The Ghost Piper of Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle sits atop Castle Rock, an extinct volcano that dominates the centre of the city of Edinburgh. There has been fortifications on the top of the rock for more than 2000 years.
Beneath is a network of secret tunnels leading from the Castle down to Holyrood Palace, the principal residence of the Kings and Queens of Scots since the 16th century.
The tunnels are said to run underneath the Royal Mile, the ancient street that joins the Castle to the Palace.
When the entrance to the tunnels was first discovered several hundred years ago a piper was sent to explore.
As he navigated the tunnels below, he played pipes, and his fellows on the surface could listen to the sound and map his progress.
Half way down the Royal Mile the piping suddenly and inexplicably stopped.
A search party was sent to rescue the hapless piper, but they could not find him and fearing they would be lost themselves they returned to the surface.
Ever since, the sound of ghostly piping can occasionally be heard coming from deep within the rock below the Royal Mile. Some say it is the spirit of the piper eternally searching for a way out of the labyrinth.
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is reputed to be one of the most haunted spots in Scotland. And Edinburgh itself has been called the most haunted city in all of Europe. On various occasions, visitors to the castle have reported a phantom piper, a headless drummer, the spirits of French prisoners from the Seven Years War and colonial prisoners from the American Revolutionary War ñ even the ghost of a dog wandering in the groundsí dog cemetery.
Mary Kingís Close
Mary Kingís Close, Edinburgh, is a narrow street leading off the famous ìRoyal Mileî (the picturesque street linking Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse), that was bricked up during an outbreak of plague and completely hidden from the outside world, to be re-discovered only recently. Mary Kingís Close,is reputed to be the most haunted place in Edinburgh, and is said to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl of mysterious origin.
Greyfriars cemetery
Not far from the Royal Mile is Greyfriars cemetery which is said to be haunted by the ghosts of covenanters who were tortured and executed. It was also to the place where body snatchers Burke and Hare first dug up bodies to sell to the medical students for dissection.
Roslyn Chapel.
Made famous by the novel and movie ìThe Da Vinci Codeî, Roslyn Chapel is located a few miles to the south-east of Edinburgh. This fifteenth century church is siad to be haunted by the ghost of the apprentice who carved the famous Apprentice Pillar who was then murdered by his teacher. Ghostly flames also flicker in the burial vault when one of the local aristocratic Sinclair family is about to die.