Spooky Halloween 2011 events in the UK

If you and the kids are looking for something a bit different to do this half term and Halloween, check out some of these eerie 2011 events near you. Scroll down to find info relating to your local area, courtesy of our friends at enjoyengland.com

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East of England

Midlands

South of Enland

North of England

EAST OF ENGLAND

Bewilderwood Snaglefang’s Spooky Spectacular

Date October 22-30
Lantern-making and mask decorating will be going on every day this week from (12:30 - 4pm on Sunday). The park will be open until 6:30pm this week (5:30pm on Sunday) so you can join us at dusk for the lantern parade! We will all be gathering for the lantern parade at 5:45pm for a 6pm start (4:45 pm for a 5pm start on the Sunday). A magical way to finish the season!
Tel 01603 783900
www.bewilderwood.co.uk

Holkham Hall
Get into the spirit of Halloween with bewitching displays in the Bygones Museum, spooky basement tours in the hall, spooky snacks in the Stables Cafe and Freaky Face Painting in the Gift Shop.
October 27-30
Tel 01327 713111
www.holkham.co.uk

Great Yarmouth Halloween Walks
Date October 29 and 30 at 2pm.
Give yourself the spooks with strange stories of gruesome activities and ghoulish finds, murder, monks and witches. Meet at St Nicholas Church Gate.
Tel 01493 846346
www.heritage-walks.co.uk

Halloween Paddle on the River Wensum in Norwich
Date October 31, 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Are you brave enough to join The Canoe Man on his annual paddle through the silent, dark waters of the River Wensum? Meet Thorpe Green Yarmouth Road, Norwich (adults only)
Tel 01603 499177
www.thecanoeman.com

Halloween Spooky Trail
Location: Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden
Date October 31, 6pm to 8pm
Scare yourself silly on the trail round our haunted garden. Live music from the Rockin’ Monks. New for 2011 - Thunder Mental fire breathers.
Tel 01603 270449
www.fairhavengarden.co.uk

Newmarket Racecourses Final Meeting of 2011
Location: Newmarket Racecourses
Your last chance of the season to catch the racing action at the Rowley Mile in 2011 with five Listed races and several competitive handicaps ensuring some scintillating action on the track! Children will also have a great time if you bring them along as Rowley’s Kids Club will be providing some spooky entertainment.
www.newmarketracecourses.co.uk

The Burghley Pumpkin Trail
Location: Gardens of Surprise, Burghley, Stamford, Lincs
With England's greatest Elizabethan house as the stunning backdrop, children are sent on a trail around the water garden and the sculpture garden in search on the missing pumpkins. Each pumpkin carries a clue and once all the clues have been solved you can meet the Fairy Princess who will reward you with sweets.
www.burghley.co.uk

Lincoln Ghost Walk
Location: Bailgate, Lincoln
Brief Description: Follow in the footsteps of Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks who joined this entertaining ghost walk around the historic part of Lincoln when he was in town to film the Da Vinci Code. it's made extra creepy for Halloween!
http://www.lincolnhistorywalks.co.uk/

MIDLANDS

Spooky Spectacular                                                                                                                                                                          
Location: West Midland Safari Park
Date Saturday, 15th – Sunday, 30th October 2011 + selected evenings
Spooky Spectacular is an event full of entertainment and ghoulishly good fun for half term.  Running daily from Saturday 15th October up to Sunday 30th October and on selected evenings everyone is encouraged to dress up and take part in a variety of hands on spooky activities and spooky animal encounters to celebrate the spookiest of seasons.

The all-weather Discovery Trail exhibits will be open and a distinctly creepy atmosphere will prevail.  Visit Twilight Cave, with it’s free flying bats; Creepy Crawlies, home to hundreds of tiny creatures of the night; Seaquarium that exhibits some of the weird and wonderful creatures that live in our oceans and Mark O’Shea’s Reptile World, home to some of the deadliest snakes and reptiles around.

