Edinburgh and Glasgow - the spookiest cities in Britain Trick or Treat? Message Share Freephone :

The two largest cities in Scotland are the spookiest in Britain, according to a new study.

375 spooky sightings have been reported in Edinburgh in the last 25 years and 350 in Glasgow, according to the “Paranormal Witness Report”.

Sightings have included pesky poltergeists as well as apparitions of the recently deceased.

Ghost hunting professional, Christian Jensen Romer has looked into these Scottish sightings as part of a UK-wide study. Romer said: "The Paranormal Witness Report shows that we are a nation rich in spooky sightings.”

So, with Halloween on the way, where are the spookiest spots in Scotland?

The Haunting of Glamis Castle

It is the year 1540 and the Lady of Glamis, Jane Douglas was burned at the stake for witchcraft so that King James V could have Glamis Castle forfeited to the Crown. King James moved his official residence to Glamis Castle and lived there for a number of years. However, more recent residents of the castle have claimed to see the ghost of Lady Jane, a lonely and terrified figure, in the turret of the imposing clock tower surrounded by the flames that killed her.

Roslyn Chapel

Linked with The Da Vinci Code nowadays, Roslyn Chapel is often frequented by "Grail Seekers". It was built in the 15th century by the Sinclair family. If you’re a Sinclair reading this article I wouldn’t suggest reading much further... Legend tells us that ghostly flames flicker in the burial vault and an apparition of the apprentice who carved the famous Apprentice Pillar appears when a Sinclair is about to die. The apprentice, a Sinclair, was murdered and can often be seen or heard wandering the halls....

The haunted trail of Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots was only 6 days old when her father, King James V died and she succeeded the throne of Scotland. Her grisly death is widely known but what is not as widely publicised is her travels beyond the grave.

Over the five centuries since her death, Scotland's most famous queen has been spotted in almost every single location that she is known to have visited throughout her lifetime.

Borthwick Castle in Midlothian is said to have the ghost of Mary appearing as a pageboy. Mary stayed in Borthwick Castle in 1567 after her doomed marriage to the Earl of Bothwell. She eventually escaped from the castle disguised as a pageboy.

Mary, Queen of Scots, was executed on 8 February 1587 in Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire. Although little of this castle still exists, the stone and oak staircase from the castle were relocated to the nearby Talbot Hotel where the ghost of Mary is said to be a regular guest.

Culloden Moor, Inverness

One of the bloodiest battles that Scotland has ever seen, the Battle of Culloden in 1746 on Culloden Moor, saw Bonnie Prince Charlies army of rebels slaughtered by government troops. It is said that sometimes a lone figure can be seen on the battlefield, especially when you look closely...

The battle lasted less than an hour and around 2000 of the Bonnie Princes army were killed or wounded after a failed ‘Highland Charge’. The Government army saw only 50 killed and 250 wounded.

The site of the battle is one of the most popular tourist sites in the Highlands and it is said that lost souls are often seen or heard calling out on the battlefield on a misty day.