Ever get the feeling that you're sailing into a JMW Turner sunset? 🔆

Bonjour France! 🇫🇷 It's going to be a Monet-filled day...

Does this "spirit photograph" show a ghost behind Sir Arthur Conan Doyle? 👻 Born today in 1859, the creator of Sherlock Holmes was one of spiritualism’s most prominent defenders, writing of a "borderland" between science & the unexplained. 📷 Ada Deane, 1922

Happy World Goth Day! 🦇 Go forth and be spooky... #WorldGothDay

Destination: France! 🇫🇷 Prepping for my next cruise adventure, where I'll be talking all things Impressionism... 🎨

Folklore tells us that bees should be told when somebody dies: “It was formerly customary in Wales for the head of the household to tell the bees when a death took place. The news should be whispered cautiously.” Hives were also turned around before a funeral. 🐝💀 #WorldBeeDay

Paranormal Unpacked assemble! 👻☕️ A coffee-fuelled planning session for our next spooky adventures… including a very special Halloween surprise. Watch this space!

Welcome back, choughs! 🐦‍⬛ 🏰 Choughs reappear at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall after decades of absence "King Arthur is said to have transformed into a chough when he died, its red feet and beak representing his bloody end" www.theguardian.com/environment/...

To begin at the beginning... Happy International Dylan Thomas Day! ✍️ On this day in 1953, Thomas’s “play for voices”, Under Milk Wood, received its first stage reading in New York. Go forth and love the words... 📖 #DylanDay #InternationalDylanThomasDay

Daphne du Maurier - "Britain’s mistress of suspense" - was born in London today in 1907. 🐦‍⬛🕯️ 📷 Daphne du Maurier (13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989), c. 1930.

All done. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Getting Gothic in Margam Castle...

Goedemorgen Rotterdam! 🇳🇱

The Full Flower Moon burns bright over the North Sea this May Day. Farewell winter, dumer is icumen in… 🌕🌼

Happy May Day - bring on the summery goodness! 🔆

"Witches' Night" is here! May Day Eve (April 30) is Walpurgisnacht (Walpurgis Night) across Northern and Central Europe. Known as "the other Halloween", it's a time when witches and evil spirits take to the skies for a little mischief... 🎨 Bernard Zuber #Walpurgisnacht #MayDay

Hello Southampton - a new cultural adventure begins! Looking forward to sailing the high seas with Fred Olsen, talking art history and exploring the Netherlands... 🇳🇱🎨

Welsh folklore tells us that May Day Eve is one of three "spirit nights" (ysbrydnos) when the supernatural may be encountered. Like Halloween, ghosts and goblins are abroad, and the best form of protection is to huddle around a roaring bonfire. Stay safe out there this May Day...

Starting soon...👻

Thank you/ diolch Llandeilo Literature Festival! A wonderful day talking folklore (in Welsh for the first time), catching up with old and new friends, and getting suitably Gothic in graveyards in the Carmarthenshire market town. Until next time, Llandeilo... nos da! 👻

Hello Llandeilo - two sell out talks coming up!

Today is St Mark's Eve, the "spookiest day of the year after Halloween." 💀🕯 Folklore tells us that the ghosts of those doomed to die in the coming year will join a "procession of the dead" from their local church between 11pm & 1am. Keep your eyes peeled if you're out after dark... 👻

Happy Shakespeare Day! 🎭 William Shakespeare was (possibly) born today in 1564 & died today in 1616. "The Nursery of Shakespeare" by master of the Gothic Henry Fuseli – engraved by Moses Haughton II in 1810 – shows the Bard surrounded Tragedy & Comedy. 🎨 Art Institute of Chicago #ShakespeareDay

Happy National Tea Day! ☕️ #NationalTeaDay

There be dragons in Belfast! 🐲 Visited lovely Ulster Museum during a recent cruise gig, where - amongst other gems - there’s Richard Wilson's "Landscape with Banditti". Oh, and a stoneware Pumpkin Pot by Kate Malone, which I would like for my home, please. See you soon, NI...

I’ll be talking Welsh folklore & landmarks at Llandeilo Literature Festival next Sat (25 April)…in Welsh! (with simultaneous English translation). My first ever Welsh-language public talk kicks off at 3pm. I’ll also be chairing a talk on Welsh witches @ 10am, make a day of it!👻

Welsh lore and landscape at Queen Street Gallery, Neath: Popped in for a quick look at the new Hidden Voices exhibition by Eleanor Greenwood and Paul Steer. Only a flying visit this time, but I’ll be back next week for a proper explore - LOVE the masks! It runs until 25 April.

