Ready for some spooky tourism?

Is the UK more haunted than any other spot on the planet? Or are British people just more ghost-friendly than everybody else? After all, they appear to be pretty sanguine about the periodic appearance of otherworldly creatures and the like. Either way, it's fun to speculate.

How many of these UK ghosts do you know about? Answer the multiple-choice questions.

1. What is said to happen at the former RAF base of Elsham Wolds, North Lincolnshire?
   
   • Phantom parachutists are heard to shout, 'Heil Hitler!'
   • Haunting music by Vera Lynn is heard.
   • Spectral ENSA members re-enact Charley's Aunt.
   • Ghost planes fly over the A15.
2. What is the ghost of a young boy doing in Arundel Castle?
   
   • Setting fire to it.
   • Singing a rude song about the Earl.
   • Scrubbing pots and pans.
   • Screaming.
3. What is said to happen to people who spend the night at 50 Berkeley Square in London?
   
   • They go mad.
   • They get rich.
   • They end up on reality TV.
   • They die of mysterious illnesses.
4. What is special about the A229 in Kent?
   
   • The roadbed moves at the full moon.
   • It has a phantom hitchhiker.
   • It's full of phantom horsemen.
   • It's closed on Sundays.
5. What weird phenomenon allegedly occurs with maddening frequency on Bold Street in Liverpool?
   
   • Ghostly parades.
   • Phantom air raids.
   • Mysterious fires.
   • Time slips.
6. In 1928, forty London policemen spent six hours looking for a ghost. Where had it appeared?
   
   • The Houses of Parliament.
   • Buckingham Palace.
   • The Old Bailey.
   • Nelson's Column.
7. What annoys the night watchman at the Opera House in Belfast?
   
   • A ghost that won't get off the stage.
   • Moving furniture.
   • The ghostly voice of Brendan Behan singing 'The Auld Triangle'.
   • Inexplicable smells.
8. How can you identify the distinctive ghost of Helen Gunn at Ackergill Tower in Scotland?
   
   • She's playing a bagpipe.
   • She's throwing oatcakes.
   • She has no head.
   • She's wearing a red ball gown.
9. Why has the stone flooring in Scotland's Castle Fraser been covered over with wood?
   
   • The museum director has dubious taste.
   • They wanted to muffle visitor footsteps, so as not to disturb the many ghosts.
   • The original flooring was made of wood, and this is a restoration.
   • They couldn't get the ancient bloodstains out, even with industrial strength cleaner.
10. What is interesting about the ghosts in Beaumans Castle, Anglesey?
    
    • They drink all the beer.
    • Their chanting has been caught on audiotape.
    • They only attack English people.
    • They only appear on St David's Day.
11. Why do some people associate the vanishing house of Rougham, Suffolk, with Doctor Who?
    
    • It only appears when the show is running.
    • It has a blue light on top.
    • Its appearance and disappearance is accompanied by loud noises.
    • It used to belong to Tom Baker.

Think you knew them all? Want to find out? Screw up your courage, and click the picture for answers.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

27.10.14 Front Page

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