There will be extra creepy animal encounters in the Discovery Room presented by the Spring Grove Witch; Themed Sea Lion Show performed live from the Sea Lion Theatre and a variety of family fun and hands-on activity sessions.

To round off a perfectly Spooky Spectacular, there are late night rides –including Venom and the Black Fly – along with a host of fun games and attractions to suit every budding ghoul and ghostie.

Halloween Hoot
Location: Chatsworth, Derbyshire
Date: 22-30 October 2011
For those who are feeling brave, Chatsworth is the place to bring your little monsters along for a whole week of terrible treats, evil entertainment and devilish delights.  Throw some creepy moves in a Zombie Dance Workshop and try not to scream as spiders and reptiles crawl over you at the Farmyard over Halloween weekend. Throughout half term, there will be plenty to do every day. Dare to take a Fright Flight through Warlock Wood; scare friends by getting a spooky face-paint; drop in to create some horror-themed crafts in the Barn or hunt for Pumpkins in the house.
www.chatsworth.org

Halloween Family Fun Trail
Location: Stokesay Castle, Shropshire
Date 26th – 30th October 2011
Discover some spooky secrets and ghastly tales as you take on their ghostly trail this Halloween.
www.shropshiretourism.co.uk

Ghostly Gaslight
Location: Blists Hill Victorian Town, Ironbridge
Date 29th October 2011
Dress up in your ghoulish costumes on this, the most spooky of nights.
www.ironbridge.org.uk

Autumn Colours & Halloween Fun
Location: Dudmaston Hall, Quatt, Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Date 30th October 2011
A chance to wander through Dudmaston's gardens steeped in Autumnal colours, whilst the children follow the spooky trick or treat trail.
www.shropshiretourism.co.uk

The Stratford Halloween Affair - March of the Plague Doctor
Date 3 November & Halloween
Location: The Falstaff Experience
The Falstaff Experience Tudor World museum in the heart of Stratford upon Avon is celebrating Halloween in a unique style the year. The museum housed in the historic Shrieve's House is described by 'Horrible Histories' author Terry Deary as the most haunted building in England.

This year's Halloween festivities are entitled the The Stratford Halloween Affair 'March of the Plague Doctor'. The Falstaff Experience's very own plague Doctor will be marching the streets leading a grizzly procession every day of the October half-term. Starting opposite the Garrick Pub where the plague of Stratford began in 1564 and finishing at the haunted Falstaff Experience on the ancient cobbles Shakespeare himself will have walked.

There will also be daily shows including Vile Villains and Crime and Punishment as well as the chance to meet many other characters and a special Halloween Quiz Trail around the museum. During the evening the actions hots up with Grim Reaper Lantern Lit Tours of the building. This tour is a unique and extremely atmospheric insight into the most haunted building in England, giving visitors a feel for the house as well Stratford's dark history.

The ever popular roguish Dashing Jack returns to give his scary, fun filled town tour of Stratford. The tour encompassing 3 Shakespeare's houses, Trinity Church, the RSC and the River Avon is a great way to see Stratford and find out its chilling history. For those feeling really brave this October there is also the opportunity to meet the ghosts for real on one of the many ghost hunts hosted by the museum.
www.falstaffexperience.co.uk

Time Travellers Go… Ghosts and Ghouls
Location: Bolsover Castle
Date Monday 24 to Friday 28 October from 11 am to 7 pm
Let your little horrors scare themselves silly this Halloween with creepy crafts, spooky activities and ghost hunting galore! Entry prices: Adult £7.40, Concessions £6.30, Children (5-15 years) £3.70, Family ticket £18.50. Children under 5 years admitted free.
Tel: 01246 822844
www.english-heritage.org.uk/bolsover

Magical Murder Mystery
Location: Hardwick Estate
Date Saturday 29 October from 6 pm to 9 pm
Magic, mystery and murder. Enjoy the spooky atmosphere around the hall, seen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as Malfoy Manor. Can you solve the whodunit on this Halloween evening. Includes a 3 course supper. BOOKING ESSENTIAL. All tickets £36.00 (includes 3 course supper). Children 14 years and over welcome.
Tel: 01246 850430
www.nationaltrust.org/hardwickhall

