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Edinburgh · Mysteries & legends

Bodysnatchers, ghosts and a faithful dog

Edinburgh likes to call itself the most haunted city in Britain, but its most chilling stories are in the court records. This route drops from the High Street to the Grassmarket and the West Port, following real crimes, public punishments and the legends the ghost tours repeat every night. It's perfect for dusk and finishes by the Grassmarket pubs, ready for dinner.

  • 6 stops
  • 1.5 km
  • 1 h 40 min
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
Headstones and mausoleums in Greyfriars Kirkyard

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Mary King's CloseBeneath Edinburgh's City Chambers lie buried 17th-century streets, and on top of them has grown one of Scotland's most famous collections of legends.
  2. 2 Deacon BrodieBy day a respectable cabinetmaker and councillor; by night a burglar raiding the very houses whose locks he fitted. His double life inspired Jekyll and Hyde.
  3. 3 Greyfriars BobbyA little terrier who, so the story goes, kept watch over his master's grave for fourteen years and became Scotland's most famous dog.
  4. 4 Greyfriars KirkyardHere the National Covenant was signed, here twelve hundred prisoners were held in the open air, and here lies the man legend has turned into a poltergeist.
  5. 5 GrassmarketThe Old Town's liveliest square was for centuries its place of execution: here a woman survived the gallows and a mob lynched a captain.
  6. 6 West Port: Burke and HareOn this street lived Scotland's most notorious murderers, who killed sixteen people to sell their bodies to an anatomist.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

Bodysnatchers, ghosts and a faithful dog

Crimes on file

Deacon Brodie, Burke and Hare and the lynching of Porteous are all in the court records.

Record and tradition

We separate what's proven from what the ghost tours tell, from the plague close to the Mackenzie Poltergeist.

Details in plain sight

Iron cages against grave robbers, a cobbled circle where the gallows stood and a bronze nose polished by countless hands.

Keep exploring

More routes in Edinburgh

Back to Edinburgh
HistoryThe Royal Mile: from castle to palace MixedFrom Victoria Street to Calton Hill: Edinburgh's highlights

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Edinburgh?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Edinburgh in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Edinburgh in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Edinburgh in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary