Steeped in history, warfare, torture and ghosts, 13th-century Chillingham is said to be one of the country's most haunted places, with spectres from a phantom funeral to Lady Mary Berkeley seeking her errant husband. Owner Sir Humphry Wakefield has passionately restored the castle's extravagant medieval staterooms, stone-flagged banquet halls and grisly torture chambers. Chillingham is 6 miles southeast of Wooler. Bus 470 (four daily Monday to Saturday) between Alnwick (£3, 25 minutes) and Wooler (£3, 20 minutes) stops at Chillingham.
Dates for two-hour evening ghost tours (per person £20), some family-friendly, are listed on the website. Committed ghost hunters can undertake an all-night vigil (£60) overseen by the castle's dedicated paranormal team.
It's possible to stay at the medieval fortress in one of eight self-catering apartments (doubles from £100) where the likes of Henry III and Edward I once snoozed.
The grounds are home to some 100 Chillingham Wild Cattle, thought to be the last descendants of the aurochs that once roamed Britain until becoming all but extinct during the Bronze Age, making them one of the world's rarest breeds of any species. Tours lasting one hour are led by a park warden; wear sturdy shoes.
