Paranormal Trip: Edinburgh Nov 2006

6th

Ok people have talked in the past with a couple of you about possibly popping over to Edinburgh for a spooky weekend. Here it is:

Flying from Dublin to Edinburgh on the morning of Saturday 18th November and fly back on the morning of Monday 20th November.

Now I know people will think straight off a few things:

a) I aint getting on no plane with people i've never met.

b) Pricey, its coming up to christmas.

c) take a day of work for the monday?

And i'd say:

a) sure we can sort out drinks before the date arrives

b) flights for those dates work out at the moment as about €22 return. For accommodation we could aways book hostels where we'll all be in one room, or guys in one, girls in another. Sure its gonna still cost more than going to a castle over here, everything we do over there will cost us.

c) its only 1 day and i will guarantee a good time to anyone who comes along.


Now no plans have been made for this yet but as soon as i know whos interested i can look into what we can do and book flights. I wont be expecting more than 5 or 6 people so i wont organise an investigation, we'll either go along on a walking tour (preferably the Grey Friars one) or i might contact a group over there and see if we can join in on something.

Well what do people think? Obviously i'll need to book before we lose those great prices on the flights.

6th

Oh and a drive up to Lochness on sunday morning might be nice, doesnt take too long

stevenmu

Count me in.

6th

Grand so, those dates suit? If i get more than 5 people i might look at getting in touch with some people and charming them into giving us a couple of hours in the Vaults on our own after tours have ended for the night.

6th

Ok bit more digging on this:

Private Hostel Accommodation: 6 bed room = under €50 for 2 nights.

So thats gonna be about €75 for flights & Accommodation, no one can say thats bad for a trip to edinburgh!

stevenmu

That sounds pretty good. I'm sure hiring a car/mpv for the day to go visit nessie wouldn't be much either.

The dates look good to me too, it's my birthday on the 19th, and spending it in Edinburgh with ye lot filling me full of drink sounds like fun.

6th

Perfect! we can dump you in the Loch

Anyway there are lots of buses up to the loch so if we all want a drink no one needs to drive.

Mind you its loooking like just a romantic weekend for us two :eek:

stevenmu

If I didn't know better I'd think you planned it like that :eek:


Still, it is almost 3 months away and you only put up the idea 2 hours ago...

6th

stevenmu wrote:

If I didn't know better I'd think you planned it like that :eek:

Thats SLANDER!!!!! .... wait is it still slander if its true?

stevenmu wrote:

Still, it is almost 3 months away and you only put up the idea 2 hours ago...

I'm asking too much aren't I?

Anyway if we want good prices it will have to be booked in the next *3 weeks.


*i'm making up that time scale as i dont have a clue, hopefully people buy it.

stormkeeper

I'm up for it. I'll keep that weekend open, though I may have to leave somewhat early to get back to London, but we shall see. May fly over there, depending on how long each option takes...

stevenmu

6th wrote:

Thats SLANDER!!!!! .... wait is it still slander if its true?

It's only slander if it would demean your reputation in the eyes of reasonable people and ... wel, you see where this is going



Just looking at the prices again, the two nights in Edinburgh works out cheaper than two nights in Ross or Charleville would, bargain if I ever saw one.

6th

Yeah well heres hoping more people get interested.

Stoner

sounds good, however taking the follwoign mondays off is a no no for me 23 oct, 6nov,20 nov, 4 dec, 18 dec.

So I guess thats rules me out , if it happens to fall on another date for some reason then I'd like to go too please.

scojones

Count me out. It clashes with the galway and dublin beers!

Riamfada

count me in

6th

Excellent, got your pm Grimes and sure why not!

So at the mo its 6th, Stevenmu, Grimes & Kennett.

Its early days but ideally i'd like to have 6 or 8 people.

monkeyfudge

I let you know for sure the week after next.

I'm too depressed at the moment to make any plans for the future, but I should be feeling better once I have Budapest out of the way.

6th

Well I can see an award winning documentary coming out of this trip!

tj-music.com

Sounds tempting! Have to check closer to the time as I am only on a CE scheme financially and I travel quite often which doesn´t help my finances.

