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With Halloween on the horizon, we’ve got out our maps and found the scariest place names across the world. From Tombstone to Phantom’s Cleugh, there are plenty of frightening places to discover!
Phantom’s Cleugh, Midlothian, Scotland
The area’s unusual name is supposedly due to a mysterious, ghostly workman called The Phantom, who some have seen working on this popular route. The valley is visited by walkers, horse riders and mountain bikers keen to explore the Pentland Hills. One All Trails review says: “Perfect route, the landscape is spectacular.” By day, it’s a picturesque path through the Pentlands, but we’re not sure we’d want to visit at night…
Tombstone, Arizona, USA
Tombstone calls itself “The Town Too Tough To Die” due to its survival against the odds, since the 1870s. Established by prospector Ed Schieffelin, it was supposedly named Tombstone after someone told Ed – who went there to find precious minerals – that all he’d find would be his tombstone, yet he struck silver. The Wild West town is a National Historic Landmark District and its unique history is something it celebrates, with silver mine tours, gun fight reenactments and bull riding. Deadly gunfire fights between law enforcement and outlaws may be a thing of the past here, but they’re still hauntingly present today. Take a ghost tour through the city, like ‘Ghosts and Gunslingers of the Wild West’ and step back in time to its frightening days as a frontier town.
Spirits Bay, North Island, New Zealand
It’s no surprise that Spirits Bay is reported to have ghostly goings on. It’s a sacred spot in local Māori culture, where spirits depart this world to reach the afterlife. The tranquil bay is blessed with aquamarine waters and a white sandy beach. New Zealand’s Department of Conservation mentions that Spirits Bay is on the Te Paki Coastal Track, a “stunning” four to five day’s walk along the region’s coastline.
The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan
The scariest spot in our write up is undoubtedly the Door to Hell, a real-life crater of flames in Turkmenistan’s Karakum Desert. Bizarrely, this fiery spectacle is man made. Although its exact origins are unclear, many say back in 1971 geologists drilling in the area accidentally hit a methane chamber, causing the ground to collapse and form an enormous crater. They decided to quickly burn the toxic gas off, but over fifty years later the fire is still going, its flames feeding off a large methane supply. Adventurous tourists flock here to peer (from behind a fence!) into its fiery depths, which plunge at least 20 metres deep. Its dancing flames are finally starting to dim, so catch it while you can if you fancy a visit to Turkmenistan.
Hell, Cayman Islands
This version of Hell really does look quite Hell-ish. The tourist attraction is a stark landscape of sharp black rocks, thought to be formed millions of years ago and eroded into unusual formations over time. It really does lean into its underworld theme, being on Hell Road, boasting a ghoulish statue and having graffiti showing the flames of Hell. The Devil’s Hangout Gift Shop is worth a visit too. One Tripadvisor review says: “We shopped in the gift shop and sent our family a postcard from Hell!”
The Devil’s Punchbowl, Surrey, England
Legend says the Devil’s Punchbowl was formed when the Devil picked up an enormous handful of earth to throw at the God of Thunder, Thor, to annoy him, creating an huge basin in the ground. The National Trust calls it “a natural amphitheatre and the largest spring-formed feature in Britain”, with slopes covered in heath, small streams and woodland. Enjoy a stunning stroll through the Devil’s Punchbowl, then stop at the café or bookshop for a browse after. Add a touch of terror to your visit this month, with a free Halloween-themed guided walk, featuring myths and spooky stories from the area.
Image credits:
Xiang Gao on Unsplash
Ybrayym Esenov on Unsplash
James Lee on Unsplash
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