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The UK is home to a rich and vibrant history, and with that comes endless spooky and haunting tales. Whether it’s a woman in white, or a tall dark figure, ghostly encounters are reported all across the UK, but which region is home to the most haunted locations?
With October 31st approaching, and the darker nights setting in, here at Parkdean Resorts, we’ve discovered where are the spookiest places to spend Halloween, guaranteed to give you a real fright night!
We’ve categorised some of the most haunted locations across the UK to determine which region is home to the most ghosts, and where you’re most likely to spot one for yourself! And for all you film fanatics, we’ve analysed some of the UK’s most popular scary films to determine which scary film locations are worth a visit this Halloween.
Buckle up believers and non-believers, it’s about to get spooky…
The UK's most haunted locations
From analysing over 80 known haunted locations, we’ve discovered which regions across the UK are home to the most ghosts.
The Top Five Most Haunted UK Regions
Our research revealed Buckinghamshire to be the UKs most spooky region, with a total of 16 identified haunted locations, including The White Hart public house on London Road, which is also the eighth most searched for haunted spot in the UK thanks to the ghostly apparitions which are said to reside there, including a little girl who reportedly appeared in the reflection of a mirror. But Buckinghamshire has plenty to offer other than ghosts and ghouls, complete your trip at the Green Dragon Eco Farm where the whole family can have fun picking out a pumpkin to take home and end your evening with some carving in true Halloween spirit!
If you’re looking to add some spookiness to your staycation this Halloween, Hampshire is the place to be. With 12 haunted locations this region offers plenty to explore, including The Fox and Hounds Pub where you may just be joined for a drink by the residing ghost of the former landlord, so you may want to keep a ghost-buster’s number on speed dial during your stay! Also, don’t miss out on seeing 'Olw-O-Ween' with the Hawk Conservancy Trust during your spook-tacular stay in Hampshire, where you can see magnificent owls putting on a flying display under the moonlight.
London is crawling with history and packed with plenty of spooky spots. Out of London’s 10 identified haunted locations, three are the most searched for in the UK: The Tower of London, The British Museum and Hampton Court Palace. But your trip to the capital does not have to be doom and gloom, leave the tricks behind and treat the family to a trip to see ‘Wicked’ the Musical in the Victoria Appollo theatre this Halloween for a spook-tacular evening to leave the kids with a smile on their face!
Norfolk came out as the fourth most haunted region in the UK, with five haunted locations waiting to be explored including one of the most famously haunted locations in the UK - Blickling Hall, which is thought to have been the home of Anne Boleyn, and is said to still be haunted by her headless ghost today. If you’re looking to enjoy the Halloween festivities, but hoping to avoid running into any apparitions, pay a visit to Norfolk’s very own Halloween Circus held annually by the Hippodrome! Norfolk is also the home to many Parkdean Resorts holiday parks, where you can rest your head after a long day of spooky excursions- but sleep soundly, thankfully none of these are in Norfolk’s five haunted locations!
Rounding off the top five most haunted locations in the UK is Lincolnshire, with a total of four haunted spots, three of which being RAF grounds haunted by the ghosts of pilots and their then widowed lovers. Take a spooky stroll with the award-winning Lincoln Ghost Walk, where the whole family can come along to learn more about the city's ghostly hauntings through the central streets of Lincoln, just over an hour drive from the Parkdean Resorts Sunnydale Holiday Park where you can rest after a day worth screaming about!
Which UK cities are searching the most for mythical creatures?
As part of our research, we’ve also discovered which UK cities are searching the most for all things Halloween, from ghosts to vampires. We discover where is most scared of things that go bump in the night!
1. London
Our research found that London is the biggest scaredy-cat city in the UK, with over 47,000 searches each month for all mythical creatures combined, and a whopping 22,200 of these searches are for ghosts- London we see right through you! For Halloween in London, a trip to the iconic London Dungeons is a must, here you can learn about the history of London through the gripping storytelling of live actors!
2. Birmingham
Birmingham came in second place with 7,400 combined monthly searches for these spooky topics, with the highest volume being for ghosts at 2,900 searches. If you are brave enough to (literally) find what you have been searching for, delve into Birmingham's history of hauntings with Birmingham Tours on their ghost walk for just £8 per person!
3. Liverpool
In third place for the most searches for mythical creatures is Liverpool. With 390 searches for vampires and 720 searches a month for witches and zombies - Liverpool is definitely in the Halloween spirit this year. If you’re looking for cheap thrills, on the 29th of October bring the kids down Forge Street for The Factory Projects free Halloween Disco!
