The National Trust for Scotland has revealed its latest travel trade itinerary planner, Scottish Ghost Stories.
The National Trust for Scotland has revealed its latest travel trade itinerary planner, Scottish Ghost Stories.
The new planner features over 20 haunted castles, palaces and historic houses around Scotland, and has been put together to help trade partners and GTOs reinvigorate tour programmes with a more spooky factor.
One suggested place to visit is Drum Castle, one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses, which has been home to apparitions of Anne Forbes Irvine (who died in 1900) and her son Alexander who died at just six years old in 1865.
Visiting groups will hear stories of family heirlooms moving in the night without an explanation, and how previous guests have heard footsteps at night. One of the resident ghosts was even caught on camera in 2014.
House of Dun, meanwhile, is haunted by the Headless Horseman, but the house has plenty of history. A harpist was murdered at the den – and is often spotted in the exact same spot playing musical laments, and the ghost of a knight has been seen on the grounds, too.
Pollock House on the other hand, has a history filled with witchy goings-on. The story goes that in the 1670s, a mute serving girl named Janet Douglas arrived at the Pollock estate of Sir George Maxwell – who mysteriously fell ill not long after.
Janet regained the power of speech to accuse five local people of consorting with the devil. Groups visiting Pollock House will learn the story of their trial, and will discover the history of Janet herself who was involved in the Salem witch trials of 1692.
Pietro Cecchini, head of travel trade at the Trust, commented, “Our new Scottish Ghost Stories is packed with fun and unusual ideas for tours and great days out – from Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, home to Sir Archibald the Wicked and the 4th Earl of Cassillis who roasted his victims alive, to Pollok House in Glasgow and its tales of ‘witches’ and the bewitched baronet.”
Scottish Ghost Stories joins a range of themed itineraries also available via the website, including Discovering Outlander, The Battle of Bannockburn, Discovering Robert Burns, Stories of Scotland, and Gardens of Scotland.
For more information visit www.nts.org.uk/traveltrade.
