Haunted Locations in Scotland
Culzean Castle
Several ghosts haunt Culzean Castle, one of whom is believed to be an actual Kennedy ancestor; the Kennedy clan were the original owners. There is a piper who is often heard playing on stormy nights. Culzean is also haunted by a woman dressed in a ball gown. The castle’s legend tells of a knight who abducted an heiress and held her captive there. After being told how he would kill her, the heiress lulled the knight to sleep and stabbed him with his own dirk.
Dalarossie, Inverness
In Dalarossie near Inverness, there were two families, the Shaws of Strathnairn and the Mackintoshes of Strathdearn. They arranged to have a game of shinty on Christmas Day but when the Mackintoshes found out that Christmas Day would fall on the Sabbath, they called the game off. The Shaws were not so easily put off and when the Mackintoshes did not show up, the Shaws split themselves into two teams and played the game themselves. It seemed as though no harm had come as a result of breaking the Sabbath. They were tragically mistaken, for every man who had played, died during the course of the following year. The ghostly shinty players return to Dalarossie every Christmas to play their game.
Eilean Donan Castle
A Spanish soldier, killed in the castle or in a nearby battle is said to haunt the castle. And one of the bedrooms is haunted by a Lady Mary.
Glencoe, Argyll
On 13th February 1692 a group of soldiers from the Clan Campbell took brutal action against soldiers of the Clan MacDonald Glencoe. Accepting their kind offer of hospitality and a bed for the night, the Clan Campbell soldiers then awoke during the night and brutally slaughtered around 40 of the MacDonald soldiers as they slept. There has been numerous sightings at Glencoe of the massacre that took place, replaying over and over again on the anniversary of the event.
Hermitage Castle
Built in the 13th century, Hermitage Castle has had several ghost sightings. One ghost is thought to be Sir Alexander Ramsay who was captured and left to starve to death in the dungeon. His sad and hungry figure is still reported to wander the ruins of the castle. Another ghost is said to be that of Lord Soulis who was widely believed to have practised black magic and used the dungeons to hold young children captive before using them in his hideous rituals. The local people allegedly stormed the castle taking Lord Soulis captive. They then wrapped him in lead and threw him into a boiling cauldron. This spirit has been seen around the castle and the screams of the children are also heard at times.
Iona
Kings of Scotland from ancient times are buried on Iona and the island is a religious centre of quite considerable significance. Iona was attacked by Vikings on several occasions and the ghostly forms of the Viking longboats are said to glide into the harbour at night and eerie figures are seen scrambling ashore, re-enacting their desecration of this sacred place. Monks are reported to have been seen especially around the monastery and their chanting has been heard.