Having said that I still think it is a great idea.

stormkeeper

Right, I just checked the train prices to Edinburgh (Waverly) for these dates... the train ride'll take me about 5 hours, as I haven't the luxury of flying in, (unless I see if someone else other than Ryanair fly there!), but I can get 2 singles at 12.50 each, meaning the trip in theory will cost me 25 quid. However, I'm unsure of the accommodation arrangements, so I need to get them checked out too, as well as plotting a proper journey from where I'll be, as I only did "London". Coincidentally, I need to find the nearest station to you lot as well, so I know where the best place to meet up is, but we can sort that out later, just like me booking the tickets can be sorted out later too.

6th

Waiverly station is the best (if not only) station to go into in edinburgh.

Accommodation is sorted its a hostel where we'll have a 6 or 8 bed room depending. Meeting is no problem as i know edinburgh very well.

6th

Ok so at the moment its:

6th
stevenmu
kennett
Grimes
stoner
monkeyfudge (possibly)

Thats not bad, i've a couple more to ask and hope to book flights in a couple of weeks when monkeyfudge gets back from selling weapons to children in budapest.

stormkeeper

6th wrote:

Waiverly station is the best (if not only) station to go into in edinburgh.

That's cool. I'll begin to set plans in motion for this then. Coincidentally, there is one other station in Edinburgh, only ye have to go by Waverly anyhow, so...

Accommodation is sorted its a hostel where we'll have a 6 or 8 bed room depending. Meeting is no problem as i know edinburgh very well.

Good stuff. I think you have my UK number, right? I'll ring ye if I were to get lost. Also, lemme know how much I owe you for the accommodation.

monkeyfudge

Okay... okay.. I'm in... should we start booking flights?

6th

Yep we should, I'll check out the times after lunch and post an update!

So at the moment its 6th, stevenmu, monkeyfudge, Grimes and Stoner (for some of it) with kennett coming up from london?

stormkeeper

6th wrote:

kennett coming up from london?

Yep. I'll need to be booking mine pretty soonish, after I have the money to do so.

6th

Ok the cost of a return flight is currently €42.55 incl taxes.

I would choose to fly out on the 18th November departing at 13.00 and to take an early flight back on Monday morning departing at 08.00.

Anyone care to join me?

6th

Just booked my flight @ €64.05. I'm checking a bag in and they charge for that!!

6th

Hostel is booked, its about €200 for the two night between 6 of us.
http://www.edinburghhostels.com/ccth.html

Stoner

I'm coming home on the Sunday,

these are my options
leave edinburgh at
16:45
21:30
22.05

What's the plan for Sunday? if possible can we do the walk thing on the Saturday night, if its not possible i understand

6th

We'll do the walk on saturday night, then a few drinks. Sunday morning up to see Nessi so flying home at 21.30 will give you time to enjoy the day and you wont get home too late?

Stoner

great, Im booked in, ryan air our and AL back

monkeyfudge

I'll book my flights tomorrow once I can lay my hands on my credit card...

stormkeeper

I'll book my ticket when I'm back at uni

6th

Ok so who is booked for this and who's going?

There is a 6 bed mixed dorm book, its aprivate room so no need to worry about sharing with people we dont know. If any of the ladies want to come along thats fine, if you arent comfortable with the sleeping arrangements I can get a 4 bed girls room or you can make alternative arrangements.

stormkeeper

I'm definately up for it, though I'll need some time to book the ticket, and sort the money out!

Stoner

I'm booked , but I have to be in the airport for 14:00 as I forgot about going to the BOSS on sunday night, at the end of the day there's only one Boss.

6th

Andy, Grimes .... you guys doing this?

stormkeeper

6th wrote:

Andy, Grimes .... you guys doing this?

For sure. Need to book my train ticket soon though.

Greetings from the lovely East Greenwich by the way.

