A bit of peace and quiet in the middle of a bustling city, until you get over to the old prison gates and feel ghostly hands around your throat.
Hurry back to the safety of the doggie!

walk around and look out for the really old centuries old gravestones

The graveyard of Greyfriars, just off the George IV Bridge in Edinburgh’s Old Town is, to use a horrendous travel-writing cliche, a quintissentially olde world place of rest - or unrest as the case may be.

In recent years the graveyard has gained notoriety - gently helped along by the cut-throat competition between the city’s various ghost tour companies - as being the home of world’s most active poltergeist.

Apparently, George Mackenzie, a 17th century judge noted for his brutal treatment of the Convenanters (rebels against Charles I’s attempts to reform the protestant church), has in recent years been the culprit behind all manner of bizarre attacks and visitations. For those so inclined, the City Of The Dead Tours go through the locked off area of the graveyard where the aforementioned pesky spirit has wreaked most havoc.

For everyone else however, the moss-encrusted tombs, well kept gardens and fantastic views of Edinburgh castle should be reason enough to visit this small bubble of solitude in the middle of town. It’s a truly beautiful spot.