Readers' tips ... haunted houses
Each week we run a section in the Guardian newspaper's travel section, asking for readers to send in tips on a particular subject. The best tip wins a digital camera courtesy of Jessops. Find out more here.
Winning tip
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The Böd of Nesbister, Shetland
Posted by kerryr
The Böd of Nesbister lies on a spit of shingle on Whiteness Voe on the west coast of Shetland. Originally a stone built bothy for fishermen during the fishing season, the Böd has been converted into basic accommodation by the Shetland Amenity Trust. Its location, overlooking a lovely inlet with winding views to cliffscapes and the open sea, is remote and romantic. With no electricity, the candlelit Böd is the perfect place to encounter a ghost. It felt like a kindly soul and, obligingly, stopped its noisy business when we asked it to. In the morning we came across the visitors’ book and discovered that we were by no means the first to have had a haunted stay.
01595 694 688, camping-bods.com
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yhng722
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The Devils Stone Inn, Shebbear, Devon
Posted by tonybee
This character pub in darkest Devon has been officially inspected: it’s one of the eight most haunted pubs in the UK. The spook certificate is in the bar. The landlady retells some good stories: at the last inspection people in the bar asked the child spirit to appear and everyone saw a coat being pulled strongly - and someone trying to touch it put her hand into an area that was icy cold. When the spirit left the curtains moved and the door closed without any wind assistance!
When my sister-in-law lost a necklace down a tiny gap between the floorboards it looked as if there might have been some supernatural assistance. Then we couldn’t find our keys … Across the square is the devil’s stone, ready for its annual turning by local heavies on All Saints day with the church bells ring to keep the devil away!
The pub food is good, there are four real ales in a friendly bar much used by locals, and the refurbished bedrooms have managed to combine history with some modern amenities. The owners couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful - and they let the dog stay for free. So the appalling bangs and clatters in the morning after the clocks went back were quite unexplainable, until we found a very loud Chinese couple who knew nothing of our time change and were determined to wake everyone up for an early breakfast!
In the square at Shebbear, Nr Holsworthy, Devon, EX21 5RU.
devilsstoneinn.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yzrnxo7
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Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street
Posted by NobleCamel
A small, enchanting, medieval castle set in pheasant-inhabited woodland and a ten minute walk from Durham CCC's Riverside cricket ground. It has everything you expect a castle to have - battlements, oriel windows, leaded glass, canopy beds, a courtyard, and even a piper to announce the evening meal.
Best of all, the castle is haunted - and if you don't believe me, just ask the West Indian and the Australian cricket teams, both of which have been victims of the ghost.
Still sceptical? Oh, that's very easy in your modern house, with electric light, before a computer. But transport yourself to a 600 year old room, with stone walls, where dreadful murders really have been committed, and watch the mist rise from the woods as night falls, and as you light your candle you'll find your sceptical laughter is now a little forced and all your 21st century sophistication cannot stop the hairs from standing upon on the back of your neck.
Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH3 4NX
Tel. +44 (0)191 389 1111
lumleycastle.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/ygdlb6w
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The Mermaid Inn, Rye, East Sussex
Posted by Matelder
All of Rye is spooky when night comes and the wind whips in from the estuary. But the Mermaid is definitely a ghostly experience. Our room had a massive four poster bed and dark pannelling across the walls. The whole house is Tudor but the cellars are from Norman times and there are apparently secret passages crisscrossing the building from smugglers' times.
There are apparently a few ghosts at the Mermaid. We didn't see any but fancy we heard quite a few knocks and creaks. If nothing else it's a great place to let your imagination run wild.
The Mermaid Inn Rye East Sussex TN31 7EY mermaidinn.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yh2rrh9
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St Briavels Norman Castle (YHA), Lydney, Gloucestershire
Posted by Martallen
An amazing moated Norman castle with spooky original stone wall rooms including one with an 'en suite' oubliette. If you ask, the staff have lots of eerie tales to tell about psychic phenomena related to poachers thrown down the oubliette to die slowly. Apparently young male guests especially have sightings or weird experiences.
St. Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG, 0845 371 9042
yha.org.uk
Google map: tinyurl.com/yh8sp4h
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Chillingham Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland
Posted by writerchris
For a spooky Halloween visit you can't beat Chillingham castle in north Northumberland. I'm a sceptic but even a daytime tour of this quirky, historical building will get you wondering about spooks and spirits! For the braver visitor there are also night-time ghost hunts and haunted rooms available for overnight stays.
chillingham-castle.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yhcerq3
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Read other readers' tips here
Winning tip
______________________________________________________________
The Böd of Nesbister, Shetland
Posted by kerryr
The Böd of Nesbister lies on a spit of shingle on Whiteness Voe on the west coast of Shetland. Originally a stone built bothy for fishermen during the fishing season, the Böd has been converted into basic accommodation by the Shetland Amenity Trust. Its location, overlooking a lovely inlet with winding views to cliffscapes and the open sea, is remote and romantic. With no electricity, the candlelit Böd is the perfect place to encounter a ghost. It felt like a kindly soul and, obligingly, stopped its noisy business when we asked it to. In the morning we came across the visitors’ book and discovered that we were by no means the first to have had a haunted stay.
01595 694 688, camping-bods.com
Google map: http://tinyurl.com/yhng722
______________________________________________________________
The Devils Stone Inn, Shebbear, Devon
Posted by tonybee
This character pub in darkest Devon has been officially inspected: it’s one of the eight most haunted pubs in the UK. The spook certificate is in the bar. The landlady retells some good stories: at the last inspection people in the bar asked the child spirit to appear and everyone saw a coat being pulled strongly - and someone trying to touch it put her hand into an area that was icy cold. When the spirit left the curtains moved and the door closed without any wind assistance!
When my sister-in-law lost a necklace down a tiny gap between the floorboards it looked as if there might have been some supernatural assistance. Then we couldn’t find our keys … Across the square is the devil’s stone, ready for its annual turning by local heavies on All Saints day with the church bells ring to keep the devil away!
The pub food is good, there are four real ales in a friendly bar much used by locals, and the refurbished bedrooms have managed to combine history with some modern amenities. The owners couldn’t have been more friendly or helpful - and they let the dog stay for free. So the appalling bangs and clatters in the morning after the clocks went back were quite unexplainable, until we found a very loud Chinese couple who knew nothing of our time change and were determined to wake everyone up for an early breakfast!
In the square at Shebbear, Nr Holsworthy, Devon, EX21 5RU.
devilsstoneinn.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yzrnxo7
______________________________________________________________
Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street
Posted by NobleCamel
A small, enchanting, medieval castle set in pheasant-inhabited woodland and a ten minute walk from Durham CCC's Riverside cricket ground. It has everything you expect a castle to have - battlements, oriel windows, leaded glass, canopy beds, a courtyard, and even a piper to announce the evening meal.
Best of all, the castle is haunted - and if you don't believe me, just ask the West Indian and the Australian cricket teams, both of which have been victims of the ghost.
Still sceptical? Oh, that's very easy in your modern house, with electric light, before a computer. But transport yourself to a 600 year old room, with stone walls, where dreadful murders really have been committed, and watch the mist rise from the woods as night falls, and as you light your candle you'll find your sceptical laughter is now a little forced and all your 21st century sophistication cannot stop the hairs from standing upon on the back of your neck.
Lumley Castle Hotel, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH3 4NX
Tel. +44 (0)191 389 1111
lumleycastle.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/ygdlb6w
______________________________________________________________
The Mermaid Inn, Rye, East Sussex
Posted by Matelder
All of Rye is spooky when night comes and the wind whips in from the estuary. But the Mermaid is definitely a ghostly experience. Our room had a massive four poster bed and dark pannelling across the walls. The whole house is Tudor but the cellars are from Norman times and there are apparently secret passages crisscrossing the building from smugglers' times.
There are apparently a few ghosts at the Mermaid. We didn't see any but fancy we heard quite a few knocks and creaks. If nothing else it's a great place to let your imagination run wild.
The Mermaid Inn Rye East Sussex TN31 7EY mermaidinn.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/yh2rrh9
______________________________________________________________
St Briavels Norman Castle (YHA), Lydney, Gloucestershire
Posted by Martallen
An amazing moated Norman castle with spooky original stone wall rooms including one with an 'en suite' oubliette. If you ask, the staff have lots of eerie tales to tell about psychic phenomena related to poachers thrown down the oubliette to die slowly. Apparently young male guests especially have sightings or weird experiences.
St. Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 6RG, 0845 371 9042
yha.org.uk
Google map: tinyurl.com/yh8sp4h
______________________________________________________________
Chillingham Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland
Posted by writerchris
For a spooky Halloween visit you can't beat Chillingham castle in north Northumberland. I'm a sceptic but even a daytime tour of this quirky, historical building will get you wondering about spooks and spirits! For the braver visitor there are also night-time ghost hunts and haunted rooms available for overnight stays.
chillingham-castle.com/
Google map: tinyurl.com/yhcerq3
______________________________________________________________
Read other readers' tips here