Welcome to our special birthday blog!

Today – 31 October 2013 – we are officially five years old! The Dumfries Ghost Walk celebrates it’s third birthday and just a couple of days ago, our Haunted Theatre Tour reached the grand old age of 2! On Saturday night, we launched the latest in a series of groundbreaking tours – Haunted Highways – which has sparked an incredible amount of interest, creating an almost surreal sense of elation for our team.

When I think back to the time we made Mostly Ghostly a reality, it doesn’t feel like five years ago, yet when I consider all we’ve achieved in that time, it seems quite remarkable that we managed to fit it all in. John, for one, will never forget a phone call from me a year before our launch, asking ever so tentatively: “Do you fancy joining a paranormal team?” What I will always remember is the way he said ‘Yes’ without any hesitation, his only concern was having the ability to do a good job. Well folks, I’d like to say that the team I am privileged to work with have done so much more. They’ve been loyal, hard working, dedicated and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I’ve seen us all grow, personally and professionally, increasing our confidence and taking part in projects we could never have foreseen. Had someone said, we’d be talking to groups of people on the streets of Dumfries, working with local schools and libraries, winning an award for tourism or hosting a landmark tour in Lochmaben woods with 200 folk in attendance, I don’t think I’d have seen it coming, at least not this quick!

Whilst keen to branch out and diversify, our paranormal investigation team has remained true to it’s roots. We constantly strive to discover new locations, be they splendid castles, broken, abandoned buildings, everyday workplaces or the very roads we travel on, there is nothing we consider an impossibility. Our interest in history has evolved with the team and we maintain that research is a pivotal factor when planning and participating in any investigation. We record our findings to the best of our abilities and are the first to admit we are not experts in this field, simply passionate, committed friends with a deep fascination for people, places and the supernatural. I feel this attitude has gone a long way in promoting positive relationships with those we work with in the wider community; artists, property owners, the media. I must also acknowledge our fantastic website; five years ago, my brother designed Mostly Ghostly Mark I and we were blown away! Now in it’s third phase, we are delighted with the progress and greatly appreciate all the work he has put in. We take a lot of pride in keeping the site updated, sharing our news with valued visitors and making www.mostlyghostly.org a quality resource that you will hopefully keep coming back to. As for me, I’ve always liked writing, just for fun, the odd scribble. To be invited to write for such a quality, respected publication as Dumfries & Galloway Life magazine is beyond my wildest dreams. A one-off would’ve been amazing – five years and over fifty articles later, I’m still pinching myself!

And what of the next five years? No-one can be sure of the future, but if I could choose, I would see our team continuing to do what we do, always growing and learning, looking for the next challenge, experiencing things that provoke thought, challenge our views and give us greater insight into the wealth of anomalous activity out there. I’d love to see our tours become even more popular, encouraging greater numbers of tourists to check out the ghostly side of Dumfries & Galloway and of course, bringing their friends! We will always hope to capture a piece of irrefutable evidence, however slim that chance, we’ll keep searching!

I’d like to raise a glass to the wonderful people we’ve met and who have supported us, to our friends, family, work colleagues, the many who’ve telephoned, tweeted and e-mailed, folk we meet in everyday life; in town, at the shops, in taxis, all those who wish us well, tour participants past, present and future and above all: John Hill, Mary Wood and James McKie, the best friends and colleagues a person could wish for!

Here’s to the future everyone - you rock!

Would you like us to investigate your home or business? Do you know of local ghost story or fancy joining us on a Mostly Ghostly tour? For all enquiries, comments and suggestions, please contact us through our website or by phoning 07791 047835 or 07912 145865. You can also follow us on Twitter.