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It doesn’t should be Halloween to benefit from the spooky facet of London – so for those who’re trying to uncover a number of the darker tales from the town’s previous, a ghost bus tour of London is the right technique to do it.
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Operating year-round, the London Ghost Bus Tour is a metropolis sightseeing tour with a distinction, with a midnight black double-decker Routemaster bus taking you across the capital, listening to spine-chilling tales of homicide and dying – plus a really giant serving to of gothic comedy on the facet.
If you happen to’re in search of an uncommon technique to spend a night in London with children, hoping to entertain bored teenagers or just fancy discovering a unique facet to the town, that is simply one among London’s quirkiest excursions – so right here’s all the pieces it’s good to know in my Ghost Bus Tour of London overview, with children and with out.
What’s the Ghost Bus Tour of London?
A haunted bus with its personal darkish historical past whisks you across the centre and metropolis of London, sharing tales of ghosts, homicide, bloodshed and dying alongside the way in which.
If you happen to’re anticipating a dry historic tour, you couldn’t be farther from the reality – our flamboyant conductor introduced the grisly tales to life, acquired passengers leaping from the get-go, and combined loads of jokes among the many info.
The route itself passes the Homes of Parliament, Downing Road and Whitehall, in addition to venturing into the Metropolis of London previous the Outdated Bailey, St Paul’s Cathedral, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, the Tower of London and throughout the river to Bankside.
Alongside the way in which, you’ll encounter well-known fiends equivalent to Sweeney Todd – and uncover the true story behind 186 Fleet Road, one among London’s most well-known ghost hoaxes, and the Crossbones Cemetery which proves that actual life could be far darker than fiction.
There’s judicial homicide, together with the ghosts that hang-out the positioning of previous Newgate Jail, and grisly tales of aristocratic executions on the Tower of London, plus a number of the nation’s most well-known hangings.
Alongside the way in which, in addition to passing a few of London’s most iconic landmarks, you’ll study medieval punishments, see the positioning the place a King was beheaded and the place a murderous Queen lies buried.
We heard tales of the Nice Fireplace of London, and realized why Londoners believed it was a punishment for gluttony, in addition to the passing a website that helped encourage Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.
Plus the spooky story behind the Necrobus itself… this necropolis bus was as soon as used as a funeral bus, it was the one one to outlive a devastating fireplace, it has its personal ghostly historical past – and maybe a mystical current (or might it simply be technical trickery?)
Some tales are genuinely haunting – a nurse whose bony hand nonetheless rests on her fellows’ shoulder to remind them to take care after by accident killing a affected person, a ghost in Theatreland noticed within the place the place a stabbed physique was later found, and tales of tube prepare drivers who’ve seen spectral girls strolling throughout the tracks.
To not point out an opportunity to see the capital all lit up at night time, to a soundtrack of axes clashing and the conductor prowling unexpectedly by means of the aisles.
If you happen to’re shivering in your seat studying this, concern not that is much more comedy horror than nightmare-inducing – it’s truly very humorous, theatrically over-the-top and there are as many laughs as chills courtesy of the actors concerned, the conductor particularly.
On a sensible be aware, it’s all cleverly arrange with TV screens at the back and front of the deck so you possibly can see what’s occurring with out having to show spherical, utilizing a number of the CCTV cameras on board.
The bus itself is among the basic Sixties routemasters, given a spooky makeover – the ornamental options embody lamps by a number of the home windows, purple velvet curtains and black and orange streamers on the ceiling throughout our tour simply earlier than Halloween.
The place does the London Ghost Bus Tour go to?
The Ghost Bus Tour route follows a loop by means of London – though very down-to-earth highway closures imply you would possibly find yourself taking a number of diversions.
From Northumberland Avenue, you’ll head down Whitehall to Parliament Sq. and Westminster Abbey earlier than returning to Trafalgar Sq. and heading alongside the Strand by means of Theatreland.
The route continues alongside Fleet Road and thru the Metropolis of London, with places together with St Paul’s and St Bartholomew’s, Pye Nook and the Outdated Bailey, Greyfriars and the Monument, over London Bridge to Southwark and again to the northern Embankment to complete the route.
That’s simply an outline, however suffice to say, you cowl a stunning quantity of London – geographically and its historical past – throughout your 75-minute tour.
How scary is the Ghost Bus Tour of London?
The bulk is extra ghoulishly enjoyable than terrifying, however it is a ghost tour in spite of everything, so there are positively a number of scary moments.