4. Sheffield
Sheffield came in as the fourth city searching the most for mythical creatures, with 590 searches for both witches and zombies per month. For a spooky day out in Sheffield, take your little monsters to the Excel Family Halloween Spooktacular for food and entertainment for the whole family!
5. Bristol
With 320 monthly searches for werewolves and 590 for zombies, it is fair to say that Bristol has been warming up to the idea of mythical creatures living among them! But a full moon won’t be the only thing shining in the Bristol sky on October 31st, visit the Bristol Festival for a dazzling display of fireworks with the whole family!
Other places across the UK also ranked in the top 10 cities searching for the most mythical creatures, with both Glasgow and Edinburgh having 390 searches for werewolves per month. Cardiff rounded off the top 10 cities with the highest monthly searches for ghosts at 590. For a spooky day out in Cardiff, take the family to make broomsticks at Hendrewennol Fruit Garden, with plenty of pumpkins in the field to carve and you can make your own broomsticks and spider webs to take home!
Most Haunted Holiday Spots
To really raise your spirits this year, a trip to one of the UKs most haunted holiday spots is a great way to complete your Halloween staycation. We’ve analysed some of the most haunted holiday spots across the UK for all you thrill seeking ghost busters to visit!
Dunwich Beach, Suffolk
50ft below the surface and up to a mile out from the pebbly shores of Dunwich Beach lies the lost town of Dunwich. Washed away in the 1200s by a series of devastating storms, the immersed town below the Suffolk shores is known as the UKs Atlantis. Creep around the coast or even brave a spooky (and cold!) swim to hear for yourself the church bells which reportedly can still be heard chiming within the waves of Dunwich Beach this Halloween.
Pleasure Beach, Blackpool
Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s spooky story begins in the early 1900s, when they opened the first ever ghost-train, which was operated by a man nicknamed “Cloggy”. It is said that Cloggy’s ghost still roams the operating ghost train today, 20 years after his passing. With Cloggy’s clog-laden footsteps and unexplainable noises, will you be brave enough to board the ghost train this Halloween?
Cromer Beach, Norfolk
Black Shuck is the name given to a ghostly black dog who is said to roam the coastline and countryside of East Anglia, though the old lifeboat house on Cromer Beach is said to be a hotspot for Black Shuck sightings. You’ll have to keep your eyes and ears peeled not to miss him, as legend says you’ll hear Black Shucks howl, while his footsteps make no sound!
Horror Film Locations
One of the most iconic Halloween tales of all time, Dracula, was actually inspired by the scenic town of Whitby in Yorkshire. It was Whitby Abbey in particular which took the interest of the author, Bram Stoker, leading Whitby to become one of the most iconic locations for vampire tourism across the globe. Although Brams’ visit did take place over 125 years ago, the legacy of Count Dracula still lives on, follow the tale down to Whitby and we are sure you’ll have a fang-tastic time!
Perhaps a cackle in Cornwall is how you’re planning to spend Halloween this year? In that case, don't forget to stop off to see the Headland Hotel in Newquay, the main filming location of the 1990’s on-screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's spooky book, “The Witches”. Just a creep around the corner, or a 16 minute drive, is Parkdean’s Newquay Holiday Park, where you can relax and recharge after a day of exploring!
With London having the highest volume of searches for “zombies'' out of all UK regions, at 8,100 searches in the past month, a visit to an iconic location from Shaun of the Dead seems to be a no-brainer! London is the home to many iconic locations from this movie, from Shaun's house to the Winchester Tavern (well, the newly renovated block of flats which now stand in its place), but a great site for a quick nod to the film is Weston Park Grocery Store, where you can follow in Shaun's footsteps and treat yourself to a strawberry Cornetto to enjoy while exploring the beautiful city of London!
Fancy becoming a wizard for the day? One of Harry Potter’s most recognisable filming locations, Alnwick Castle is a must visit. Not only is this one of Britain's most iconic castles, but here you can experience being a wizard for yourself, following in Harry's footsteps by taking part in a broomstick training class in the exact spot of his first flight where the castle featured as the grounds for Harry’s first Quidditch lesson. We can’t be sure how long it would take via broomstick, but just over a 30 minute drive is Cresswell Towers Holiday Park where you can sleep soundly after a day packed with action!
If you’re looking for a spooky getaway this Halloween, you’re in for a treat- check out our range of last minute holidays and leave the tricks at home!