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I'd imagine while you walk through Edinburgh's historic Greyfriars cemetery, you're unlikely to be thinking about the Royal Albert Hall in London and a type of cement named after a British army major's daughter. Well, thanks to our resident genealogist, known in-house by the nom de guerre Cousin David, we have a connection to both.
Having conducted outdoor ghostly themed walking tours in Edinburgh for over 40 years we've encountered a number of unusual incidents which we'd like to share with you. Some of those incidents may be described as co-incidental while others verge on the unexplained.
Do you ever tell someone a funny story and their response is ... a little below what you hoped? An anecdote going down like a lead balloon often initiates the phrase, "You had to be there". This blog may have to end with those words, as it contains anecdotes relating to our evening ghostly walking tours with "jumper-ooters". We think the stories are amusing, but you'll need to be the judge of that.
Continuing our 40th anniversary retrospective series. In Part 1, Robin Mitchell recalled meeting co-founder Colin Macphail and their first steps as a fledgling tour enterprise. In this next instalment, Robin recounts the business's coming of age, and how The Cadies came to add "... & Witchery Tours".
February 2024 marked 40 years of our wee business - The Cadies. In the first of a three-part series, co-founder Robin Mitchell recounts the genesis and early days of the business.
Having created and launched our walking tours (The Cadies) in Edinburgh 40 years ago in 1984, we participated in two small business competitions sponsored by BP and Shell, becoming runners-up in the Shell Livewire competition. Our success was spotted by the BBC, who invited us to appear on the topical TV show Pebble Mill at One.
Thursday 7th of September 2023 marks exactly 35 years to the day since we purchased at auction a small calling-card case made out of the skin of the notorious "body-snatcher" William Burke.
The 17th of February 2023 marks 20 years' trading from our wee shop at 84 West Bow (Victoria Street) in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town. We entered our new lair after searching high and low for several months, seeking a suitable ghostly abode. Of course, our walking tours had been operating since February 1984, but prior to securing access to our permanent base, we were housed in a variety of temporary old town spaces. How time flies when you're having fun, as the over-used homily has it.
While conducting our afternoon walking tours around Greyfriars Cemetery, we have noticed an intriguing new local ritual unfolding before our very eyes. According to a certain Tour Guide (who will remain nameless), it is good luck to "slap the bum tree". A number of tour groups are now pausing at this tree, situated near the Flodden Wall, whereupon the Tour Guide encourages guests to slap the tree three times for good luck. This may sound completely nutty; however, perhaps we do not need to look far beyond the gates of the Kirkyard for clues as to the inspiration of this new custom.
