Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh, Scotland

Happy almost Halloween my ghouls! I thought the last spooky location I should take y’all through should be really creepy, but also awesome. So, today I bring you Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland!

When planning our trip to Scotland I did a lot of research on things to do/see. Edinburgh was a little bit harder than other places because we wanted to see a ton of stuff. It is an incredible historic city, and we wanted to hit the highlights! One place that we kept seeing over and over (for different reasons) was Greyfriars Kirkyard. So, we added it to the list!

 Greyfriars Kirkyard, like many places in Edinburgh, is tucked behind some old buildings and you would absolutely miss it if you weren’t paying attention. The easiest way I suggest finding it, is to find Greyfriars Bobby’s Pub. First of all, the outside is adorable and you can see a statue of Bobby, the sky terrier who supposedly guarded his owners grave until his own death 14 years later. (You can find Bobby’s headstone right in the entrance of Greyfriars Kirkyard.) Once you find Greyfriars Bobby, look to your immediate left and go down the dark spooky alley and you will walk straight into Greyfriars Kirkyard.

This cemetery has been around since the 1560s. Yes, you read that correctly, 1560. Many Scots have been buried in Greyfriars throughout the ages, but one has been said to still be hanging around after his death. George Mackenzie was a persecutor of the Presbyterian church back in the 17th century, and his ghost is supposedly haunting the kirkyard to this day. The Mackenzie Poltergeist is said to be pretty aggressive because people have been scratched, bruised, and pushed often in the kirkyard at night.

It’s kind of incredible just to see all the old headstones and mausoleums. Even during the day it’s a little creepy. If you’re looking for a really creepy time, try going in the kirkyard at night! As far as I know, it stays open all the time, so you can go in anytime of the day or night! Jackson and I found the kirkyard for the first time at around 11pm and we wandered around in the dark for awhile. Not going to lie, you are going to want someone to hold onto.

Ok, where are all my Potterheads? I have something exciting to tell you! Did you know that J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in Edinburgh (more on that in another post) and more specifically, found some of her character’s names in Greyfriars Cemetery?!? Buried in the cemetery is a man named Tom Riddle. There is also a Scottish poet with the last name McGonagall. I’m not going to tell you where they are because honestly finding them is half the fun! I will tell you they are closer to the back, but that’s it!

Greyfriars Kirkyard is an unbelievable place in one of the most beautifully magical cities in the world. If you are ever in Scotland, you must visit Greyfriars Kirkyard and Edinburgh. Say hello to Bobby for me and make sure to be on your guard!

❤ Abbie

Halloweekends, Cedar Point, OH

Hi friends! I hope your week has gone well! I had the pleasure of taking a trip up to visit family in Ohio this past weekend. There are many things I love about Ohio, but one of the big things is Cedar Point Amusement Park. I may be a little biased because I grew up going to Cedar Point; however, I know I am not biased when it comes to LOVING Halloweekends. Every September Cedar Point transforms itself into the spookiest and coolest Halloween-themed park! I can say that Cedar Point is definitely the best scary theme park that I have been to (beating out Six Flags Fright Fest, Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream, and I would even say Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights). I know that sounds kind of crazy, but if you are looking for the most spook and fun for your buck, I highly recommend Cedar Point! Let’s get spooked shall we?!

Cedar Point offers six scare zones where trouble seems to lurk at every corner! With heavy fog and people who seem to walk almost silently, you’ll definitely be jumping and holding on to a friend or loved one! Some of my favorite scare zones are Tombstone Terror-tory, Harvest Fear and Carnevil!

This year Cedar Point is offering two new haunted houses (six total) and I must admit, they are pretty amazing! The people who are scaring you are really good at distracting you to one side, only to be scared when you turn around! If you love haunted houses, you are in for a treat! I highly suggest Freak Show (new), G.A. Boeckling’s Eerie Estate, and Zombie High School!

The best time to visit Halloweekends is on a Friday or a Sunday night. Saturday tends to be a nightmare (pun intended) of crowds and it will make it almost impossible for you to see everything. You can also ride some of the rides while there! I suggest my favorite ride since I was a kid, The Mine Ride. This year they added a haunting new twist, you have to find out #WhatsInTheShed

The fee for Halloweekends starts at $43/person, but that gets you into all the scare zones, haunted houses, and rides! You would be paying almost the same to get into somewhere like Six Flags (who doesn’t include haunted houses in their ticket prices… like idiots… sorry, I’m a bit salty from our recent trip there) but you will be getting so much more!

If you are ever near Sandusky, Ohio you MUST visit Cedar Point (Halloweekends or not)! It is such a fun amusement park and I highly recommend visiting at any and every opportunity! Also, if you have any fun other haunted/spooky/Halloween-themed locations that I should visit, please comment below! I always love suggestions!

Have a spooktacular evening!

❤ Abbie

P.s. All of these photos were taken from my phone, so I’m sorry they aren’t the normal quality of my photographs. However, I must admit I am pretty impressed at how well my phone actually did. Anywhoooo… have a good night!

Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, OH

Hello friends! So, I’ve been going back and forth about whether or not I wanted to post about some spooky/supposedly haunted places because the last time I did I received some negative feedback. However, it is something that has always been of interest to me, and I feel I need to be true to myself. With that being said, I want to start this post off by saying I don’t necessarily believe that these places I will be sharing are “haunted.” I am just going to tell some facts and share some experiences had by others and I will let you make the call. Or don’t make a call and just enjoy some spooky stories! Anyways, somewhat soapbox over. Let’s get to some spooky!

