Whitby Abbey, England

There’s a good reason we put a book set in Whitby in one of our boxes – it’s got a super spooky history. Apart from being the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, there are at least 12 spooky beings present in the town. Look in front of St Mary’s Church for a ghostly hearse carried along by its headless horses, racing across the cliff and into the sea.

If you’re brave enough, per into the well at Whitby Abbey at midnight. If you’re pure of heart, you’ll see the face of St Hilda. And if not… well, according to legend, you might just be taken away by the devil.

The Abbey is also home to the ghost of a poor young nun, who broke her vows and was punished by being bricked up into the walls alive.

Plas Teg House, Flintshire, Wales

Back in Jacobean times, Plas Teg was used as a court where people were tried and hung for their crimes. As a result, it’s home to quite the roster of ghosts – more than 15 are believed to be walking around to this day.

There are some pretty tragic stories for these ghosts, like 16-year-old Elizabeth Taylor-Roper whose lover was murdered by a man who also loved her. He then chased her back to the house, where she either fell or was pushed down a well.

Throughout the house, there’s often the sound of loud wailing, and on the road that leads past, a Woman in White is regularly seen by drivers.

Pendle Hill, Lancashire, England

If you’re interested in witches, especially the history of witchcraft in the UK, you might already be familiar with Pendle Hill. 12 women in the local area were accused of witchcraft and became the most famous witches in the country.

Ten of them were accused of murder, found guilty and sentenced to death. Pendle Hill, where they’re buried, is now home to their restless spirits, which also haunt the villages that lie in the shadow of the hill.

People who visit and take the ghost tours often report feeling immense anger or the sensation of hands at their throats.

Crumlin Road Gaol, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Like Plas Teg House, Crumlin Road Gaol was home to 17 executions, with the ghosts of those executed prisoners sticking around to haunt those who visit.

The basement is, unsurprisingly, one of the spookiest places in the gaol, being where the executed prisoners were left after being hanged. But some visitors have reported seeing the ghosts of men in uniform at the gaol as well.

If you’re after a spooky wedding, you can even get married here – it’s licensed for weddings and civil partnerships.

Pluckley, Kent, England

It may look like a typical picturesque English village, but Pluckley is widely believed to be the most haunted village in the country – it was even in the Guinness Book of World Records for that title.

At least 12 ghosts make the village their home, including the highwayman hiding in a tree, a phantom coach and horses, the Lady of Rose Court, The Red Lady, and the schoolmaster.

We may be biased, but the fact that there’s also, apparently, a ghost dog at St Nicholas’ Church makes this a must-visit.

Blickling Hall, Norwich, England

If Pluckley was voted the most haunted village, Blickling Hall was considered the most haunted house in Britain. It was once home to the Boleyn family – as in, the family of famous Anne Boleyn, who was born at the hall.

In fact, the ghost of Anne Bolyen is said to return to her birthplace every year on the anniversary of her death, the 19^th of May. She arrives in a headless horse drawn carriage and roams the halls until sunrise.

Sir Henry Hobart, who owned the house in the 1600s is also said to haunt the property after dying there following a duel.

Culloden Moor, Inverness, Scotland

Back in 1746, this windswept ground saw Bonnie Prince Charlie’s rebel army beaten by government troops. The Prince’s army was made up of many Scottish clans, and many of those who didn’t die in the battle were killed after it ended.

Today, you can find cairns (rock markers) showing where the men died. Many visitors report seeing ghostly visions of the battle across the moor, and others have seen apparitions of soldiers standing at their memorial cairns.

Black Swan Hotel, York, England

York is an old city, so it’s not surprising there are lots of haunted places. At the Black Swan Hotel you might come across the woman in a white dress. There’s a man wearing a bowler hat that might make an appearance at the bar, so make sure you enjoy a drink.

But the reason it made our list is the strangest ghost we’ve come across – two legs wandering around the hotel. No body, no torso, just a pair of legs.

Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire, England

Another trip to Lancashire, because Samlesbury Hall also considers itself one of the most haunted locations in Britain.

The White Lady is believed to be the ghost of Dorothy Southworth, whose beloved was murdered. She reportedly died of a broken heart and now roams the grounds of the hall.

There are also references to a horse drawn hearse and its spooky rider, stained floorboards that never become clean, and a ghostly lift attendant.