Edinburgh Castle Ghosts
No discussion of the ghosts of Edinburgh would be complete without a discussion of Edinburgh Castle. The castle - today maintained by Historic Scotland - is said to be one of the most haunted places in Scotland, itself one of the most haunted countries in the world.
There are many spooks in and around Edinburgh Castle, here are some of the most famous:
Ghostly Musicians
The sound of the bagpipes is common throughout the centre of Edinburgh during the tourist season, sometimes associated by the traditional drums. However if you're near the castle then the music you hear might be played by ghostly hands...Visitors to the castle have reported hearing ghostly drumming from somewhere within when there is no musician around. This is said to be the work of a spectral drummer who watches over the castle to guard it from attack. The ghost is only ever heard and not seen - legend says that he becomes visible only when there is immediate danger of attack. According to reports, when he does appear his form is that of a headless boy in traditional Scottish dress.
Going underground, there is a little known tunnel that runs from under the castle along the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace. The Edinburgh tunnels date back many centuries and had fallen into ruin, details of them lost. When they were rediscovered a couple of hundred years ago a piper was sent down to explore. The idea was that he would play his pipes so that people on the surface could follow his progress and map the tunnel route. About half way down the Royal Mile the sound of the pipes suddenly stopped. A rescue party was sent into the tunnels after him but found no trace. He was never seen again - but some people believe they have heard his ghostly pipes still playing.
Ghost Dogs
The grounds of Edinburgh Castle contain a canine graveyard, one of only two in Scotland (the other is at Fort George). It seems that not all the dogs buried there are resting in peace - the sound of ghostly barking and howling has been reported coming from the area. Whether there is one ghost dog or many is unknown.The Dungeons
The Edinburgh Castle Dungeons are famous amongst ghost hunters as the site of the 2001 Richard Wiseman research. There have been many reports of ghostly occurences over the years and even those who are sceptical about such things often feel an unsettling atmosphere. Perhaps some of those who suffered in the dungeons are still in residence?This site is not associated with or endorsed
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