Ross, our guide, did an absolutely fantastic job in building up a real energy and atmosphere amongst the crowd. These sort of tours only work when you have someone leading who has inspiring charisma and character.
We began at the Mercat Cross; ironically we ourselves found ourselves gathered at the point where folk originally came together to witness executions – including the downfall in 1437 of Earl Walter Stewart.
As we went along, the amount of information we were told was delivered with great confidence and rapidity – it was a lot to take in at speed. We were also a fairly large cohort; that we were all of a somewhat younger age no doubt helped, and the group gelled well. But the gift of the guide was in him being able to hold together and interact with everyone attending – he reminded you like a bit of a cross between Beetlejuice and Willy Wonka!
For a graveyard tour, it sometimes felt that we were held a bit too long at some of the roadside memorials and statues – a couple of overseas visitors wondered whether they had come to the right event. But Ross did a fantastic job of bringing the history alive in a way accessible and fun for all ages.
Having been shown the site of the burial site adjacent to St Giles, we were then taken to the place where the bodies were subsequently re-interred. Greyfriars is probably the location of one of the most iconic graveyards in Scotland – and the inspiration for many horror stories. But on a much more domestic level, we heard about the story of the Skye Terrier ‘Greyfriars Bobby’… before some more gruesome tales about bodies exhumed and the remains then sold: the infamous body-snatching scandal.
We were finally given access to a normally closed and locked part of the graveyard, and the chance to visit the crypt where the poltergeist ‘Bloody Mackenzie’ has been allegedly encountered. Thankfully none of us came away with any scratches or bruises!
Speaking to Ross afterwards, he said that what makes him invest so much energy into his work is simply his deep love and passion for telling ghost stories – he has also recently set up his own parallel company. While he admitted to finding an unresponsive audience the hardest to handle, thankfully tonight we were all forthcoming!
The show finished at 10.40pm.
Haunted Graveyard Tour, Thursday 14th August 2025, St Giles’ Cathedral
Runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays throughout August & Septembe
9.00pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £19 | £17 (concessions)