In Edinburgh

Been thinking of taking a look at this place when the weather improves,anyone done it?

http://www.realmarykingsclose.com/home.htm


Dave

Worth it just for the tour...

Went on a ghost walk in Dundee once. It WAS really good. Maybe had something to do with Dundee city center not being as touristy/busy as the Royal Mile. Maybe it had something to with the fact that sometimes we were unable to distinquish between the 'planted actors hiding in the graveyard spewing evil ooo sounds from a few paralytic Dundonians having a slash behind the tombstones and spewing incoherent babblings or just spewing.

It was a laugh. The kids were scared. We loved it.

i did it when mercat tours owned the close.  mercat tours are FAB b/c they're historical - and that makes it even scarier b/c they don't play up the haunted part.

they do a FAB tour of the north vaults.  you can't even hear all the super pubs and nightclubs when  you're down in there - it's just silent as a tomb, and that's even creepier b/c those pubs and nightclubs are literally sitting right above those vaults. 

we also did the 'city of the dead' tour of greyfriar's kirkyard, but unfortunately had an absolute HAG of a tour guide who just ruined it for everyone.  i mean, she even pissed off a group of irish tourists and a group of Geordie tourists w/her attitude.

So how bad is the walking aspect?,we have a 15 year old boy who would qualify on the age thing,but has cerebral palsey and while he can walk OK has trouble if its REALLY rough or steep.


Dave

Hmmm.  As I recall, Mary King's had more steps - it is a quite a steep close (hard to believe so many people were once living in there!), but they take you in from the top and you go down so it's not a lot of uphill.  The vaults weren't as bad step-wise, but the ground can be slightly uneven in spots.  Try contacting the tour company: http://www.mercattours.com/home.asp. 

We've done Secrets of the Royal Mile and the Haunted Underground experience as well, and those had steps and uneven ground involved quite a bit, plus it was dark. 

BUT, the guides are quite excellent and I'd think they'd be very accommodating to all needs.

Little secret, if you REALLY want to be scared, there's a well in Holyrood Park that's creepy even during the day.  It may not be the best place to hang round at night, however - there have been some problems with intravenous drug users and male prostitution in that area in the past at night.

Apparently, Mckenzie's ghost attacks people his vault in Greyfriar's Kirkyard,  BUT two teens went into it a couple of years back and played catch w/his skull and otherwise violated his corpse - they made headlines b/c they were the first to be charged with 'violating a sepulchre' in 150 years - and made off unscathed, so he can't be that bad!  What's really creepy is that tens of thousands of people have been laid to rest there over the past 900 years, including many plague victims in mass graves, and there are loads of tenements built right over old parts of the burial ground.

Personally I find Candlemaker Row an eerie place, too, for some reason.

Thanks very much expat,will look into it nearer the time,he's due some new boots soon which may improve his gait somewhat.Mind you if I want to be really scared I just have to check my bank accounts LOL. Thanks again.


Dave

I think if he's keen he'll be able to handle it.  He might be tired afterwards, though.  Honestly the guides are wonderful. 

And it'd be cool to be able to do one of the events during the Ghost Fest!

Thinking about it,we had better stick to looking at the old buildings which he would enjoy,he gets scared at Harry Potter and even Scooby Doo .
Never been to Scotland before and its only up the road from Brum LOL,so this year as we havent much planned I thought its about time,the bride would also like to see the ex royal yacht.


Dave

you won't lack for old buildings to look at in Edinburgh!  There's been a church on the site across the road from us since 1483.  Just over the road is Lamb's House, where Mary, Queen of Scots first landed after returning from France to run her country. 

It's about 9 quid to see Britannia.  I'm embarrassed to say I haven't seen it yet myself and we live just a 10 min. walk away.   

Will really try to give it a go this year,we all have a real adventure driving across Normandy and Brittany in April,never driven on the wrong side of the road before apart from a few hours in Majorca (and that was enough),and the lads going to Jamaica with his school in May providing we make it back from France in one piece LOL,and thats it till December (Cyprus for Christmas),so we should be able to fit it in somewhere.
I will if I may be picking your brain for info later,you've been a big help already,thanks again.


Dave

it's well-worth a visit.  well, especially in summer. 

it's well-worth a visit.  well, especially in summer. 

Lets hope we have one,been a long miserable winter,I recall sunning ourselves in the garden in March a couple of years ago.


Dave

it's well-worth a visit.  well, especially in summer. 

ditto Dave

Thanks for your input too Bob,looks like we shall be going.





Dave