"I Couldn't Explain It" Confesses Paranormal Writer Steve Higgins As I Join Him At A Haunted Location

I'm standing in the shadows of the foreboding Ancient Ram Inn, an allegedly haunted inn in Gloucestershire. I'm with Steve Higgins, the founder of Higgypop.com, a popular paranormal website. Armed with torches, we're about to explore this eerie structure.

Steve is a paranormal writer and content creator, and his website has become a go-to destination for anyone interested in the supernatural. But what sets Steve apart from others in the paranormal community is his respectful skepticism. He's not quick to dismiss people's claims of paranormal experiences, but he's also not gullible.

"I loved movies like 'Ghostbusters'," Steve tells me, as we walked into a stone-walled living room with a very low ceiling. "But as I got older, I became more skeptical of everything from ghosts to UFOs to religion."

It wasn't until he watched Derren Brown that Steve regained his interest in the paranormal. "I was fascinated by the psychological side of belief and how it could affect people's experiences," he says.

Steve's approach to investigating paranormal claims is grounded in rationality. He's investigated many of the UK's most haunted places, including 30 East Drive, Chillingham Castle and the Skirrid Inn. He writes about paranormal entertainment and trends in ghost hunting, but he's not in it for the cheap thrills. He genuinely wants to learn and understand the experiences of others.

"If someone has experienced something paranormal, whether it's a ghost or in their mind, it's real to them," Steve says. "We should try to empathise with people who have had these experiences, regardless of whether we believe in ghosts ourselves."

As we move deeper into the building passing through the old bar area, Steve tells me about the time he saw a grey figure at Woodchester Mansion in Gloucestershire. "I couldn't explain it, but it wasn't enough to convince me that it was the ghost of a dead person," he says.

Steve's knowledge of the paranormal is impressive, but what's even more striking is his rationality and open-mindedness. He's not here to prove or disprove anything. He's here to learn and explore, while helping others to do the same.

Later, sat listening for unexplained knocks and bangs in the inn's creepy attic, Steve tells me about his plans for Higgypop.com. "I want to keep creating engaging content that people can enjoy," he says. "And I want to keep investigating the paranormal, because there's always more to learn."

My night locked down inside the Ancient Ram Inn was a quiet one in terms of the paranormal activity we experienced, but Steve tells me this is normal. Steve is respectful, rational, and genuinely interested in understanding the experiences of others. It's an approach that we can all learn from, regardless of whether we believe in ghosts or not.