Camping at Schmidtburg Castle (Kat Nickola)
Take ghost stories to the next level by telling them around the campfire at a crumbling castle ruin. These three places are fun to explore during the day but can seem genuinely eerie when staying overnight in a tent.
Go prepared! Bring the appropriate camping gear, food and clothing to be equipped for any weather or medical emergency. These locations are far from facilities but may bring you nearer to the spirit of these derelict vestiges from the Middle Ages.
Ardvreck Castle, Scotland
Crumbling on a little promontory at Loch Assynt in the Highlands of Scotland, Ardvreck Castle’s story began in 1490. It was built by members of clan MacLeod as a new seat of power. History takes a murky turn, however, when financial troubles prevented the castle’s completion. Allegedly, the chief made a pact with the devil who would finish the castle in three days in exchange for marrying the chief’s daughter Eimhir. After it was built, however, Eimhir jumped off the castle tower into the loch, turning into a mermaid to escape the devil. Supposedly, her tail splashing and weeping is still heard across the loch today. You can setup a tent for wild camping along the haunted shores of Loch Assynt near to the castle ruins. Read about the responsible use of the wild places in Scotland at outdooraccess-scotland.scot.
Schmidtburg Castle, Germany
Uniquely situated on a clifftop surrounded by higher hills, the castle at Schmidtburg has a violent family history. It is said to have been built in 926 by the noble Wildgrave family and was caught in the middle of numerous feuds. The castle was attacked and rebuilt over the ages by fighting family members until its deterioration during the 16th century and final destruction by the French in 1688. Notorious German criminal Johannes Bückler used the ruins in 1802 as a hideout before being captured and taken to Mainz for a lengthy interrogation, trial and execution by guillotine. The castle is resonantly peaceful nowadays and is bookable as a trekking camp, roughly 2km from the trailhead, within the Soonwald-Nahe Nature Park at soonwaldsteig.de/en.
Piel Castle, England
At just 50 acres, tiny Piel Island has a history as deep as the harbor it guards. Home to a Cistercian abbey in the 12th century, the island became known for its lucrative smuggling operations. The castle was built in 1327 to help protect the monks from both pirates and the prying eyes of customs officials as they illegally shipped and sold tax-free wool to the continent. The abbey and castle were left to ruin after Henry VIII’s 1537 dissolution of the monasteries. Nowadays, you can camp at this unique island castle; check-in at the small pub whose owner is considered the King of Piel. Perhaps you’ll see the mysterious lamp-wielding figure said to help guide ships from the tower windows. Access the island via the small Piel Island Ferry (www.facebook.com/Pielislandferry) or by cautiously avoiding quicksand on the 2km walk across the tidal flats at low tide from Snab Point on Walney Island.
