As the nights draw in, it’s time to embrace all things spooky, from ghosties and ghoulies to things that go bump in the night, with the best Halloween days out.
contains affiliate links*
From the most haunted places in the UK to spine-chilling family attractions, you can embrace pumpkins and witches with younger kids, dial up the terror for teens or explore somewhere suitably spooky.
Along with fearsome inspiration for creepy days out year-round, there are more Halloween events back on the cards in 2021 too including special trails at some of the UK’s biggest attracions – so if you’re ready to do some light ghostbusting, check out my top Halloween days out with kids.
Haunted historic houses and castles
Chillingham Castle, NorthumberlandÂ
Chillingham Castle has been called Britain’s most haunted… and if you visit with older teens, there are evening ghost tours to see if you can spot any as well as some family ghost tours during school holidays.
The 13th century Northumberland castle has a ghost which haunts the inner pantry – possibly a victim of poisoning, begging for water – while two invisible men can be heard talking in the chapel.
Or you can stroll into the dungeon and the torture chamber as you explore the castle… definitely not for the faint-hearted.
For more things to do in Northumberland with kids, check out this post
Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire
Another contender for the terrifying title of the UK’s most haunted castle – staff at Bolsover Castle keep a ghost book as visitors have so many experiences to record, including eerie lights, screams and a little boy who holds the hands of visitors…
Keep your eyes open for Sir Charles too, the former owner whose ghost is said to wander the corridors, as well as exercising your other senses. The smell of horses can still be scented coming from the riding school… where no living horse is usually to be found.
You can also stroll along the newly restored wall walk for the first time in almost 250 years and ponder the fact that the castle itself stands on an ancient burial ground. If you’re visiting with teens aged 16+, previous years have seen special Halloween ghost tours too.
Buckland Abbey, Devon
Sir Francis Drake went down in English history for his victories over the Spanish and three-year circumnavigation of the globe on the Golden Hind – but according to legend, his spirit is not a happy one and he haunts his Devon home at Buckland Abbey.
Tales also say his ghost rides across Dartmoor in a black coach driven by headless horses, pursued by baying dogs – whose spectral barking is deadly to living dogs. Just one of many ghoulish legends to discover on Dartmoor with kids.
Not far away Berry Pomeroy Castle in Totnes has two female ghosts of its own – a white lady and a blue lady if you want more Halloween days out in Devon.
Corfe Castle, Dorset
This dramatic ruined fortress has a long history of murder, war and terror going back over a thousand years. In the grounds of Corfe Castle, Anglo-Saxon prince Edward the Martyr was supposedly killed on the orders of his stepmother Queen Elfrida, who wanted her own son to take the throne.
It later held a string of prisoners of King John, as well as being a prison for Edward II – before the king himself was murdered (elsewhere).
But the ghost said to walk the castle dates from the Civil War, when treachery meant the Roundheads were able to smuggle their own soldiers inside the royalist stronghold, winning the castle before blowing part of it up.
A headless woman in white still stalks the walls and battlements of the Dorset ruin.
Warwick Castle, Warwick
The perfect Halloween day out with younger kids, Warwick Castle’s usual inhabitants (think princesses and falconers with their birds of prey) are joined by the witches of Warwick from October 23 to 31, concocting spells in their cauldrons as part of The Haunted Castle event.
Even the Knight’s Village gets a spooky facelift, being transformed into the ‘Fright’s Village‘ for the week if you fancy staying overnight.
And because reality is often far more gruesome than fiction, there’s also the Horrible Histories maze to discover. Not forgetting the fearsome Castle Dungeon: only for age 10+ and you don’t get your money back if you run away early!
Ham House, Surrey
Ghostly ladies are ten a penny but there aren’t quite as many historic houses that can boast a ghostly dog as Ham House can. Add in mysterious cold spots, ghostly footsteps and a 17th century looking glass which some people refuse to stare into for fear of who (or what) might gaze back.
A woman in black has also been spotted on the stairs of the house, while a lovelorn nobleman is thought to scream here – you might even smell pipe smoke, the favourite of the Duke of Lauderdale… who has been dead for well over three centuries.
Visit when the house is open and there are usually great crafts for kids in the old servants’ quarters too.
Cawdor Castle, Nairn, Scotland
The setting for Shakespeare’s play Macbeth, Cawdor Castle has had a genuinely bloodsoaked past – even if Macbeth himself had no connection with the site.
One story tells that witches cursed the castle after the playwright used one of their spells in his play, while there are also stories of a woman in a blue dress who haunts Cawdor.
Possibly a kidnapped heiress, whose wealth led to countless deaths in the struggle to control her fortune, possibly an earl’s daughter whose romance with the son of a rival family led to her father chopping off her hands as she hung from a castle window.
Not far from Cawdor Castle is another chilling spot – Culloden Moor was the site of the last battle in Britain, where ghosts of soldiers from the army of Bonnie Prince Charlie are said to appear on the anniversary of the battle, which took place on April 16, 1746
Stirling Castle, Stirling
Another ghostly lady stalks this castle – but unlike the white and grey ladies drifting eerily around other fortresses, Stirling Castle’s ghost is pink.
