7 seriously spooky places to go in Cornwall

Many adults fondly remember the camping holidays of their youth for the evenings spent around the campfire scaring each other with spooky stories! Whether you are a serious ghost hunter or just like to be spooked every now and then, checking out haunted or mysterious places is fun. In this article you’ll discover a selection of the spookiest places to go in Cornwall – and maybe even find a ghost or two!

Beastly Bodmin

1 Bodmin Moor

There are many spooky legends and stories that haunt the atmospheric moor of Bodmin. The Beast of Bodmin is a hugely famous local mystery. As long as living memory, people have reported sightings of a huge black panther-like creature stalking through the landscapes of Bodmin. Most likely tied in to legends of big cats being released into the wild, there have been reports of slaughtered animals, footprints, and even a mysterious skull has been found.

2 Bodmin Jail

Bodmin Jail housed hundreds of prisoners since it was built in 1779 under the reign of King George III. Nowadays it stands as a fascinating museum, where you can see the cold dark cells where the prisoners spent their days. There is definitely a strange and eerie atmosphere in the rooms and the setting is bleak. Jail visits cost £10 per adult and £7.50 per child (5-15).

3 Jamaica Inn

Staying in the Bodmin area, you can also visit the coaching house that featured in the novel by Daphne Du Maurier. Believed to have once been a stop for smugglers of rum, the Jamaica Inn still features beamed ceilings and cobbled courtyards. It is also believed to feature a number of resident ghosts, including a murdered smuggler and a malevolent highwayman!

Creepy Castles

4 Pendennis Castle

The huge fortress of Pendennis Castle near Falmouth is considered to be one of the most haunted properties in Cornwall. Built by Henry VIII, there are centuries of gruesome battle history here, from the Tudor times to the Second World War. The castle offers ghost walks at certain times of year (Halloween!), where you can see off-limits areas of the castle while keeping an eye out for spooky apparitions! Tickets cost £6.70 for adults, £4 for children, or £11.40 for a family.

5 Pengersick Castle

Pengersick Castle is considered to be one of the most haunted buildings in the UK and the site has evidence of nearly five thousand years of human history. There are many mysterious legends surrounding the Pengersick family, often involving murder and bad deeds! There is said to be more than 20 separate ‘presences’ at the castle, including a ghostly roaming black-robed monk. Evening ghost walks are run here on a regular basis, with information about the history of the castle given alongside spooky tales of spirit sightings.

Scary Sites

6 Kennall Vale

The peaceful valley of Kennell Vale is filled with trees, moss and the beautiful River Kennall. But it has a much less peaceful past! In the 1800s the area was used to produce gunpowder in mills, many of which still stand today. It was dangerous work and in one event in 1838 five mills blew up in succession! The empty stone buildings and ruins provide a haunting and eerie edge to a tranquil piece of nature.

7 Carn Kenidjack

Near Land’s End there is a strangely shaped rock formation known as Carn Kenidjack. It is known for the spooky feeling visitors get, a feeling which has sparked many a spooky tale. One legend supposes that two miners walking home one night were taken by the devil to watch a wrestling match between two terrifying demons! it’s a fascinating tale - and a spooky and atmospheric place to visit.

This concludes our tale of the spookiest places to visit in Cornwall… We hope you have a chilling time visiting these haunted places!