For starters, anticipate leap scares proper from the beginning – my husband was caught out as he was about to climb as much as the highest deck, and as a number of different passengers found, it pays to maintain your eyes on the conductor to keep away from a fright.
With out giving an excessive amount of away, you received’t solely discover ghostly tales from London’s previous when you’re on board – the ghost bus has its personal secrets and techniques…
With flickering lights and some genuinely unnerving moments (albeit pretty short-lived with loads of jokes to diffuse the strain), it’s pleasurably scary for adults and youths, however when you’ve got youthful children who’re vulnerable to nightmares, it may be one to postpone for a number of years…
Get a reduction on tickets for those who e book through Tiqets utilizing my hyperlink and the code MUMMYTRAVELS6
Is the London Ghost Bus appropriate for youths?
The quick reply is that it is determined by the age of the youngsters and the way simply unnerved they’re – the web site says it’s not appropriate for youths aged 1-5 though it’s right down to parental discretion, so youthful children can come on board at mother and father’ danger.
There have been a number of households on our London Ghost Bus tour, with all the children aged 10+, and whereas there have been a number of nervous moments (together with for the adults!), there was nothing too terrifying.
I positively wouldn’t attempt it with toddlers and youthful children as there are moments when it’s darkish and spooky, and delicate older children (7-12) may not benefit from the finish, however teenagers and people who take pleasure in being a bit scared will find it irresistible.
The conductor was good at selecting adults for the viewers interplay sections and the leap scares too.
The opposite level to keep in mind is that fairly aside from the tales of murders and dying, there’s a good quantity of risque content material – principally double entendres and different jokes which might most likely go over the heads of youthful passengers. However for those who don’t fancy explaining what a ‘woman of the night time’ is, it’s value figuring out prematurely!
There are additionally no bogs on the bus; once more, little downside for older ones when the entire expertise takes beneath 90 minutes although. There’s additionally no area for buggies/pushchairs.
If you happen to’re in search of different family-friendly bus excursions of London, try my choose of the most effective bus excursions with children
Suggestions for the London Ghost Bus Tour
It’s effectively value getting there early – you’re really helpful to show up round quarter-hour beforehand, however I’d counsel making it 20 or 25 minutes if you would like a great seat.
We arrived round 20 minutes early and there was already a queue; we ended up boarding virtually immediately, and by quarter-hour earlier than departure, the highest deck was virtually totally full.
It’s additionally value sitting on the left hand facet of the bus. There’s loads to see from either side, however from our place on the suitable hand facet, it felt like we had been being directed to look out of the alternative home windows loads.
You received’t miss out on both facet although, however in case you are early and have a alternative of seats, that will be my choose.
Some seats face backwards for those who or your children are vulnerable to journey illness. There are not any seatbelts, as with every normal bus in London, although we by no means felt unsafe.
There are additionally a number of departures per night time, so keep in mind that visitors will probably be worse for the sooner ones – you would possibly find yourself with extra time on the bus because of this, however you’ll even be sitting round much more.
When you’re suggested to permit 75 minutes, our 9pm tour was completed by round 10pm because the roads had been clear, however I’d anticipate a 6pm tour to be slower.
It’s additionally value contemplating what time sundown it: as our Ghost Bus Tour of London overview journey was in October, even the earliest departure was after darkish, however for those who’re visiting in summer time, early autumn or late spring, it’s possible you’ll want a later tour to see the town after darkish.
The Ghost Bus Tour of London: Have to know
The London Ghost Bus tour departs day by day from 8 Northumberland Avenue, exterior the Grand Lodge and reverse the Sherlock Holmes pub.
It’s minutes from Embankment and Charing Cross tubes, in addition to from the Strand and Trafalgar Sq..
The tour takes round 75 minute relying on visitors, with a number of departures per night time relying on the time of yr – throughout faculty holidays round Halloween, you possibly can anticipate as many as six departures per night time between 6pm and 9.15pm, whereas on different days there could solely be two, at 7.30pm and 9pm.
Tickets price from £25 for adults, £17 for youths aged 5-15, or you should buy household tickets (two adults, two kids) for £63. It’s also possible to purchase tickets with free cancellation from Get Your Information and Tiqets
Disclosure: This publish incorporates affiliate hyperlinks – any purchases you make are unaffected however I could obtain a small fee. I paid for this tour myself and all opinions are my very own
Photographs copyright MummyTravels
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