Enjoy Halloween with the National Trust and experience some spine-chilling thrills at some unforgettable places.
Midlands
Belton House, Lincolnshire – 01476 566116
Halloween happenings, 25 October to 2 November, 9.30am tp 4pm
Wear your spookiest costume and visit this quintessential English country house this Halloween. There’ll be a Spooks and Spoofs Trail for older children and a Magic Pumpkin Trail for the little ones. Join in the seasonal fun with frightening food in the Ride and autumnal activities in the Discovery Centre. Plus on the 25, 26 and 31 October there will be fearsome face painting (£3), spooky stories in the Stables, and a fancy dress competition at 3pm each day.
Price: Trail costs £2 (normal admission fee applies)
Dudmaston Estate, Shropshire – 01746 780866
The apothecary's apprentice, 27 & 29 October, 12pm to 4.30pm
Are you ready for some spooky half-term fun at this old family home but more importantly can you become the Apothecary's Apprentice? Halloween is approaching and Dudmaston’s very own mixologist is busy brewing all sorts of potions and lotions, but some crucial ingredients are missing. Armed only with an ancient map you will need to travel to all four corners of the garden on a dangerous mission to hunt out the plants needed to complete each potion. Once you’ve solved the mystery and collected your prize you can get crafty creating your own pet puppet bat or ghost to take home.
Price: Normal admission fee applies
Hanbury Hall and Gardens, Worcestershire – 01527 821214
Ghost walks, 30 to 31 October, 4.30pm to 5.30pm, 5.30pm to 7.15pm, 6.30pm to 8.15pm
Go on a ghost walk around the house and grounds at Hanbury Hall and see if you meet any ghosts and ghouls from Hanbury's past on your way. Walks starting at 5.30pm and 6.30pm will also pass through the park and up to Hanbury Church.
Price: Adult £8, Child £4 (booking essential)
South West
Brownsea Island, Dorset – 01202 707744
Spooky half term trail, 25 October to 2 November, 10am to 4pm
Brownsea Island is dramatically located in Poole Harbour and is the perfect setting to feel a little spooked this half term. Come along for an eerie island adventure with a mystery to solve and peculiar happenings along the way.
Price: Normal admission fee applies
Lacock Abbey, Fox Talbot Museum and Village, Wiltshire – 01249 730459
Wizard school trail, 25 October to 2 November, 10.30am to 5.30pm
Do you have what it takes to be a wicked witch or a wise wizard? Find out by completing the tasks of Lacock Abbey’s self-led wizard school. Stroll through the medieval corridors to discover the old cloister rooms and imagine yourself a wizard of Hogwarts – two of the Harry Potter movies were filmed here. From broom racing to spell making, test your spooky skills on this self-led activity course. Only then will you become the best witch or wizard Lacock has ever seen.
Price: Normal admission fee applies
Tyntesfield, Bristol – 01275 461 964
Halloween half term fun, 25 October to 2 November, 10am to 6pm
Take a visit to terrifying Tyntesfield, a gothic house set deep in the Somerset countryside just outside of Bristol. From a spooky Halloween trail and eerie arts and crafts to a torchlight tour and pumpkin carving workshops, there’s a lot to keep you busy. Fearsome fancy dress is a must all week so see if you can give us a scare.
Price: Normal admission fee applies
North West
Lyme Park, House and Garden, Cheshire – 08442491895
Fright fest - terrifying tales in the cage, 31 October, 12pm to 12.45pm, 1.30pm to 2.15pm, 2.30pm to 3.15pm
Nestled on the edge of the Peak District stands the imposing Lyme Park and it’s the perfect place to get spooked this Halloween. Get your knees knocking and spine tingling with Terrifying Tales in the medieval Cage, told by a professional storyteller - we promise not to lock you in overnight!
Price: £2 (booking essential and suitable for primary school age children)
Normal admission fee applies
Quarry Bank, Cheshire – 01625 527468
Autumn spooktacular at the mill, 27 October to 31 October, 12pm to 4pm
Make the most of your visit to Quarry Bank in Cheshire this Halloween - one of Britain's greatest industrial heritage sites. Decorate your own trick or treat bag at this free craft activity and follow the Halloween trail through the Mill.
Price: Normal admission fee applies
Sizergh, Cumbria – 01539 560951
Shocktober, 24 - 26 October, 11am to 4pm
Sizergh is a medieval house that stands tall at the gateway to the Lake District. Still inhabited by the Strickland family, Sizergh near Kendal, Cumbria, has many tales to tell and certainly feels lived in, with old portraits sitting alongside modern family photographs. Visit this Halloween for a weekend of spooky activities to entertain and scare the whole family.
Price: £2 (Normal admission fee applies)