It was a dark and snowy night in March of 2001 when I learned about the dark and wild side of old Edinburgh, Scotland, while on a “Witchery” mirth-filled walking night tour. After dinner at the Witchery on Castlehill, top of the Royal Mile in front of the castle, another writer and I met up with our tour. The wind howled around the gray buildings as we strolled. I’d never been so cold in my life as our ghostly guide talked about Edinburgh’s long and gory past, the dark violence and crime, and descriptions of hangings and executions. As we walked along the eerie alleyways, cobbled streets and creepy, secluded courtyards, he talked about ghosts and witchcraft, murder and mayhem, and mixed historical fact with fable and a dash of humor. Visiting some horrific sites was like stepping back a few hundred years. Definitely scary, but I was not prepared when creatures popped out and rats crossed our paths. It wasn’t just the cold that had me shivering in my boots. I was not prepared for the unexpected. I will never forget Edinburgh or the tour. My only advice if going in winter is to dress warm and in layers—hat, gloves, long underwear, scarfs, earmuffs, and hiking boots.
On our last day in Edinburgh, we wondered up Grassmarket, below the castle, and came to Greyfriar’s Cemetery, where we heard about the story of Greyfriar’s Bobby, the dog who sat on his master’s grave for fourteen years. Several tall, moss covered stones caught my attention and I saw they were engraved with names of famous poets. Greyfriar’s is considered one of the top ten cemeteries in the world with the most ghosts.
Many people believe the witching hour marks a period of activity by witches, demons, ghouls, and other creatures who are not of this world. In some regions of the world, people still try to avoid going out late at night, while others who are interested in supernatural events make a deliberate effort to be out and about at midnight or thereabouts. I’m of neither group, but when you are doing research for a book, you become more adventurous.
Neat description of Edinburgh, Carole. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was from there.
Posted by: Michael A. Black | November 01, 2017 at 07:15 AM