Skipton Ghost Walking Tour: Medieval Streets & Haunted Tales

Walk Skipton's haunted streets with a guide who knows every ghost story

A ghost walking tour of Skipton led by a live guide in character as the Butcher, starting at the castle gates and moving through the town's haunted pubs, churchyards, canal and yards. The tour covers Skipton's residents across centuries (kings, queens, knights, witches, peasants and butchers), and ends beneath a linden tree where honesty is compulsory. Suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Dogs and service animals welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore haunted Skipton streets

• Meet The Butcher by castle gates
• Hear tales of haunted castle family
• Visit infamous Church porch
• Discover spirits at haunted pub
• Walk along Thanet's Canal spotting ghostly lady
• Learn about witches and magical trees
• Explore Skipton's sheep-related history
• Discover Skipton's haunted yards
• Visit pub haunted by plagued soldiers
• End tour under linden tree with The Butcher

The experience

You meet your guide, the Butcher, by the castle gates, and from there she leads you through medieval Skipton's most haunted corners. The route takes in the infamously unfortunate church, Thanet's Canal where a drunken old lady and her dog are said to linger, the town's witches and their magical trees, and the yards where miserable dead residents still make their presence known. A pub allegedly haunted by plague soldiers gets its own stop, as does the castle itself, where a family's ghosts have never left. The whole thing runs about an hour.

What sets this apart from a standard history walk is the character work: the Butcher doesn't just tell you Skipton's stories, she inhabits them. The tour celebrates the full cast of the town's past, not just the famous names but the ordinary people who lived and died here. You'll learn why "skip" in old English means sheep (so Skipton could be Sheepton, but it isn't), and you'll hear about the linden trees where lying is supposedly forbidden. The guide ends the tour under one of those trees and asks for your honest review, expecting honesty in return.

The tour is built for mixed groups: young and old, residents and visitors, anyone who enjoys a good ghost story. Dogs are welcome, and if you're pushing a pram or stroller, that works too. Public transport gets you there, and the pace suits all fitness levels. This is the second ghost tour from Turnip Fish Theatre Company, the creators of the praised Otley Ghost Tour, so the format and the storytelling have been tested.

What’s included

• Live guide in character as the Butcher.
• all fees and taxes.
• stories covering the castle, church, canal, haunted pubs, witches and the town's yards across medieval Skipton.

Before you book

Days and timesSaturdayDepartures at 18:30 and 20:00

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (4 to 15 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 35

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Yorkshire Ghost Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a guide to lead you through Skipton's haunted sites and their stories in a fixed route, rather than wandering and choosing your own stops.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 15 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What's the story with the Butcher character who leads the tour?

The Butcher is your guide for the whole walk, and she's the one who tells you about the family haunting the castle and leads you through each stop. She stays in character throughout and ends by asking for your honest review under the linden tree.

Does the tour actually visit inside the castle, or just walk around outside?

The tour covers the castle and its haunted family as part of the route, but the itinerary focuses on the streets, pubs, churchyards and canal around it rather than interior access.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs about an hour, covering the castle gates, church, canal, witches' trees, yards and a haunted pub before ending under a linden tree in the town center.

Can I bring my dog on this tour?

Yes, dogs are welcome on the tour. Service animals are also allowed, and the pace and route suit all fitness levels.

Where exactly do we meet, and how do I get to Skipton?

You meet by the castle gates in Skipton town center. Public transportation options are available nearby if you're coming from outside the town.