Ghosts in Scotland: fact or fiction?

Call me superstitious but there was a chill in the air as I left Edinburgh on a train bound for Dunkeld & Birnam railway station in Highland Perthshire. Autumn had arrived – a season synonymous with the supernatural. As the ScotRail train dashed northwards, the light faded over the horizon, leaving a pink glow in the sky before all was dark.  

This might be my favourite time of year in Scotland, when the leaves curl and fall in a kaleidoscope of yellows, browns and pale gold. It’s very atmospheric and the perfect time to go walking. Just make sure you’re dressed appropriately as it can get cold – especially at night… 

My destination was roughly 1hr 45m from Edinburgh – a good time to read and reflect. I put down my book and checked my handy ScotRail app, we were approaching the station. Mind the gap. The train sped off into the night towards Inverness. I plotted a course through the dusky streets, streetlamps leading the way, and crossed the bridge over the gushing River Tay towards Dunkeld’s ancient centre. 

I had booked a walking tour of Dunkeld with History and Horror Tours and was due to meet at the Mercat Cross just before 8pm. Winding my way through the town, I was struck by the beauty of this historic place, nestled on the banks of the Tay. Busy little pubs, people walking to and fro – and not a ghost in sight! 

As I waited by the old cross, warming my hands in my pockets, a figure dressed in a black cloak and hat carrying a long staff emerged. This was Gary Knight, my guide for the evening. We shook hands and had a chat. He and his wife Lynne do a number of ghostly tours around the country. As we spoke, more people began turning up for the tour and before long we set off into the shadows for a night of storytelling.  

I soon found out that the staff Gary was carrying was a Blackthorn Staff, historically wielded by the keepers of dark stories. And sure enough the tour was packed with macabre tales from history as well as insights into what Gary called ‘the fairy realm’.  

It was a warm but drizzly afternoon in Edinburgh as I strode up the Royal Mile towards St Giles’ Cathedral the next day. Let’s face it, you never know what the weather will bring in Edinburgh, but in my opinion a little bit of rain only adds character to these ageless streets.  

My tour guide for this Ghostly Underground Tour was Ross Hepburn from the award-winning Mercat Tours. He was a big character with a shock of ginger hair and he greeted his group with a warm welcome and a few quips. The group was made up of people from Australia, England and elsewhere, including a few younger people. He jokily asked the kids if they wanted to see a ghost and they seemed very excited by the prospect! 

The tour was split into two parts. A walk down the Royal Mile into some of Edinburgh’s famous ‘closes’, before a visit to the Blair Street Underground Vaults. It took just over an hour. On our way towards the vaults, Ross shared stories of blood, guts and gore from the darker side of Edinburgh’s history. The highlight for me was a graphic description of tenement life in the city, told with real vigour. We truly learnt the meaning of the phrase ‘Gardyloo’! If you don’t know what this means I suppose you’ll just have to go on the tour to find out… 

I have to admit I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to ghosts. But going on these tours has made me realise that in the most interesting ghost stories, fact and fiction are blurred. If you like history, you will love tours like this and who knows – maybe you will see something unexpected? I firmly believe going on a walk with an experienced guide is a great way to explore Scotland.