Our founder (and general nuisance) Robin Mitchell is to appear on the TV show Four Rooms (Channel 4) on Wednesday 25th April 2012 at 8pm.

Robin will be attempting to sell a wallet made out of the skin of notorious Edinburgh bodysnatcher, William Burke. A wallet he originally bought at auction in August 1988.

Four Rooms is a series in which people who believe they have a valuable artefact get a chance to sell it to four of the country’s leading dealers. But, once they turn down an offer, there’s no going back.

It looks like Channel 4 will have episode 6 available to view online HERE for a some time after the show airs.

We have just taken delivery to the shop of two new gargoyles, Lumpy and Grott.

Lumpy (13.99) is the gargoyle holding the book and Grott (15.99) is the gargoyle sitting on the books (which is also a small trinket box).

The Gargoyles are only available in the shop, not online.

Our shop, The Cadies & Witchery Tours, is locate at 84 West Bow (Victoria Street), Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 2HH. We are open from when we get in to when we go home.

The Scottish actor James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class, Atonement, The Last King of Scotland) was recently filming outside the Cadies & Witchery Tours Shop at West Bow, Edinburgh. During one of the takes, he tripped over our pavement A-Board. I am guessing that this will not reach the final cut (although reading about the character McAvoy plays in the film, it just might).

McAvoy was filming Filth, a movie based on a novel by Irvine Welsh (Trainspotting). McAvoy plays Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson, an Edinburgh policeman who manipulates and hallucinates his way through the festive season in a bid to secure promotion and win back his wife and daughter. Sounds cheery.

Filth, which also stars Jamie Bell, Joanne Froggatt, Eddie Marsan, Jim Broadbent and Imogen Poots, is due for release later in 2012.

One of the features of any Witchery Tour is the activity of the famous (or infamous) ‘Jumper Ooter’. It is a name (and regular job) we created in 1984 on our first ever Witchery Tour.

Since that first dark misty night 27 years ago, the ‘Jumper Ooter’ has donned a number of different guises and jumped oot (out) on our groups around the old town of Edinburgh.

We’re often asked about our Jumper Ooter. Well to help answer this frequent query we have compiled a little video originally named JUMPER OOTER.

Adam Lyal (deceased) can now be seen on YouTube.

Having spent many years worried about NOT COMING OUT ON FILM, Mr Lyal is happy announce that this was just an old wives tale.

If your planning to come on a Witchery Tour, it may be wise to check out the following videos on YouTube before booking.

JUMPER OOTER and GHOST CAUGHT ON CAMERA

Also check out a former Adam Lyal (deceased), actor Kevin McKidd (Rome, Trainspotting, Greys Anatomy) in this clip Kevin McKidd leads Edinburgh’s Witchery Tour.

We would like to wish all our customers past, present and future a very Happy Hogmanay and Happy New Year!

For all things current about the tours with regular updates, please check out our FACEBOOK and TWITTER pages.

The Witchery Tours run all year, although the starting times of the trips can vary. We take advance bookings to avoid our groups getting too big.

You can BOOK ONLINE or if you prefer we also still operate the ancient art of ‘telephoning’ – (0131) 225 6745.

Our ghosts are very much looking forward to 2012. We hope you are too!

Even in the world of ghosts and phantoms, the choice of Christmas presents for fellow ghouls can be tricky. For example, our head ghost Adam Lyal (deceased), is a notoriously difficult character to buy a present for. Thankfully our present to him last year of a 1829 replica newspaper covering the gruesome case of the ‘bodysnatchers’ Burke and Hare was well received.

On the other hand, our Assistant Head Ghost, Alexander Clapperton (also deceased), was easier to buy for and was much taken by his Mad Monk of the Cowgate T-shirt while the Mad Monk of the Cowgate himself was happy with an orange in his sock (clearly he’s old school).

What else? I would suggest a Witchery Tours Gift Voucher, an Enchantment Notebook or perhaps an Adam Lyal DVD.

If you are in Edinburgh you are most welcome to drop into our shop at 84 West Bow, Victoria Street, EH1 2HH. Opening times are Monday to Saturday from when we get in to when we leave and Sunday is pretty much the same. We are open 7 days a week (our ghosts rest on the 8th day). If you’re not passing by our shop, you can of course order on line.

Best Witches of the season . . .

Halloween Looms . . . and I’m not talking about October weaving, I’m talking about a very busy time for all my fellow ghosts and phantoms at Edinburgh’s Witchery Tours. So it is advisable to book early to ensure disappointment . . . I mean avoid disappointment . . . I always get that mixed up.

The whole of Halloween weekend is very (very) busy, so you need to start booking sooner rather than later. Click HERE to book online or call us on (0131) 225 6745.

My ghostly friends have made a big attempt to integrate with the 21st Century by opening accounts with TWITTER and FACEBOOK. You can follow our goulash updates . . . I mean ghoulish updates by clicking on something or other. . . . I always get mixed up with that.

Good witches,
Adam Lyal (deceased)

Local artist Katherine Jones has given The Cadies & Witchery Tours spooks a light-hearted makeover with a range of delightful card designs.

The Murder & Mystery Tour collection
Adam Lyal (deceased)
Agnes Fynnie
William Burke (skeleton)
The Mad Monk

The Ghosts & Gore Tour collection
Alexander Clapperton
Foule Clenger
Beggar
Highlander

For more details please click here.

What’s Under The Kilt? is a colourful book providing a flavour of Scotland through the humorous eyes of the world’s worst tourist guide – Robin Mitchell. The book touches on ten topics stereotypically associated with the Scots: being mean, ancestral research, the weather, kilts and tartan, bagpipes, language, whisky, football (and pubs), haggis and the Loch Ness Monster.

The lively text is complemented by cheeky and often surreal photographs to create a unique guidebook to Scotland – a must for all visitors, locals, travelling salesmen, nuns, plumbers, lawyers and polymer engineers.

‘This is the best guidebook Scotland has ever seen apart from the last guidebook I saw’ – Des Dillon (writer & film-maker).

Purchase your copy here.