The Ghostly Castle at Night at Bolsover Castle
Date From Saturday 29 to Sunday 30 October 6 pm to 9 pm
Have you got what it takes to brave the castle after dark? Find out about some of Bolsover's more horrific happenings and ghostly goings on, then explore the site by torchlight and meet some the castle's previous residents: they are dying to meet you! This event is not suitable for children.
Entry prices: Adult £7.40, Concessions £6.30
Tel: 01246 822844
www.english-heritage.org.uk/bolsover

Halloween Ghost Walk
Location: Hardwick Hall
Date Sunday 30 October from 7 pm to 9 pm
Wrap up warm and explore the grounds of Hardwick Hall and hear spooky tales and eerie encounters.
Please bring a torch.
01246 345777/8

Chesterfield Festival Ghost Walks
Location: Rykneld Square, Chesterfield
Date Monday 31 October 2011 from 6.30 pm to 8 pm
Take a 1½ hour trip into Chesterfield’s Twilight Zone and listen to stories of strange sounds, shocking shades and supernatural slaughters – if you dare. Booking is essential. Please bring a torch. Adults £3.00, Children £2.00. Early booking essential (only 30 places per walk)
01246 345777/8

Halloween Wizardry – the Science of Harry Potter
Location: National Space Centre, Leicester
How do broomsticks fly or how does the Sorting Hat… well, sort? If these questions have been keeping you awake at nights come on down to the National Space Centre for an introduction to the wonders that exist in our own world, without having to take a trip to Hogwarts.
www.spacecentre.co.uk

Halloween at Great Central Railway
Location: Great Central Railway, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Dare you ride our ghost trains? The trains go shunt in the night and maybe the monsters are on board as well? Fun for the young and young at heart, there will be spooks, surprises and treats.
www.gcrailway.co.uk

Wild Winter Weekends
Date Saturdays and Sundays from 12th November 2011
West Midland Safari Park really warms to winter with Wild Winter Weekends starting on 12th November 2011 and running right up to the start of 2012 February half term. This is a great time of the year to visit the animal reserves and the all-weather attractions in Discovery Trail and make the most of special winter pricing to visit all your favourite animals.

Spooky Spectacular
Location West Midland Safari Park, Bewdley, Worcestershire
Date 15-30 October
Spooky Spectacular is an event full of entertainment and ghoulishly good fun for half term.  Running daily from Saturday 15th October up to Sunday 30th October and on selected evenings everyone is encouraged to dress up and take part in a variety of hands on spooky activities and spooky animal encounters to celebrate the spookiest of seasons.
www.wmsp.co.uk

Family Fun Days - Horrible Halloween
Location: Coughton Court, Nr Alcester, Warks B49 5JA
Location Baddesley Clinton, Rising Lane, Baddesley Clinton, Warwickshire B93 0DQ
Location Packwood House, Packwood Lane, Lapworth, Warwickshire B94 6AT
Ghoulish trails and activities, games and glowing pumpkins over the Halloween Half term during usual opening times. For opening times visit the property websites

• www.nationaltrust.org.uk/baddesleyclinton
• www.nationaltrust.org.uk/coughtoncourt
• www.nationaltrust.org.uk/packwood

Halloween Half Term
Date 24th -30th October
Location: Ragley Hall
The House will be decorated for Halloween with spooky storytelling, facepainting, Pumpkin Carving and much more.
www.ragleyhall.com

SOUTH

October Half Term ‘Skeletons and Scarecrows’
Date: 22 - 30 October, 10am – 5pm Daily
The Hop Farm will be celebrating Halloween with a host of fun things to do. There will be dressing up, party dances and magic, spooky stories and much more!
Don't miss all the usual Halloween activities including a host of menacing games and spine tingling activities - apple bobbing and broomstick games!
Tel: 01622 872068
www.thehopfarm.co.uk

