Why You Should Visit Isle of Wight this Halloween

Are you looking for something exciting and different to do this Halloween? Isle of Wight has been a destination that has called like a siren across the UK bringing royals, celebrities, holidaymakers, motorcyclists, and music enthusiasts for over a century to a place of natural splendour, creativity, refuge, and relaxation. The Isle is also known for some dark and spooky Halloween ghost walks, perhaps inspired by many gothic authors who have visited in the past.

Recently, Isle of Wight has also been the location of a great literary discovery: the lost notebook of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula.

In seemingly perfect timing for Halloween, Stoker’s great-grandson discovered the journal in ‘an attic’ on the Isle of Wight (the specific attic in question has not been named). The journalistic writings in this very private notebook are apparently very similar to the style of Jonathan Harker’s journal as written in the Dracula novel. This notebook offers exciting clues into the author’s method of research and study when writing the now infamous novel, along with great insight into Stoker’s dark gothic and sometimes ghoulish mind.

For enthusiasts of Bram Stoker’s work, the writings (in not messy handwriting thankfully decipherable by his relatives) paint a new and telling picture of Dublin life between 1871 and 1881 throughout its 150 or so pages and include scribbled down beginnings of some of his other works. Certain detailed excerpts went on to appear in Dracula as part of character Jonathan Harker’s journal observations. Apparently the journal was written when Stoker was attending Trinity College in Dublin and working at Dublin Castle. Gothic enthusiasts of all kinds are sure to be excited by the discovery of this notebook which provides greater insight into the writing process and the man himself. The notebook is due to be published and released next year.

Isle of Wight residents are quite excited about this discovery, and what better time to visit the island? While the exact residence in which the notebook was found has yet to be named, the island itself is still a great place for gothic enthusiasts to visit, especially this time of year when the nights are longer than the days and the cold misty mornings make for spooky inspiration. From the 22nd to the 30th of October Carisbrooke Castle Isle of Wight will also host a spooky ghost walk tour of the castle and grounds, one of the island’s most haunted places. So what are you waiting for? Grab a gothic book, and go for a wander.

The island’s finger on the past and the pulse of the present are inseparable making it a very exciting place to discover, even more so now that this exciting piece of literary history has surfaced.

Guest Post: K Newey is a copywriter and script writer who is often inspired by gothic literature and grand natural scenery. A stay in one of many gorgeous and unique Isle of Wight self catering cottages would make for the perfect Halloween getaway.