The Phantom Piper of Belsyde Cemetery

During a long road trip through Western Ontario, Jennifer and Matthew made a special stop-through the beautiful towns of Fergus, Alma and Elora. Fergus, obviously being a main stop as it has a "self guided ghost tour" of the town. Sadly, they arrived too late to take the tour but intend to return to the town for this purpose as well as some other touristy duties. (John Robert Colombo pointed out to Matthew once that Fergus may just rival Niagara-on-the-Lake as the most haunted town in Ontario.)

While there, they ate at a pub who, like most of the town, had a distinctly Scottish feel to it. The ghost story they had in their mind too had a distinctly Scots feel as well.

Although the details are sketchy and more information will be forthcoming after a visit, at Belsyde Cemetery it is said that a sad skirl of pipes is heard by a homesick piper. Travelers say that at midnight, the phantom piper begins his sad tune.

Again, a GHRS group will be heading out to the Fergus area soon and details will be coming online shortly but for anyone in that area, to hear the pipes, you may wish to risk yourself and travel by the cemetery at midnight to hear the piper play his tune.

If you have any more information or stories from Fergus or perhaps you've heard the piper yourself. Please send us a report at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Update 2008

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I contacted a lady in Fergus who's researched local hauntings there. She claims that the "phantom bagpiper" at Belsyde Cemetery was found out to be a member of the Fergus Pipe Band who practices behind the chapel. This explains why the ghost was reported to be heard, not seen. Apparently there have been other instances of bagpipe music, but this was caused by another member of the band who also practices in the neighbourhood (the sound of the instrument carries).

Since I got "wind" of this explanation, thought I'd pass it along.