Today I am sharing one of the cooler places I’ve visited in Cleveland! Lake View Cemetery is the resting place of many famous Clevelanders throughout the years. Buried in the rolling hills of Lake View are people like John D. Rockefeller, Elliot Ness, and James A. Garfield (tomb is pictured above), just to name a few. You might be surprised at some of these names, but back in the late 1800s/early 1900s Cleveland was actually home to more millionaires than any city in America. The oil and railroad trades boomed in Cleveland, making it a very wealthy city! That meant the wealthiest could afford to be buried in the most beautiful location in Cleveland, Lake View Cemetery.

The cemetery itself is massive, spanning over 285 acres. With all this land and lots of twisted pathways, it’s not hard to get lost. But, that is the beauty of Lake View, getting lost for an hour or two looking at all of the beautifully haunting graves.

It’s amazing to me the detail that was put in to making some of these graves. The beautiful mausoleums, intricate gravestones, and hauntingly realistic sculptures greet you at every turn. It’s not hard to get the sense of not being alone.

One of my favorite graves is for a family named Haserot. It is perhaps the most photographed grave in the entire cemetery because it is so foreboding. Nestled back behind some tombs sits the Haserot angel.

The name of the dark angel is actually “The Angel of Death Victorious.” The angel sits with an extinguished torch upside-down to symbolize life being extinguished. She stares straight ahead, unmoving. The eeriest part of the Haserot angel comes from years of being exposed to the elements; the bronze has worn and it looks as if she is crying black tears. Even if you see nothing else in the cemetery, you must  visit the Haserot Angel.

The final grave I would like to share comes with a bit of a story. Hans Tiedemann was a German immigrant who came to live in Cleveland in the late 1800s. He built an incredible home called Franklin Castle.

If you are from Cleveland (or Ohio in general) you have most likely heard of this house. Franklin Castle is known for being the most haunted house in Ohio. Years and years of stories and mystery have shrouded this home and they all trace back to the supposed horrors of Mr. Tiedemann.

Tiedemann and his family built the mansion (shown above) from 1881-1883 in one of the most influential and wealthy parts of Cleveland. He moved into the home with his wife Louise, and their two children. The Tiedemann’s lost several children due to the common diseases of the time, but rumor had it that more people had died in the home (of not so natural causes, if you catch my drift). The home switched owners several times through the years. Some say it was built above part of the underground railroad. Others say in the 1920s during prohibition, the basement was used as a speakeasy. Some even say it belonged to a group of Nazis. One thing always stays the same however, the owners always say the house is haunted. What is most commonly seen is a woman in black standing on the second floor balcony. People report mysterious mists appearing and the feeling of being pushed. I’m not quite sure if we’ll ever know what really happened in Franklin Castle, but it sure makes for a good spooky story! If you want to hear more creepy details about Franklin Castle I highly recommend the book “Haunted Ohio.”

Well, that’s all for this weeks spooky wandering post! If you ever get the chance to visit Lake View Cemetery in Ohio, it’s worth the trip! Say hello to the Haserot Angel for me… and let’s all hope she doesn’t say hello back.

❤ Abbie

Wandering Wednesday: The Myrtles, St. Francisville, LA

Hey everyone and happy Wandering Wednesday! Today is the very first of our spooky locations to explore for October! We will be visiting the quaint town of St.Francisville, Louisiana! I absolutely love St.Francisville! And not only because I got married there! It’s quite, beautiful, and all around adorable. And did I mention that it has 8 plantation homes within a 20 mile radius?!?! Each plantation is unique, but one stands out from the rest…. The Myrtles Plantation. The Myrtles Plantation has been around since 1796. Yes, you read that correctly. 1796. And unfortunately the beautiful plantation has seen it’s share of heartache. It’s no wonder that the Myrtles has been deemed as one of America’s most haunted houses! So get ready for some spooky story-telling, because this one’s a doozy.

The house is said to have had at least 10 murders in it. This may or may not be accurate, but the house is definitely creepy! They offer ghost tours of the plantation and tell some of the supposed grizzly happenings. The ghost that most people have heard about relating to the Myrtles is of a slave named Chloe. Legend has it that one day she lost favor with the master of the house after she was caught listening in on a private conversation. As punishment her master cut off her ear. She was so distraught that she sought revenge. She supposedly poisoned a birthday cake of  the daughter of the house, and wished only to make them sick. But she put too much poison in the cake which killed all of the children and the master’s wife. Chloe was hanged for killing the wife and children. Chloe is said to haunt the grounds to this day. They even have an eerie picture that is said to be the ghost of Chloe.

Now in the story, the wife and two children have died. It is said that their handprints and faces can be seen occasionally in the mirror in the hallway. The owners have supposedly taken the mirror down several times to be cleaned but the handprints remain.

They also say that a judge was shot and killed on the porch. They often see a man dressed in 1800s attire standing looking out on the balcony.

As if all this weren’t scary enough, you can actually stay at the plantation! They will tell you stories of ghostly happenings that occur in the rooms. They’ve heard everything from civil war soldiers stealing your shoes to a dead voodoo priestess staring down at you from the ceiling.  Yeah. Good luck with that.

If you ever get the chance to visit the Myrtles I highly suggest it. If you’re not into spooky stuff they do historical tours and house tours during the day. The house is a beautiful historical landmark and should definitely be at the top your list of places to see in St.Francisville!

And if you take a ghost tour or even dare to stay the night, be careful you don’t get stuck with the ghosts!

Happy wandering!

❤ Abbie