Bath has more than one ghost walk, and they're not all the same tour with a different name. The two main public options both start outside Bath Abbey in the evening, run in almost any weather, and mix real local history with costumed storytelling rather than actual ghost-hunting equipment.
If you've searched for Bath's ghost walk before, you may have landed on ghostwalksofbath.co.uk, long associated with the city's original evening ghost tour. As of this year that domain no longer hosts a working tour booking site, so don't rely on it. The two tours currently running and taking bookings are Bath Ghost Tours (run by Macabre Tours UK) and Scented Ghost Tours Bath. Both are worth knowing about before you pick one, especially if you're travelling with kids or a dog.
Bath Ghost Tours (Macabre Tours UK)
This is the tour listed directly on Visit Bath's own site as the city's main ghost tour, and it's the one with the longest track record of the two currently operating. It's built around audience participation, including a paranormal experiment near the end.
- Meeting point: outside the main door of Bath Abbey, Abbey Church Yard
- Start time: 8pm for public tours
- Duration: around 105 minutes
- Schedule: Wednesday to Sunday evenings from 1 March to late December, and seven nights a week between June and October
- Suitability: family-friendly, generally fine for children aged 6 or 7 and up, and well-behaved dogs are welcome
- Private tours: bookable most nights of the year at 6pm or 8.30pm for your own group
Prices are shown on Visit Bath's listing but are dated to a previous year at the time of writing, so check the current adult and child rates directly with the operator or on Visit Bath before you book. You can also call them directly on +44 (0)7377 724519.
Scented Ghost Tours Bath
A newer, smaller-scale tour that leans into an unusual gimmick: a scratch-and-sniff card timed to specific stories along the route, alongside the usual tales of Bath's hauntings.
- Meeting point: the front entrance of Bath Abbey, Abbey Church Yard, BA1 1LT
- Start time: 7pm
- Schedule: every evening, year round, January to December
- Price: £15 for adults, £7 for children, free for under 6s
- Ends near: Sally Lunn's tea room on North Parade Passage
- Dogs: well-behaved dogs are welcome
Book through the operator's own website for the best price, or turn up and pay if there's room, though spaces are limited so booking ahead is safer, especially in summer or around Halloween.
How the two tours compare
| Bath Ghost Tours (Macabre Tours) | Scented Ghost Tours Bath | |
|---|---|---|
| Start time | 8pm | 7pm |
| Meeting point | Bath Abbey main door | Bath Abbey front entrance |
| Roughly how long | About 105 minutes | About an hour, check on booking |
| Schedule | Wed-Sun (Mar-Dec), nightly Jun-Oct | Every night, year round |
| Dogs welcome | Yes | Yes |
| Gimmick | Paranormal experiment, audience participation | Scratch-and-sniff scent cards |
| Private group tours | Yes | Contact operator |
Is a Bath ghost walk actually worth doing?
If you like guided walking tours generally, yes. Both operators route you past genuine landmarks, Bath Abbey, Queen Square, the Theatre Royal, Victoria Park, the alleys around North Parade, so you get a decent evening walk around the historic centre even if you don't believe a word of the ghost stories. It's also one of the better options for things to do in Bath at night if you've already done the daytime sights.
The Theatre Royal itself has its own well-documented ghost story, the Grey Lady, which both tours tend to mention; our separate guide to Theatre Royal Bath's history and ghosts goes into that one in more depth if you want the background first. And if you'd rather explore Bath's history on foot without the theatrics, our guide to free vs paid guided walking tours covers the daytime alternatives.
Practical tips before you book
- Wear proper shoes. Both tours cover cobbled streets and uneven pavement in the dark.
- Tours run rain or shine, so bring something waterproof if the forecast looks damp.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Both operators ask you to check in before the start time, and latecomers risk missing the group.
- If you're nervous about scary content, ask beforehand. These are storytelling tours with theatrical jump-scares and dark historical detail (murders, hangings, plague pits), not full-on horror experiences, but they're not entirely tame either.
- Neither tour requires you to book Roman Baths or Thermae Bath Spa tickets first, they're independent activities you can add to any evening in the city.
FAQs
See below for the questions people ask most before booking a Bath ghost walk.