Having watched Most Haunted, off and on over the years, and then last year coming across the Most Haunted Experience website, I decided to book a Ghost Hunt with them.
Now, as regards the paranormal, I have to say I keep a very open mind about the subject. I've read books on all aspects of the genre, from ghosts to telekinesis, from levitation to near-death experiences and I can honestly say I just don't know. Perhaps there is something to it. Or, possibly, science may one day furnish an explanation that is not 'Supernatural' at all and can be explained by some anomaly in the human brain or other natural causes.
Be that as it may, I have always taken an interest in this and Most Haunted has provided me with good entertainment if nothing else. I know that this programme has it's detractors, but I've found myself liking Yvette Fielding, Karl Beattie and the rest. So, I thought, why not give it a go.
I arrived at the site of the Hunt, a grand design of a building known as Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire, for all the part feeling like Jonathan Harker arriving at Castle Dracula, and, like him, felt not a little nervous. I had heard stories of other Ghost Hunts (in general, not necessarily with MHE), where all sorts of heart-stopping things had happened and really wondered what I had let myself in for.
I was relaxed somewhat by the friendly MHE Team staff with a cheerful welcome, and shown into the buildings tea rooms, where about sixty people were gathering for the nights activities. Shortly, we were shown a few short films of what MHE were about and then Yvette, Karl and Stuart (Torevell) were ushered in. It's strange seeing people for the first time when you've only seen them before on TV, but they tried to put us all at ease with jokes and repartee. Then, they moved amongst us for chat and photos. My meeting with Yvette seemed to follow a Morecambe & Wise type double act:
Yvette: 'How ya doin'?'
Me: 'Bit nervous'
Yvette: 'No. Your O.K.'
Me: 'You should have seen me before the tranquillisers.'
Yvette: 'You'll be fine. Are you on your own?'
Me: 'I've walked 500 miles to be here.'
Yvette: 'We've done quite a few vigils here before. It's like we live here.'
Me: 'Have you sold the place yet?'
And things like that. I have to say she was a great sport and really funny. We then had a photo taken, and I moved on to say 'Hi' to Karl.
He said that he had always been interested in the subject, and thought that there were many questions to be answered. After this, we were all split into groups with me being in Team 1.
With individual staff from MHE as leaders, our group set off to explore what was called 'Bedlam', a semi-derelict wing of the house. With various equipment, temperature gauges, EMF devices & a teddy bear (it had lights on it which was hoped would flash if anything disembodied was near) we entered a room which was terribly cold and damp. There was a very oppressive feel to this room and after standing in a circle hoping to communicate with any troubled spirit, in which the toys' lights slightly flickered, it was decided to try to gain a portal with a Ouija Board. Four of us knelt down on the dank floor, myself included, and placed our forefingers on the planchette. Despite repeated requests for anything to 'speak' to us, nothing happened.
We moved on to the Chapel where someone thought a light could be seen flickering in a window opposite.
Then on to a Study type room, where the windows were boarded up. Despite this, we all seemed to detect a faint light out of the corners of our eyes, and yet when you looked at it directly, seemed to disappear. We moved to a room next door where we again tried to make contact using a Ouija, again without success.
Now it was time for a much needed brew, so we went back to the tea rooms, meeting up with the other groups and discussing the evening so far. Some people reported slight readings on their devices but I don't recall anything major having happened.
We continued, now taking in the servants quarters at the top of the building. Here, after a while, one of the temperature hardware units registered a large surge. But, despite repeated requests for more activity, it did so only the once.
https://youtu.be/2e9xLpmXT8c
A low rumbling sound was also heard in this part of the house.
Moving on, we then spent a fairly long vigil in a lounge type room but without success. I must say here that, although some of us had torches, we were in almost total darkness the whole time on the hunt itself. I tried to take what video footage I could, but of course my camera does not have night vision, so it was very difficult to pick up anything.
After this, we all went about exploring more of the building at our own leisure, and although I found the place fascinating, I neither saw or heard anything else.
We all then met back in the tea rooms and had anothet chat with Yvette, Karl and Stuart, so bringing the Hunt to an end.
Inconclusive as it was as regards phenomena, I'm still maintaining an open mind. I had a great evening and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I recommend a Hunt with MHE, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
they provide each person with a full english brekky...
Actually, you make a good point of just traipsing around in the dark and it's perils. In the derelict part of the house, there were quite a few floorboards missing and putting your foot through the holes would probably have resulted in an injury of some kind. I honestly can't remember if any baseline tests were taken of the devices, nor if any of the guests used one. Btw, serious ghost hunters can take their own equipment with them and you get time to wander about on your own if you like, so there is the possibility of conducting your own experiments. In a large place like that, I think you could find somewhere quiet. I don't know if I will go on another hunt, I was treating it as a one off, but you never know I might; perhaps with another group. Thanks for the tip on alternative types of hunts. Going in daylight does seem sensible in many ways, and in summer you will have light evenings. I remember reading a book about the old Borley Rectory, many of the apparitions supposedly seen there were in daylight.
