Searching for spirits, York, England. If you can judge how haunted a place is by how many folks want to introduce you to the ghosts, then York is a very frightful place, indeed.

With no less than three different companies vying for your ghostwalking business, they have to coordinate their routes to keep from ending up in the same spot telling the same tale at the same time.

I had just hopped off the train, deposited my things at the hostel, and wandered into the old section of town. As the light drained from the sky and a big moon rose over the rooftops, I encountered a large group of people assembled near York Minster Cathedral.

I had stumbled upon the Ghost Trail of York, which sets off every night at 7:30 from the West Doors of York Minster. Led by the theatrical Charles Hunt (clad cadaverously in frock coat and top hat), the tour was more entertaining than educational, a bit of history mixed with a dollop of hearsay, but a jolly good time, nevertheless.

The tour takes about an hour and a quarter, unraveling a spool of spooky tales as it roams the maze of York's twisting streets.

For the budget-minded, there's even an internet coupon that will save you and a friend 50p off the already reasonable price of £4 for adults and £2 for children (IYH cardholders price: £3).