Happy International Bat Appreciation Day! 🦇 🎨"The Witch’s Sister on her Black Bat" (1921) by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite #InternationalBatAppreciationDay

Hello Wales Millennium Centre - it's opera time! The premiere of Wagner's seafaring ghost story The Flying Dutchman, courtesy of Welsh National Opera. The ghost ship's getting nearer... ⚓️

“It’s quite too horrible.” 👁️🕯️ Henry James was born on this day in 1843, and in 1898 and gave us one of the most chilling ghost stories ever written: The Turn of the Screw. Everyone should own at least one copy with a John Atkinson Grimshaw cover...

Fun day exploring one of Wales’s “most haunted” places - everyone’s favourite Gothic Revival Victorian mansion house with its very own ghostly gamekeeper, Margam Castle. Met some great people, heard some eerie stories, and even managed to record a quick (slightly chaotic) video. 👻

Alfred Hitchcock’s Gothic thriller Rebecca (1940) was released 86 years ago today. Hasn’t aged a day… 🕯️🌙 🎨 Art by Spanish poster artist Macario Gómez Quibus (“Mac”)

Hot off the press: Quirky Swansea! 🦢📖 In all good bookshops 15 April, preorder now.

Paul Robeson, singing with a Welsh choir in The Proud Valley (1940). 🎬 The American bass-baritone was born in Princeton, New Jersey, on this day in 1898. A strong supporter of workers’ rights, he formed a lasting bond with the mining communities during filming in Wales.

Haunted Neath 👻 Filming something a little spooky in Castell Nedd today, inspired by a very odd case recorded by Robert King 20 years ago. Coming soon....

Happy Easter! 🐰

Hello Swansea - topping up on caffeine before the first ever Paranormal Unpacked Live! 👻

Welsh folklore warns against working today: ⚡ "Good Friday is regarded as a very bad day for any new work. It is unlucky to meddle with earth, plough, sow, or to do any kind of gardening. If you use a sewing-needle on this day lightning will destroy you or your premises."

Wales | Opera | Madrid. In that order.

Welsh folklore tells us to take it easy on the Thursday before Easter... or else: ⚡ "Maundy Thursday was important for doing good deeds. If anybody performed unnecessary work on this day they would be in danger of being stricken by thunder & lightning." Folklore of Wales, 1909

Hello Wales Millennium Centre - it's opera time! WNO kicking off their new season with a revival of Blaze of Glory!...

Never mind April Fools' Day - Welsh folklore warns us to beware April Fools' Month… which could even become April Fools' Year: "If you are made a fool in April, you will be a fool or get befooled all through the year." (Folklore of Wales, 1909) #AprilFoolsDay #AprilFools

Hello Taliesin Arts Centre - it's Wagner time! Looking forward to Royal Ballet & Opera's Siegfried... ⚔️

"Witches’ Sabbath" (1797–1798) 🐐 Francisco Goya (1746–1828) was born in Fuendetodos, Spain on this day in 1746. This oil on canvas depicting a coven around a horned goat is held in the Museo Lázaro Galdiano, Madrid.

Welsh folklore tells us that elves, fairies and witches hold sway over those born today: “Palm Sunday was formerly considered an unlucky day for a birth, because people born then were more in the power of elves, fairies, and witches than on any other day.” Folklore of Wales 1909 ✨

“If you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek!” 🎭 Lovely day back in sunny Stratford-upon-Avon for the RSC’s new production of Henry V, where you can now buy the Fluellen quote above on a pin badge - I’ll wear it with pride, just like a leek. #Shakespeare

HAPPY TOLKIEN READING DAY! 💍🧙‍♂️ 25th of March - one day to read them all... #TolkienReadingDay

Happy Spring Equinox – brighter days are here! ☀️ Today marks the first day of astronomical spring, when day and night are almost exactly equal in length as the Sun passes directly over the equator. #springequinox

The Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast is back…and in Monmouthshire! Today’s episode dives into the 1960s collection "Ghosts of Monmouth" with: 👻Phantom stagecoaches near Rockfield! 👻Tree spirits guarding an ancient oak! 👻The Faceless Lady of the River Wye! Tune in...if you dare!

The RSC's new season went on sale today, and they've introduced a queue for the queue. So after queuing just to entire the site, you then queue again to actually buy the tickets. Assuming there's any left, of course. Let's hope there's no third queue! Though this be madness...