Pyper York is encouraging efforts to crown York the best city in the UK for ghost tours, and has compiled a list of Visit York's Haunted York tours, some of which operate not only at Halloween but also at other times of the year, for the purpose.

First up is The Bloody Tour of York, conducted by Mad Alice and comprising 90 minutes of meandering down snickleways and side streets as the grisly host recounts tales from the past.

The tour takes place every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The Deathly Dark Tours run an award-winning comedy horror ghost walk 'whatever the weather', with weird and wonderful guides taking participants on a tour that begins on Grape Lane and ends either in the courtyard of St Crux or beneath the imposing Clifford's Tower.

The Ghost Keeper Tour of York takes visitors through narrow passageways and dark streets, sharing stories of scandal and death.

The tour meets outside the Jorvik Centre at 7.30pm on varying dates from February to Christmas.

The multi-award-winning Ghost Trail of York departs from the Minster (west doors) at 7.30pm every night - and features traditional tales, Victorian tragedies, and true stories of modern-day ghostly phenomena.

The Ghost Bus Tours York provides a theatrical sightseeing tour on a 1960s Routemaster bus, with up to 75 spooky minutes of sightseeing included.

The creepy conductor may point out such attractions as Clifford's Tower, Treasurer House, York Minster, and Dick Turpin's Grave.

The Original Ghost Walk of York claims to be the world's first ghost walk, and offers a 'professional, artistic production' - 'without silly tricks or gimmicks' - for the 'more discerning visitor.'

Its guides are City, County (Blue Badge), or Equity qualified - and one even has a degree in Yorkshire 'history.'

The York Witches & History Walking Tour sees a characterful witch guide recount true tales of suspected Yorkshire witches throughout time.

Secrets of St Crux Church, York Minster, Petergate, and Swinegate are also revealed, as well as stories shared of characters like Mad Alice, John Wrightson (was he really a 'Wrong-son'?), and Mary Bateman.

Other honourable mentions are The Wizard Walk of York, which won first prize at the Little Vikings Awards 2023 and is perfect for children aged five to ten; and The Polite Tourist True Crime Walks, whose storytellers include Lady Brigante - 'bête noire of the long forgotten dead.'

For more details on York's supernatural offerings, visit visityork.org/haunted-york