Creepy Craig-y-Nos Castle

Wales manse plays host to ghosts with great glee

As night settled over the Welsh mountains, I heard goats bleating. But where were they? Standing in the courtyard, I saw only Craig-y-Nos Castle towering over me, and the sound seemed to emanate from within its gray stone facade. Then I saw curtains flutter in the attic. A ghost? More Addams Family manse than stately manor, Craig-y-Nos -- in south Wales, about 20 miles north of Swansea -- wasn't the fairy-tale castle I'd imagined.

We arrived at dusk at Craig-y-Nos, a monolith about 190 miles west of London. Scaffolding on one turret cast spooky shadows, while the castle's swan fountain was silent. Its name means "rock of the night," and on this night, the place looked haunted. The growling dog didn't help. Castle-keeper Martin Gover -- who bought the estate in 2000 for a "complete change from city life in London" -- says he's poured more than $1.8 million into renovating Craig-y-Nos, built in 1843. He's not done: Only 31 of 50 rooms and two dorms are rehabbed. "TV reception, that is some time off yet," Gover said.

We stayed in a Nurses' Block shared-bath room, which was $100 for two with breakfast. Nurses bunked there during the castle's 1921 incarnation as a hospital for tuberculosis patients, many of them children. Later it treated geriatric and chronically ill people. Many died. It's said their ghosts linger. Our ground-floor room retained a hospital ambience: over-the-bed light, white sink, bare floor. A hot pot, tagless tea bags and instant coffee filled a tabletop. Fluffy towels and a lavender comforter provided a hint of luxury in the tiny room. Down the hall, separate-sex showers required a 50-pence piece to heat the water, but we had only one coin. Gene took the pence and I shivered through a sponge bath in a tub we shared with our neighbors. When I tried to brush my teeth, the sink sprayer doused me. I blamed faulty plumbing, but I suppose it could have been a ghost.

Craig-y-Nos has been featured on British television as Wales' "most haunted" castle and Webcams attempt to capture the invisible. Ghost tours, plus events with mediums and psychics, are conducted by the Paranormal World, a company partly owned by castle staffer Kelly Burnell. While ghost-hunting on creaky red-carpeted floors, we discovered another side to Craig-y-Nos: guest rooms with antique furnishings and claw-foot tubs -- a huge contrast to ours, and for only about $50 more. Rates at Craig-y-Nos are $39 (dorm) to $169 per room per night, double occupancy, including breakfast and tax. Info: 011-44-1639-730205, www.craigynoscastle.com. For ghost tours (from $9): www.theparanormal world.com. The castle bar has sandwiches ($4.50 burgers) and salads. On Sundays, $21 buys a three-course "carvery" meal. Meet locals at the Gwyn Arms (cheese toastie and chips, $9) or four other eateries within a 10-minute drive.