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For over 8,500 years, we know that people have been living in the area we now call Inverness. With so much history, including everything from the Jacobite uprising through to the Highland clearances, many believe that Inverness is a hot-spot for the supernatural. Here are a few locations to visit during your stay, many of which you can get to from Ness Walk on foot.
The Old High Church
In the centre of Inverness sits the Old High Church. This area has been a place of religious worship for hundreds of years, since the times of St. Columba. It has some dark chapters, including immediately after the Battle of Culloden in 1746. Many soldiers were brought back here where they were imprisoned. After some hasty trials, they were executed on-site, and buried here too. Evidence of musket balls used during the execution can still be found in walls next to the tower. If ever there were angry spirits haunting Inverness, they would certainly be here.
The Tolbooth
Not far from the Old High Church is the Tollbooth, another infamous location in Inverness. Prisoners have been held in this area since 1436, and it was here that many men were imprisoned during the Highland clearances of the late 1700s and early 1800s. This was a time of immense anger in the Highlands as families were cleared off their ancestral crofting lands to make way for the more profitable business of sheep rearing. Many died whilst imprisoned in the Tollbooth, all that remains now is the steeple, a well-known landmark in the city.
Clava Cairns
Clava Cairns dates back 4,000 years and is a burial structure used in the Bronze Age. There are around 50 cairns which were built to house the dead, although it has long been emptied of any human remains. Archaeological evidence points to the fact it was used to bury important people – perhaps clan chiefs. It can make for an eerie evening when visiting the cairns, but if you catch the sunrise at just the right moment, it can also be stunningly beautiful.
Boleskin Burial Ground
A short drive out of Inverness along the southern side of Loch Ness will take you to Boleskin Burial Ground. Pronounced “bowl-es-kin”, this is an area full of both history and legend. It’s exciting history comes from the time of the Battle of Culloden. As lengend says, a boy stole a loaf of bread from the English Red Coats. Upon chase, the boy ran to the cover of Boleskin Grave Yard to hide. Shots were fired! And you can still see the bullet holes made by the musketshots in the grave stones. Yes, to this day, search for the tombstone of Donald Fraser, dated 1730.
Boleskin House
The legend comes from nearby Boleskin House, once the home of the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley. Said by many to be able to summon demons during his time here between 1899 and 1913, many of his spells were cast within these walls. However, more recently between 1970 and 1992, the house was owned by Led Zepplin founder Jimmy Page. It is now in private ownership and, after a devastating fire, is in the process of being restored.
The Preacher’s Footsteps
Rarely does the opportunity arise where you can experience inexplicable phenomena yourself. However, this is possible at the Preacher’s Footsteps near Glenmoriston. It is here that you will find two footprints in the ground – and they have been there for over two hundred years. It is believed that they were formed by 1820s travelling preacher named Finlay Munro. He asked that God prove to the unbelievers that what he said was true – and the footprints were created as a result. Many believe that they won’t disappear until the End of Days.
Tour the darkness
To understand the history of Inverness and all the ghostly happenings in the city, why not take a ghost tour? These happen at night, and take you along the streets and walkways where hundreds of years of history has happened – not all of it pleasant. Uncover the brutal history and get an alternative history lesson of Inverness.
Then hide under your blanket at Ness Walk
After discovering the darker side to Inverness’ history, be sure to relax back at Ness Walk with a quality whisky in our tranquil gardens. As the night draws in, retire to your 5-star accommodation or enjoy our warm Scottish hospitality in the bar. So if you are looking for somewhere luxurious to stay after finding haunted places in Inverness, then Ness Walk is always your safe haven. Check out our offers today.
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