With its cobbled streets and centuries-old buildings, Northern Ireland is home to some of the most haunted spots in the UK – perfect if you’re an avid ghost hunter or a keen explorer looking for a spooky adventure. But with Halloween just around the corner and with chilling stories beginning to creep up on us as nights loom, where are the most haunted areas in Northern Ireland?
Intrigued to find out more, UK holiday park provider Verdant Leisure conducted a spine-tingling study that involved analysing over 6,000 data points to conclude Northern Ireland’s most haunted areas, with Belfast ranking as the spookiest area to visit in Northern Ireland this Halloween and beyond.
Spine-tingling study crowns Belfast as the most haunted area in Northern Ireland
| Rank | Location | Overall spooky score |
| 1 | Belfast | 20,880 |
| 2 | Causeway Coast & Glens | 11,340 |
| 3 | Derry City and Strabane | 9,050 |
| 4 | Mid and East Antrim | 8,100 |
| 5 | Ards and North Down | 3,284 |
The study, conducted by UK holiday park operator Verdant Leisure, reveals that Belfast is the most haunted area to visit. Belfast is associated with several haunted buildings, including Crumlin Road Gaol, which has its very own ghost tour.
The Causeway Coast & Glens is the second most haunted area in Northern Ireland, a region with no shortage of haunted spots. In fact, in County Antrim, there are reports of a mysterious ‘grey lady’ who is said to haunt The Dark Hedges.
Derry City and Strabane also rank among Northern Ireland’s spookiest locations, known across Europe for their spectacular Halloween festival, a four-night bonanza of folklore and fireworks. The city is transformed with eerie decorations, lantern-lit parades, and performances. However, it’s not just during Halloween that paranormal activity comes to life. Budding ghost hunters can visit places like The Black Hall or participate in activities such as the Awakening the Walled City Trail.
Mid and East Antrim, Ards and North Down are also among Northern Ireland’s most haunted locations.
“Autumn’s a wonderful time to get away,” says Verdant Leisure CEO Mike Wilmot. Quieter than summer, and you get to enjoy the cosiness of the weather as it starts to change. And if you’re into the spooky side of things, our long and rich history of folklore in the UK offers up some amazing locations up and down the country to choose from.”
Methodology:
- UK holiday park operator Verdant Leisure analysed over 6,000 datapoints from the UK Haunted Locations Database and The Paranormal Database. A score has been applied to each location relative to its size and population.
- The full dataset can be found here.
- The full analysis of findings can be found here – https://www.verdantleisure.co.uk/our-journal/the-spookiest-places-you-can-visit/.
