The Edinburgh Dungeon
31 Market Street
Edinburgh
Deep below the streets of Edinburgh something wicked stirs. The dungeon is a scary but fun day out where you are taken through 10 themed rooms by actors. Visitors learn about Scotland's gruesome history, and find out about witches, serial killers and warriors.
Those braving the dungeon go round in a group of about 12 people. The first room is the courtroom, where the sheriff picks people to accuse of crimes, for example, witchcraft. I was christened Sweaty Betty and charged with being drunk and disorderly in the castle and dragged up into the dock – which was embarrasssing but pretty funny. This sets the tone for the rest of the dungeon, as although it is quite scary, it also plays for laughs.
The second room was the Witches Judgement, where a woman is accused of witch craft. When she admitted it the room started to spin and she rose up into the air and screeched and howled. The effects here weren't a million miles away from Disney.
We were then led into the torture chamber and had a look at all the torture instruments and had to guess what they were for, luckily the torturer did not demonstrate, before boarding the boat for our trip to Cannibals' Cave. The boat ride was definitely the scariest part of the dungeon, it is pitch black and you hear noises of children laughing and creepy music. The Cannibals' Cave was definitely the most disturbing room. An actor plays one of Sawney Beans' children and tells you the story of the murderous family that haunted the 16th century between Girvan and Ballantrae who murdered and ate 1,000 people.
At the end of the tour there is Drop Dead: The Grassmarket Gallows, an optional drop ride which is exciting. I would definitely recommend the Dungeon for a fun day out with friends or family for those over 12 years old. It's not for fearties.
Izzy Scott
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