The Promenade Ghosts

In the 1960′s a young couple tragically drowned after becoming trapped by the high tide and rocks at the end of the promenade at the foot of Constitution Hill in Aberystwyth. The following account is from Phil Bishop and his wife who saw what might have been the ghosts of this couple whilst they were holidaying in Aberystwyth during 1971.

“This may sound strange but here goes. I have fond memories of a holiday I once spent in the picturesque town of Aberystwyth, staying at the Clarendon Hotel on the promenade (1971 July 23rd ).

My wife, not being able to sleep and looking out from our hotel window over the promenade she saw a young girl leaning on the railings and looking out to sea, at first, all appearing normal, she thought nothing of it. Then she saw a young male running up the promenade, at this point she realised that these people were not as they seemed, they were floating silently above the pavement level by about a foot or so, to this she awoke me frantically and I rushed to the window to see.

To my amazement I instantly saw that their feet were not in contact with the ground, I could hardly believe what my eyes were seeing. The young male continued to run towards the girl who turned towards him as if to greet him, they both seemed very happy to see each other as the male embraced her enthusiastically, but all of this seemed to happen in slow motion and not in contact with the floor.

I realised what I was seeing was unnatural and tried to shout to them to catch their attention but was unable to utter a sound. I can still see their attire. After a short time they ran up the promenade, hand in hand, towards the beach access at the end of the promenade.

I was still trying to get their attention but only a whisper would come out. Then they disappeared down the steps to the beach, into the sea at high tide, to our disbelief. We waited to see if they returned for some time, to no avail. Disbelieving what we had both seen we discussed this through a sleepless night.

The next morning as we were leaving the hotel we mentioned this to the hotel proprietor, who dumbfounded and in amazement, disclosed that a young couple in the sixties some time ago had got trapped by the incoming tide on the beach, the other side of the rock at the end of the promenade of which I do not know the name”. Phil Bishop, Shropshire.