Image courtesy of National Trust Images, Naomi Goggin
My kids love Halloween at home and are very disappointed if we’re travelling and we miss it. Last year we were harvesting olives in Turkey during the October half-term holiday and the youngest felt very hard done by. They usually get together with friends and go trick-or-treating around the houses of other families we know in our small, rural village. It’s a great time for family days out because many places run special Halloween events for children. Here are some which look great.
Kent’s Hever Castle has storytelling, craft workshops and a pumpkin and bat trail around its beautiful grounds from October 26th to November 3rd. Children who complete the trail will be given a Terrible Treat ( I’ve no idea what that is but it sounds ominous).
Landguard Fort on the Suffolk Coast did a sterling job of defending England against a Dutch invasion in 1667. These days the Fort is open to visitors and from October 27th to November 3rd there’s a Spooky Trail to follow around the fort.
King Charles I was imprisoned at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight after his defeat in the English Civil War. There are spooky activities on offer at the castle from October 26th to November 3rd.
There’s a Witch Academy on board the London Eye from October 26th to November 2nd where children can take part in a Halloween storytelling experience with Priscilla the High Witch.
At the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds there’s a range of Halloween activities on offer from October 26th to November 3rd, including stunt horse-riding shows on Saturday and Sunday.
There are lots of things happening for Halloween at National Trust properties across the country. Events include a witches and wizards potions trail at Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire, an interactive ghost hunt at Bodiam Castle in East Sussex, a Ghosts and Gourds weekend at Rowallane Garden in Co. Down and a Terror Trail at Penrhyn Castle in Gwynedd.
City Girl Gone Coastal has been out harvesting pumpkins with her kids in preparation for Halloween and has some excellent advice on pumpkin carving. That sounds a bit advanced for me but I definitely need to stock up on treats for the children. What are your plans for Halloween? Do your children go trick-or-treating or do you prefer to ignore the whole thing? Are you going to any Halloween events?
Stockeld Park near Wetherby in Yorkshire is also worth visiting this time of year. Its Halloween and Christmas Adventure has plenty of activities for kids of all ages, including magic shows for young children and terrifying Fright Nights for older children and adults. There’s load of events taking place in the run up to Christmas too! On site you can ski through the Enchanted Forest, plus there’s a maze and open air ice rink! http://www.stockeldpark.co.uk
Sounds like fun.
We’ll be going trick or treating around school friend’s houses – we’re lucky to live near lots of families who all enjoy taking part in Halloween fun. Aside from that we’ll definitely make a couple of day trips and probably pop up to London for a day in the big smoke too!
It sounds like you’re going to have a fun and busy week.