Bolton's Halloween pub crawl that's a spooktacular night out

There are a number of pubs in the borough that are claimed to be the scene of ghostly encounters that together make the ideal creepy pub crawl.

Starting out at the bottom of Bradshawgate, you can whet your whistle with a drink and a scare at The Alma Inn.

It is said that cigar smoke has been detected from within the ladies’ toilets, despite there being no evidence of cigars in the vicinity.

READ MORE: Stories from Bolton’s most haunted pubs

The Alma Inn (Image: Google Maps)

If that does not give you the chills, your next stop is a short walk up Bradshawgate and off onto Wood Street where you will find Bolton Socialist Club.

A pair of ghostly figures, a man and a woman aged around 30, have been spotted there, holding hands and gazing into each other’s eyes.

Your next stop, if you dare, is to continue to perhaps Bolton's most haunted public house.

Ye Olde Man and Scythe on Churchgate was once home to James Stanley, who was beheaded outside the pub for his part in the Civil War. He has been spotted in the Museum Room.

But he's not alone.

A girl named Jenny has also been observed - she likes to prod and poke people.

Ye OIde Man and Scythe (Image: Newsquest)

An elderly man who likes to complain has been seen in the corner, and cold spots and invisible hands that try to push people into the cellar have also been reported.

There have also been reports of bottles being smashed.

Many of these occurrences are said to be blamed on Stanley, and ghostly figures have even been recorded on CCTV.

READ MORE: Japanese ghosthunters to investigate 'haunted' Ye Olde Man and Scythe pub

Cross the road to The Churchgate, formerly known as The Brass Cat, and you might encounter up to three ghosts.

Loud noises have been heard coming from the cellar and glasses fall from the shelves only to bounce on the floor rather than break.

There is a story of a woman who died after finding out she became pregnant by her employer. It is said that a baby's crying can sometimes be heard in the building.

Round the corner on Crown Street, The Old Three Crowns also appears to be home to those from the beyond.

The Old Three Crowns (Image: Google Maps)

Heavy breathing in people's ears, running footsteps and an icy touch on the shoulder in the cellar have all been experienced here.

The last stop in the spookiest pub crawl in Bolton is the Hen and Chickens Inn on Deansgate, where a flat cap-wearing man in his 50s can be found drinking a pint and smoking a cigarette after closing time.

A sobbing noise has been heard coming from inside a locked cubicle in the ladies’ toilets, and there are also reports of banging noises, flashing lights and moving legs seen on the stairs leading to the living quarters.

All the locations have been collated in a map on paullee.com, and the stories come from the books Haunted Bolton by Stuart Hilton and Lancashire Ghost Stories by Richard Holland.