HAUNTED WALKS OF YORK
If you want to become more closely acquainted with the burgeoning population of ghosts in Europe’s most haunted city, there are many guided ghost walks that take place throughout the year on most nights – especially dark and sinister ones.
Usually led by equity-trained, local guides, the spooky atmosphere of York’s snickle and alleyways reputedly stalked by over 500 ghosts, only adds to the terror.
Here are a just few of the haunted walks that the city of York has to offer the bravest visitor!
The Ghost Hunt of York
The Ghost Hunt of York, winner of the City Tour of the Year York Tourism Award, uses drama to great effect as creator Andy Dextrous, dressed like a macabre Sherlock Holmes and tolling his death bell, leads the way starting from the medieval jumble of streets around the Shambles.
Complete with props, audience participation and illusion, the tour departs at half past seven with the proud boast that it is never cancelled.
Described as a “walk on the dark side” it is predominantly for adults, but children and students – or “Boils and Ghouls” - are welcome if they dare, with tickets from £3-£5.
The Original Ghost Walk of York
Back in 1973, The Original Ghost Walk of York began its nightly prowl through the streets and is believed to be the first exclusive Ghost Walk in the world, offering a night of “history and mystery to capture the imagination and inspire the mind.”.
Leaving at 8pm from The King’s Arms Pub on Ouse Bridge notorious for its flooding, the tour costs from £3-£4.50. Exploring a world of folklore, legend and dreams the operators state that they don’t stage manage tricks or gimmicks but prefer to rely on the art of storytelling.
The Ghost Detective
Fear and fun are combined when The Ghost Detective tour hosted by Gary Goldthorpe sallies forth nightly at 7.30pm from July to October or Fri, Sat and Sun from Nov to June.
Embarking from the Jorvik Centre – built over the old Viking settlement where apparently shopkeepers report strange goings on at night – the tour continues with sinister stories “of the absurd and unnatural” delivered with an element of humour.
All the ghost tours above last for one to one and half hours – if you ever return that is.