6th

Ok well here's a little something to wet the whistle - its an article about the place we are doing the tour on the Saturday night:

The Mackenzie poltergeist

THE Mackenzie Poltergeist has been called the most well-documented paranormal phenomenon in the world. Hundreds of people claim to have encountered the unpleasant spirit, said to be the ghost of Sir George Mackenzie, otherwise known as Bluidy Mackenzie, persecutor of the Covenanters.

Mackenzie's tomb stands in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh and, when a homeless person broke open his stone coffin as a bed for the night in 1999, many believe it triggered a whole series of unusual disturbances. Yet, even before this, the poltergeist was leaving his mark on visitors to the derelict vaults under South Bridge.

Scores of people on ghost tours in the vaults reported being scratched, pushed and trampled. One 11-year-old boy was said to have come out of the tour with long bloody scratches down his arm, while many visitors have suddenly felt cold and scores have fainted.

Unpleasant happenings became so common that organisers of the tours even took to offering a full refund to visitors who had been spooked.

After Mackenzie's tomb was cracked open, there were said to be numerous incidents in Greyfriars Kirkyard and many believed the malevolent spirit of Bluidy Mackenzie was to blame. Psychic investigators and television cameras arrived in droves, but nothing seemed to stem the attacks.

In 2003, the house of the organiser of the ghost tours caught fire and all the papers he had collected about Bluidy Mackenzie were destroyed.

People who had been on the graveyard tours emerged with scratches and broken fingers, scores collapsed and some claimed members of their family had gone mad after visiting the churchyard.

Eventually, Edinburgh City Council sealed up George Mackenzie's grave and the churchyard tours were cancelled, but reports of strange happenings continued. To date there have been more than 450 documented attacks, at least 140 people have collapsed - and there have even been suggestions that the spirit may be responsible for a death.

In 2000, an Edinburgh psychic and spiritualist medium, Colin Grant, attempted an exorcism in the churchyard. He said he was picking up "evil forces" and refused to enter the graveyard without a bible and a cross.

Grant told his family the churchyard was home to 200 unhappy spirits, believed to be the covenanters who had been held there and starved to death.

He said there was "more to be done at Greyfriars", but two months later the 66-year-old psychic died suddenly of a massive heart attack.

stormkeeper

Can this be made a sticky?

It really shouldn't be on the second page!

6th

Doesnt need to be a sticky, just subscribe to the thread if you need to find it.

However I would like "certain" people to get off their asses and book flight!

Riamfada

I had forgotten about this all together. I presume that was aimed at me. Luckily I just found this thread or a quick PM, had to scroll through it to see where I said Id go . Ill book my flight at the weekend when I can get a credit card.

6th

Grimes wrote:

I had forgotten about this all together. I presume that was aimed at me. Luckily I just found this thread or a quick PM, had to scroll through it to see where I said Id go . Ill book my flight at the weekend when I can get a credit card.

Actually it was aimed at Steven, Ladybirdirl and monkeyfudge too!

stormkeeper

6th wrote:

Doesnt need to be a sticky, just subscribe to the thread if you need to find it.

However I would like "certain" people to get off their asses and book flight!

i had to rummage around for the thread because I'm pondering whether to book a flight, or endure a 6 hour train journey there. So far, the flight (which is more expensive) is winning. I will attempt to book it within the next week or two.

Riamfada

Is it possible to sail with car?

6th

Well we were going to hire a car when we get there between us coz we plan on going up to Loch Ness on Sunday morning?

stormkeeper

So what time are you guys arriving in Edinburgh at?

And when are you leaving? I want to have this planned to the minute, as I have classes on Monday (to my knowledge).

tk123

i can't wait to here your reports on this!! I was watching one of those hoilday swap shows and the ghost hunting family took the chav family here - the chav kids flipped out on the tour and had to be taken out then they quit the show and went home!

6th

Anyone else book this or do I need to dish out some slaps?

stormkeeper

I'm still mulling over stuff... like what way is best to travel... train or plane?

Edit: What time are you lot arriving at? I can make my flight cheaper if I get there at a certain time... need to find out what time is acceptable to arrive at.