Freak Week Fright Nights
Date: 27 - 30 October, 6pm - 11pm
Visit The Hop Farm in the heart of historic Kent countryside this Halloween for the fright of you life.
Freak Week is back bigger and better than ever before. Take a trip through the twisted corridors of Mr Porky's meat factory and dare to enter Doomesgate prison where tortured souls are praying on fresh meat. Or will you come face to face with Mary Ellen in our live Séance?
Freak Week Fright nights offer you four new spine tingling attractions to scare the living daylights out of you. Also watch out for our Scare actors roaming around the park ready to pounce at any second. Freak Week runs from 6:00pm till late every night from the 27th October to the 31st October. So turn your pace makers on.. get your running boots ready and enter at your own peril!!
Tel: 01622 872068
www.hopfarmfreakweek.co.uk

Fright Night - Smugglers Adventure
Location: Hastings
Date Saturday 29th October
This event is NOT suitable for young children as the staff here put on a very scary show with a fright around every corner of the St Clements Caves deep under the West Hill of Hastings Old Town.

Halloween Punting & Walking Ghost Tour
Location: Tours begin at Mill Lane and finish in the Market Square, Cambridge.
Date: 21st-31st October
Come with us to explore the darker side of Cambridge. A spooky 45-minute punt ride along the College Backs is followed an eerie walk through Cambridge’s haunted lanes.
http://www.scudamores.com/punting/events/halloween.php

Bure Valley Railway Spooky Express
Date October 22-October 30
Location Daily rail service from Aylsham to Wroxham
Tel 01263 738882
www.bvrw.co.uk

Spooky Nature – Halloween Festival at Marwell
Date 22 - 30 October
Location: Marwell Wildlife, Colden Common, Winchester, SO21 1JH
Meet the tarantula and other creepy crawlies, lose yourself in the eerie maze then design and help carve your own pumpkin*. This week long celebration of all things spooky is bound to make your blood curdle!
*Fee applies for pumpkins bought or you can bring your own. Event is free with admission to the park.
www.visitwinchester.co.uk/site/whats-on/halloween
 
Spooky Halloween Guided Walks
Location: Winchester
Walking tour with Winchester’s official guides featuring a Halloween feast of ghosts and other ghastly goings-on.
www.visitwinchester.co.uk/site/whats-on/halloween

Punkie Night
Date Last Thursday in October
Location: Hinton St George, Somerset
This unique Somerset celebration is a variation on Halloween that is held on the last Thursday in October.  According to folklore, it is in remembrance of a misty autumn night centuries ago when Hinton wives, concerned at the overdue return of their menfolk from Chisleborough Fair, set out to find them carrying lanterns made from manglewurzels. The men took fright at seeing the line of flickering lights approaching through the mist believing the ghostly apparitions to be Punkies - the souls of unbaptized children.  Every year the children of Hinton St. George parade candlelit pumpkins around the village boundary singing the age-old Punkie Night chant of "Give us a candle, give us a light; it's Punkie Night tonight" – this is followed by the judging of the carved pumpkins.

Halloween Half Term Fun, at Groombridge Palace Gardens and Enchanted Forest
Location: Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Date Saturday 22nd October - Sunday 30th October.
Spooky tales in the forest, make your own pumpkin lantern and mask to take home. Royal Tunbridge Wells itself lies in beautiful, picturesque countryside where traditional oast houses, rolling green hills and orchards all feature prominently.  A paradise for history, and especially garden lovers, this corner of Kent has more castles, stately homes and gardens open to the public concentrated in it than any other area of the UK.
www.groombridge.co.uk

