moor witnessed one of Scotland’s bloodiest battles, the last ever to take place on British soil. Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army was slaughtered by government troops on 16 April, 1746. The tormented souls of the defeated soldiers are reputed to still wander the moor, where you might hear battle cries and the clashing of swords.
3. Meldrum House
This 13th century building is now a hotel where a number of male guests have been surprised by the ghost of Isabella Douglas. One man received a cold kiss on the cheek during a thunderstorm and others have reported a chilling feeling as she glides through them when unhappy. Beware any male descendant of the Meldrum, Seton or Urquhart families, who can expect to be awoken by the feeling of an invisible hand scratching his chest.
4. Comlongon Castle
Stronghold of the Murrays between 1331 and 1984, when it was converted into a hotel, the castle is haunted by the ‘Green Lady’, the spirit of Marion Carruthers, a young girl who fl ed an arranged marriage, but who took her own life by jumping from the tower. Denied a Christian burial, she wanders the gardens and surrounding woodland, and guests have heard her sobbing, and seen, and even felt, her panicstricken apparition
5. Abode, Glasgow
Built in 1829, and previously home to Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Prime Minister from 1905-1908, it now houses several spirits who roam the corridors at night. There have been reports of what sounds like children playing between floors one to three, and hushed voices can sometimes be heard from the waterfall behind the old cage lift. Most disturbing of all is the sighting of bodiless feet in the cage lift, which is transparent, from the second floor of the hotel.
6. Spynie Palace
David’s Tower, in the grounds of the palace, is a hub of paranormal activity, despite being a ruin. The spectre of the ‘Wolf of Badenoch’, Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, has been glimpsed on its landing with a fi endish glint in his eye, as well as an invisible ghost who can instil feelings of nausea and headaches in visitors. Allegedly, a polite ‘excuse me’ will alleviate the feelings. The hazy form of a lion and a white misty humanesque column – that knocked down one sceptical visitor – have also been spotted.
7. Craigcrook Castle
Lord Francis Jeffery, the renowned judge who died in 1850, is believed to haunt this 16th century castle, in Blackhall, Edinburgh, currently home to Scottish Field. Recent reports of paranormal activity include strange noises, footsteps, the doorbell ringing mysteriously and objects being moved or hurled across rooms. Finally, a peculiar cold sensation is said to have been experienced by visitors to the castle’s library.
8. Mary King’s Close
Mary King’s Close ‘The Street of Sorrows’ – is said to be the most haunted spot in Edinburgh. The eerie lane, which is mainly underground, leads off the historic Royal Mile and still has original buildings dating back to the 1500s. Bricked up during the plague in the 17th century, the desperate screams of the 500 inhabitants buried alive can sometimes still be heard.
9. Ardrossan Castle
The Barclay family’s Ayrshire seat, captured by William Wallace during the Scottish Battles for Independence, has a harsh and bloody history. Now in ruins, among the ghosts which have been spotted roaming the area, is a tall figure with a beard, thought to be Wallace himself, who allegedly decimated the entire garrison and stored their bodies in the basement.
10. Lunan Lodge
Lunan Lodge B&B has been proclaimed as ‘one of the most haunted locations we have investigated’ by Ghost Hunters Scotland. Numerous signs of ghostly occupants have been recorded, including the sound of singing, floating eerily from empty rooms, visions of hovering, transparent shapes and a gravestone which cannot be captured in a photograph.
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