Oxford, Cambridge, London and York are some of Britain’s oldest cities…and allegedly most haunted. This Halloween, a tourism expert says you can stay in bargain city centre university accommodation for the celebrations. Otherwise, there may not be a ghost of a chance of booking cheap rooms.
If you are planning on visiting somewhere atmospheric over Halloween, many of Britain’s oldest cities, including Oxford, Cambridge, London and York, have a fangtastic number of events planned. While accommodation in these popular areas can be expensive, there is good news for bargain haunters this year, says a leading tourism expert. Many universities have rooms available, even during term time, for the end of October and early November.
Lily Smith, a travel expert from the specialist accommodation finder UniversityRooms.com, says: ‘The price of traditional hotels in tourist areas can be, well, frightening around Halloween. That’s why it’s great news that a number of universities have rooms available over Halloween week. Visitors can have the (skeleton) keys to their own university rooms in many of Britain’s oldest and, reputedly, most haunted cities.
Oxford
‘From an evening with real bats to a Halloween rave to Ghost Fest at Oxford Castle and Prison, there’s an uncanny amount of events happening in this ancient city. With over 1,000 years of gruesome history, visitors to Oxford Castle can take guided tours (25-31 Oct), uncovering some of the most grisly tales of its inhabitants, some of whom are said to still roam the grounds. In November, Dr Ciaran O’Keeffe, from UK Living’s “Most Haunted”, is meeting visitors in the 900-year-old crypt to host a paranormal investigation and dinner.
‘Dead (if I may use the word) in the centre of Oxford is Wycliffe Hall College. With rooms from just £69 a night in the Victorian Gothic building, it’s a haunting bargain.
Cambridge
‘Not to be outdone by its rival university town, Cambridge is also offering many supernatural events. From a Halloween Scavenger Hunt in a Punt (26 Oct-3 Nov) to Creepy Cambridge ghost walks throughout October and November, there is a scary amount to enjoy. On the ghost walks, visitors meet the victims of horrific punishments, see a hangman’s house, visit one of the most haunted roads in England and hear the chilling tales of phantom Fellows and spooky scholars that haunt the city. Presumably ghostly students study Eekonomics?
‘Girton College is an ancient Grade 2* listed heritage building located to the northwest of the city centre. It offers rooms from £118.36 a night in its atmospheric buildings.
London
‘As well as nerve-wracking ghostly encounters at The London Dungeon and Hampton Court Palace, both of which have a number of events planned, the London Month of the Dead’s annual programme returns this year. There are tours and talks that will take you inside cemeteries and other eerie locations across the city, from Brompton Cemetery to Southwark, where brave souls can join the Bards, Bawds and Blood guided walk.
‘Goodenough College in Bloomsbury offers rooms from just £120 a night, which is spookily good value for central London.
York
‘York claims to be the “most haunted city in Europe”. From a Hallowscream scare house to York Dungeon, where you can meet Mary the Black Widow – Britain’s most notorious female serial killer – there is a wide variety of hair-raising events planned. These include Smash a Pumpkin in Lower Parliament Street, a petrifying ghost train journey in King’s Square (running from 18 Oct to 1 Nov) and a Magical Owl Trail among the stalls of the famous Shambles market (28 Oct to 3 Nov).
‘The great news is that visitors can stay at the student accommodation at Franklin House, 15 minutes from the centre of York, for just £80.40 a night over the Halloween weekend.
‘It doesn’t take an educated guess to realise that limited university term-time accommodation is likely to get booked up. For more information and to book your stay, see: https://www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/countries/GB