My First Paranormal Experience

Edinburgh’s underground vaults are frequently associated with reported paranormal experiences and guided historical tours.

When you meet a paranormal investigator, the one thing we all have in common is “THE story.” What do I mean by “THE story”? It’s our origin tale — the moment that sparked our interest in seeking out the truth behind paranormal activity.

For me, that moment came when I was 10 years old. My father, who was an archaeologist, took me with him to a conference in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Edinburgh is a gorgeous city, with old ruins seamlessly integrated into modern charm. Because of its age and its checkered history, Edinburgh is also notorious for something else — paranormal activity.

With a self-proclaimed title as one of the most haunted cities in Europe, Edinburgh is filled with ghost tours that fuel the local economy. One night, my father asked if I wanted to go on one, which I excitedly agreed to. For me, this was my first exposure to a topic I was completely unfamiliar with.

My First Paranormal Experience in Edinburgh

As we walked toward the meeting point, I could feel my heart racing. At that age, the prospect of facing something unknown was unsettling, and I was a shy kid.

We followed the tour guide down the street as she described different hotspots and shared stories of reported activity. At the end of the street, we arrived at our true destination — the now abandoned underground market. Armed with flashlights, we slowly descended down a narrow spiral staircase into a pitch-black underground space. My heart was beating out of my chest at this point.

As we carefully moved through the old marketplace, we stopped in a wide, open area, and our tour guide instructed us to turn off our flashlights. After a few moments, my eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and for some reason, I felt drawn to look behind me.

When I turned, I saw a solid ball of light moving in a controlled motion before it suddenly disappeared. I quickly turned to my father to tell him what I had seen — and he was already turned around, just as shocked as I was. No one else in the group had reacted.

Was it paranormal? Who knows. But I do know that my first paranormal experience launched me into a lifelong search for answers and pushed me to examine these experiences with a discerning, scientific eye.