Best Ghost Walks in the UK & Ireland

Something wicked this way comes! October may be the month of monsters, ghouls and ghosts, but there’s no need to run and hide. Celebrate the scary and walk among the things that go bump in the night on one of the most chilling and unforgettable ghost walks in the UK and Ireland – all within reach of the safety of your Leonardo Hotel.

Brighton
16-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Brighton

There’s something sinister beneath the sands in sunny Brighton. Shake-up your escape to the seaside with an exploration of the city’s murderous maritime history. Ghost Walk of the Lanes is a killer guided tour that takes you on a trip through the iconic, crooked streets of Brighton’s most celebrated quarter. Eccentric ghost walkers will lead you to seven haunted locations, telling swashbuckling stories of highwaymen, poltergeists, and even bragging of an infamous connection to Jack the Ripper. This trip promises an authentic experience, grizzly anecdotes, and at least a few surprises.

Ghost Walk of the Lanes runs on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings from 7.30pm, with extra tours taking place in the run-up to Halloween. There’s no need to book, simply show up.

Cardiff
12-minute drive from Leonardo Hotel Cardiff

The Landaff Ghost Walk is a spirited voyage through the ancient ‘city within a city’ in South Wales. It is a traditional tour with no staging and little theatricality; just good old-fashioned ghost stories about mournful white ladies, faceless men in black, and curious ghostly children.

Tour start times vary but they last between 80-minutes and 2-hours. You can easily arrange a private walk if you’d prefer an intimate journey with family and friends.

Cork
10-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Cork

Join a Cork Ghost Tour for an eerie experience in Ireland. It’s fun, factual and frightening, as well as being fit for all the family. Mixing local folk tales with historical fact and typical Irish charm, these entertaining and interactive tours are an unmissable event for anyone visiting Cork in October.

Tours last approximately an hour and begin at around 7pm, though they are flexible if you are planning a tour with a private group.

Derby
12-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Derby

With a history of incarceration, misery and execution, Derby Gaol is the perfect place to spend a creepy evening in October. You can head inside to see the cells before heading out onto a legendary City Centre Ghost Walk. It is a massive exploration of Derby’s darker side. The tour lasts around 3 hours and includes a trip to a haunted bar as well as a ghosthunters supper.

Tours start from 7pm. Be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment.

Going to Derby for a weekend or a break away? Learn more about booking a city break.

Edinburgh
5-minute walk from Leonardo Royal Hotel Edinburgh

Evil is in the air in Edinburgh. Join in a historical mob with Mercat Tours for an evening of authentic storytelling and chilling exploration. Hear tales of witchcraft and torture as you wander along the medieval lanes and closes of the Scottish capital. Later, you’ll descend into the unique setting of the Blair Street Vaults for an intimate examination of Edinburgh’s bleak history. You have the option of strengthening yourself with a dram of Scottish whisky for the final bout of storytelling in Megget’s cellar – you might need it if you are going to get to sleep that night.

Mercat Tours runs plenty of variations of ghost tours fit for all levels of horror aficionados, with special events running throughout October.

Exeter
10-minute walk from Leonardo Hotel Exeter

Exeter is bubbling over with horrible happenings for all the family. Free, guided Red Coat Tours include an exploration of the city’s churches, cemeteries and the catacomb, as well as a dedicated Ghosts and Legends walk, a Murder and Mayhem tour, and an enormous Halloween Tour. Best of all, they are all free for all ages.

There is no need to book any of the Red Coat Tours, just show up in your Halloween gear and embrace the fear.

Liverpool
10-minute taxi ride from Leonardo Hotel Liverpool

Wander in the shadow of the Liver Birds with the living dead. Shiverpool Tours is a theatrical exploration of Liverpool’s most famous locations, with eccentric Spirit Guides unveiling gruesome truths and mysteries along the way. It is entertaining and terrifying in equal measure.

Shiverpool evening tours run regularly. During their All Hallow’s Eve Festival in October you can also join the Shiverpool Ghost Bus tour for some double-decker terror.

Oxford Castle
15-minute taxi ride from Leonardo Royal Hotel Oxford

Can you brave the bloody history of Oxford Castle? This medieval ruin was turned into a prison in 1071 and it served that grizzly purpose for almost 1,000 years. Explore the castle’s mysterious background of sickness and violence on an intense guided tour that climbs to the top of St. George’s Tower and delves deep into a 900-year old crypt.

Oxford Castle is the scene of Ghost Fest this year, a 16-day fright festival in October with events to suit all ages. Family-friendly fun tours offer an accessible introduction to the castle’s horrible history, while the Halloween Midnight Tour is an 18+ induction in hands-on horror.