Fright Nights, Thorpe Park
Location: Chertsey, Surrey
Date 7th – 9th, 14th – 16th and 21st – 31st October.
Thorpe Park is the ultimate horror destination this Halloween as Fright Nights returns for its 10th year of fear at the nation’s Thrill Capital. Experience a whole different Park after dark on some of Europe ’s most extreme rides before braving the Park’s live action horror mazes. Experience a 10th birthday party with a terrifying twist where even the brave will be dying to escape the Park’s brand new blood-curdling attraction. And with gates open as late as 10pm, thrill seekers can enjoy some of the UK’s most extreme rollercoasters in the dead of night.
www.thorpepark.com

Ghost hunt at the Rifles Museum
Location: Rifles Museum, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Investigate the paranormal phenomena at the haunted Rifles museum in Salisbury. Explore the unexplained with a team of experienced investigators who will demonstrate the usage of all the latest ghost hunting equipment during the evening experiments and team vigils. Access has been granted to the historic museum, house and garden for an uninterrupted scientific exploration. Staff at the Rifles museum have experienced sounds of someone running up and down the stairs, objects disappear and turn up elsewhere. It also houses the ghost of a ‘grey lady’ in the Regimental Room. Known as Margaret she died aged 90 in the property when it was still residential. A ghost of a Cavalier can also be seen gliding around or if lucky books can be seen jumping off bookcases. 29th October, 20:30 till 02:00, Tickets cost £35.00.
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, www.paranormaladventures.co.uk.

Spooky Tours
Location: Old Wardour Castle, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Travel back in the night-time eeriness of Old Wardour Castle when gruesome events were commonplace. Experience the scariness of past residents of the castle who refuse to leave, if you are brave enough. For the faint-hearted and younger visitors a less terrifying tour takes place in the day. Prices cost £6 for children and £15 for adults with tours at 6:15pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm or 5:00pm for the less terrifying experience. 29th/30th October. 01747 870487.
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Spooky Halloween walks
Location: Salisbury, Wiltshire
During October visitors to Salisbury at the weekend can take part in a series of spooky walks and chilling tales around the city. The tours fully explore Salisbury including hidden parts of the city; all the while the guides tell takes of witches, wizards, ghosts, crime and punishment. Tickets cost from £2 per child and £4 per adult and are available from Salisbury Tourist Information Centre by calling 01722 334956.
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk.

Halloween Ghost Train
Location: Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Wiltshire
Date 28th and 29th October
Hop aboard the Swindon and Cricklade Railway in the evening for a spooky themed train ride and see how many ghouls you can spot. Trains set off at 6.30pm on 28th and 6pm on 29th and cost £5 per child and £7 per adult.
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org.

Halloween Family Fun Trail
Location: Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire
Date 24th – 30th October
Be spooked this Halloween with our fun trail for children. Find all the clues to receive your ghoulish treat. Plus, take part in our pumpkin competition - bring your pre-carved pumpkin with you to go on display and be judged by our visitors - the best one will win a prize., 11am. Adults £3.50, children £1.80.
www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, www.english-heritage.org.uk.

Spooky Fun
Date Tuesday 25th & Wednesday 26th October
Location: Cressing, Nr. Witham, Essex, CM7 8PD
Day full of activities, entertainment and the odd surprise lurking in the shadows. Face your fears and enter the creepy cellar*, wander through the haunted manor, find the monsters in the monster maze, search the rafters for the giant fruit bats, enjoy pumpkin throwing and join in the art and craft.
www.cressingtemple.org.uk

Wizards’ Evening
Date Saturday 29th October
Location: Colne Valley Railway, Castle Hedingham, Halstead, Essex, CO9 3DZ
Come and Ride the Wizard Wonderer, visit the witch’s lair. Ride the miniature railway in the dark and join in with all with all the fun.
www.colnevalleyrailway.co.uk

Tudor Halloween
Date Saturday 29th October
Loacation: Southchurch Hall Museum, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 2TE
Halloween at Southchurch Hall – pumpkin carving demonstrations, ghostly story telling and treats for those in fancy dress.

