There are walks that take you through museums and up and down conservatories. Then, there are walks that are designed around old forts and landscaped gardens. Botanical walks, nature walks, historical walks…there are walks galore. And then you hear of the ‘Haunted Walk’ of Ottawa. Sounds a bit different from the ordinary, doesn’t it? Well, it is! It’s a walk like you’ve never imagined before, and probably never had the opportunity to participate in before.

The Haunted Walk of Ottawa is conducted all year round, when the lights are low and the atmosphere is conducive to some spine-chilling stories and ‘goosebumpy’ tales. The city comes alive in a spooky, eerie manner and you get to see a side of the city rarely explored, that too from close quarters and on foot.

The tour guides are imaginatively dressed in cloaks and they carry a lantern for that special effect. These guides are chosen carefully, and they are people that can infuse color and drama into a story like nobody else can. All the stories that are narrated on the tour are well researched and backed by facts. This bunch of amateur historians, story tellers, and dramatists tell a story so well that even the most hard core of skeptics can be forgiven for being chilled to the spine.

This tour is not the ‘House of Horrors’ in an amusement park, and cheap props and effects are not employed to scare the people in the group. What you get is some great story telling in the old fashioned way, where the style of narration, choice of words, and the modulation of the voice create the mood. If you are looking for some cheap thrills, fake blood, and Halloween costumes, this walk is not for you.

The Haunted Walk starts around 9 pm and lasts for an hour and a half. The tours begin from the booth at the corner of Sparks and Elgin streets, which then proceeds towards the city hall and moves by the locks near the Chateau Laurier. The walk introduces you to a new side of the city as it takes you into the Old Carleton County Jail and you get to see the death row and the gallows within it. The stories include the supernatural encounters at the Bytown Museum, Friday's Roast Beef House, and the Fairmont Château Laurier. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

While on the walk, you are not allowed to make any audio or video recordings. However, you can take pictures of all the places you visit. They will definitely make for some interesting story telling sessions with friends and family when you get back home.

This walk is perfect for those who are interested in doing something out of the ordinary, and would like to explore what lies beyond the nightlife, shopping, and entertainment in Ottawa.