Photo taken by my sister Lucy from the park below Edinburgh Castle.

I’m already planning my next visit

Sky view from our balcony the evening we arrived

I visited Edinburgh last weekend (my second time after many years) and while I can’t say I encountered anything supernatural on my trip through this Gothic town and the cobblestones of the Royal Mile, I had no trouble at all imagining this medieval city filled with ghosts. The architecture everywhere you look drops you back into the past, from the Georgian buildings of New Town to the medieval feel of Old Town where Edinburgh Castle rises tall. No wonder this city has been recognised as a World Heritage Site.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh is a place to be explored at a leisurely pace. Stroll through the grand park below the castle, explore the centuries old headstones in the graveyard of St. Cuthbert’s Church at the foot of the castle, grab a whisky on the Royal Mile or opt for a walking tour. There are many to choose from. Just a few I came across included the Book Lovers Tour, Edinburgh Literary Tour and The Witchery Tour.

The castle sitting high  up on a rock in the middle of town is a jaw dropping sight. My first thought upon seeing this beautifully preserved fortress was “that must be where JK Rowling got her inspiration for Hogwarts.” Look at the photos below. Can’t you imagine Harry and his friends roaming the halls inside?

I took a ghost tour on a freezing Saturday night. 27 people turned up despite the cold and we huddled together for warmth as our guide, Katie, led us from St. Giles’ Cathedral to the nearby Greyfriars cemetery. With the graveyard cloaked in darkness, it wasn’t difficult for her to create a spooky atmosphere as she took us through Edinburgh’s bloody and tragic past and warned us about the MacKenzie Poltergeist said to haunt one of the tombs in the locked part of the cemetery only tour guides from City of the Dead Tours had access to.

Somehow, despite my best intentions, I ended up at the back of the group inside the tomb, fearfully wondering if the cold draft around my legs was ghostly in origin as Katie explained how poltergeists grow from fear. I linked my sisters’ arms on either side of me, only relaxing again as we left the tomb and the Covenanter’s Prison section of the cemetery behind. We went for a few pints in a local pub afterwards to ward off the chill from the late graveyard walk. One negative about the tour – Katie ruined the story of Greyfriars Bobby, the dog who sat for 14 years on his Master’s grave. I won’t go into it here, but grrr.

Royal Mile. Top right = view from outside the castle. 

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Have you been to Edinburgh? Does the city appeal to you? What’s your favourite city in the world to visit?

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