Halloween self-guided Fun Trail
Date Sunday 30th October
Location: High Woods Country Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 5JR
Follow the map around the park and try to solve our Halloween puzzle.
www.colchester.gov.uk/countrypark

Children's Pumpkin Carving
Date Saturday 29th October
Location: RHS Garden Hyde Hall, Chelmsford, Essex, CM3 8AT
Have fun carving a pumpkin to sit on the door step for Halloween. There will also be spooky stories and witch-shaped candle making.
www.rhs.org.uk/hydehall

Pumpkins in the Park
Date Sat 29th Oct
Location: Greenhill Gardens, Weymouth, Dorset
Dust off your broomsticks and fly over to Greenhill Gardens for a free Pumpkin in the Park party on 29 October 2011 (2-4pm). If your broomstick doesn't work, then follow the bat trail along the Esplanade making your way to the gardens for an afternoon of story-telling in the haunted house, mask making, pumpkin bowling and lots more spooky fun
www.dorsetforyou.com

Revive Halloween Event
Date Saturday 29th October 1700-2000
Location:  Boscawen Leisure Centre, Portland, Dorset
This year we will be holding the event at Boscawen Leisure centre which will provide indoor facilities in case of bad weather.  Get your fancy dress on and join in the fun. Ned and his crew from Quest have agreed to put on another fantastic firework display... they love it! And there will be a fire show, yucky games, food and Halloween Beer tent

NORTH OF ENGLAND

Whitby Goth Weekend
4-6 November
The Whitby Gothic Weekend (often abbreviated to WGW) is an established and popular gothic festival located in the beautiful seaside town of Whitby, North Yorkshire. The WGW’s official line is to provide musical entertainment with bands and DJs, although the culture of the WGW has far outgrown that simple agenda. This year, one of the twice-annual Whitby Goth Weekends is being held over Guy Fawkes night, and there’ll be a special fireworks display to mark the occasion. The group of friends first came to Whitby in 1994. Whitby was the choice venue because of its Dracula connections. In the following years the locals came to accept the event and the goths were welcomed back each year.
www.real-whitby.co.uk/whitby-goth-weekend

Warwick Castle
5th November
Warwick Castle has connections to the Gun Powder Plot of 1605. After Guy Fawkes was arrested, the remaining conspirators attempted an uprising in the Midlands, stopping off at Warwick Castle on the night of 5th November to steal their horses. To mark the evening, Warwick Castle is hosting a medieval feast in the Undercroft on 5th November. During a night of eating, drinking and revelry, guests are invited to travel back to a time when revolution festered outside the Castle walls. The evening includes a private tour of the Kingmaker attraction, a three course banquet in Warwick Castle Undercroft, free-flowing beer, wine and soft drinks throughout the banquet, authentic medieval revelry throughout the evening, and a bonfire with the backdrop of Warwick Castle and the River Avon. £59 per person. Visit www.warwickcastle.com

Remember, Remember: A History of Fireworks in Britain
Compton Verney, Warwick - 15 Oct – 11 Dec 2011
This exhibition – the first of its kind – explores Britain’s 5th November celebration through the history of fire festivals, the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 and the astonishingly visit advertising and packing of domestic fireworks from the 20th century. The exhibition has been designed by Simon Costin, Director of the Museum of British Folklore.

The main body of the exhibition will look at the vital artwork connected to the design and display of 20th century fireworks. Maurice Evans, who has been an avid firework collector since childhood (now in his 80s), has collected an eye-popping display of vintage boxes and packaging: “it all started with my father, who was in munitions in the First World War”, explains Maurice. “He had a big trunk with little drawers, and in those drawers I found diagrams explaining how to work with explosives and it intrigued me. Then came World War Two… there were loads of shells lying around, so we used to let them off.” After the war, Maurice teamed up with a pyro technician from London and they travelled the country giving displays, which Maurice devised, achieving colourful visuals that transcended his childhood hunger for explosions.  Additional material, including rare examples of graphic design, will be on display from a collection owned by Colin Searle.

www.comptonverney.org.uk/modules/events/event.aspx?e=72&title=remember_remember_a_history_of_fireworks_in_britain