People report a faint scent of roses in the air before she appears, with competing stories as to whose unquiet spirit she is: a noblewoman who died from a broken heart after her knightly love starved to death here or a victim of grave robbers seeking her body…
For more haunted castles and houses, check out this chilling collection from the National Trust for more Halloween days outÂ
Ghostly great outdoors
Great Wood, Blickling, Norfolk
If you go down to the woods today, you might just discover a Tudor ghost. Anne Boleyn was born at Blickling in Norfolk and it’s said her father Sir Thomas Boleyn haunts the Blickling estate, cursed for failing to stop Henry VIII executing her.
Wander through the misty forest and you can also see the 18th century Mausoleum, built to commemorate the 2nd Earl of Buckingham.
If you’re in the area in spring, you might even spy Anne Boleyn herself, who’s said to appear on the anniversary of her execution on May 19, riding up to the house in a coach drawn by a headless horseman, with her own head on her lap…
Read my review of a (ghost-free) day out at Blickling Hall with kids here
Wenlock Edge, Shropshire
Stretching for 18 miles between Ironbridge and Craven Arms in Shropshire, Wenlock Edge juts high above the landscape – the perfect spot for tales to make your spine tingle.
Wander past the gnarled and twisted tree trunks of the ancient woodland to get yourself into suitably spooky mood then watch out for legendary figures whose spirits may wander.
13th century highwayman Ippikin made his home here, and might still walk to protect his ill-gotten gains. Or watch out for Major Smallman, whose efforts to escape capture during the Civil War saw him gallop his horse off the Edge, down a 200ft drop – he survived but his ghost is said to have returned.
More prosaically, you might spot National Trust volunteers getting into the spooky spirit for their Halloween events too.
Go pumpkin picking
Even the youngest kids can get into the spooky spirit with this Halloween day out – a spot of pumpkin picking at a local farm.
There are countless spots around the country but Windmill Animal Farm in Lancashire has a whopping 20,000 pumpkin plants every year, while the 75-acre pumpkin patch and maize maze at Undley Farm in Suffolk is packed with activities as well as picking.
Piglets Adventure Farm in York has 10,000 pumpkins and a pumpkin carving tent, in case you’re not sure what to do once you’ve picked yours – plus there’s a free pumpkin for every paying child.
Secretts in Surrey has tractor rides and pumpkin themed activities as well as its giant field, or Picking Patch has five sites across England and Wales.
Or head to west Wales and Pembrokeshire Pumpkin Farm in Moylgrove, where there’s a spooky trail in the wildflower meadow, including haunted hide and seek among the hay bales, plus a pumpkin patch for picking.
Haunted Halloween trails
Halloween with English Heritage – nationwide
For more spooky fun, English Heritage has a series of special Halloween events for kids around the country, with plenty of chances to get families outdoors.
The final details for 2021 are still to be announced, but they’re set to include spooky woodland walks aimed at ages five-12, and an adventure trail inspired by Cressida Cowell’s Wizards of Once series.
Halloween at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
If your kids are looking for more from their Halloween day out than a basic pumpkin and a few cobwebs, Hatfield House in Hertfordshire promises spine-tingling interactive experiences as part of its spooky fun.
Running from October 28-31, the theatrical trail sees kids meeting a string of creepy characters along the way, telling chilling stories and singing songs (as well as a spooky disco at the end).
Littler ones can enjoy crafts, including making their own witch’s hat, wands and brooms or decorate a pumpkin. Book with Sneaky Experience.
Halloween trail at Raby Castle, County Durham
Halloween is coming to Raby Castle in County Durham, with a half-term trail in the Walled Gardens. Visit during the day with younger kids, who’ll get an activity sheet and a string of hidden creatures to spot as they explore.
As you hunt for the clues to complete the puzzle, you’ll need to brave the scary spiders and steer clear of the witch’s cauldron.
Then once the sun has set on October 29 and 30, there’s the after dark trail – just for an added frisson of terror… plus hot chocolate in the Coach Yard afterwards.
Spooky villages
Eyam Historic plague village, Derbyshire
Walking into pretty Eyam in the Peak District national park, you wouldn’t immediately think of tragic events and dark history – but for 14 months from 1665, the entire village was locked in quarantine after a flea-infested bundle of cloth brought the Black Death.
By the time the plague ran its course, more than two-thirds of the population of 350 had died.
There are plaques outside some cottages commemorating those who died, as well as a small museum to visit and the boundary stone where villagers left money for food from surrounding, plague-free villages.
For another deserted medieval village, head to North Yorkshire and Wharram Percy – abandoned for more than 500 years, it’s still one of the best preserved in Britain.Â
For ideas of more things to do in Yorkshire with kids, check out my top picks
Pluckley Village, Kent
At first glance, Pluckley could hardly be more picturesque – a pretty church, old-fashioned cottages, winding lanes running alongside streams. And, according to the Guinness Book of Records, at least a dozen ghosts, making it the most haunted village in Britain.
From the spectre of a highwayman at Fright Corner to the white lady and red lady which both haunt St Nicholas church and churchyard, along with a phantom coach and horses, you shouldn’t be short of spirits.
Don’t forget to placate the living though, as the village residents often have their fill of ghost-hunters around Halloween.
For older kids, there’s surely no place spookier than Whitby in North Yorkshire, the place where Bram Stoker’s stories of Dracula began – watch out for a ghostly nun in the ruined abbey too
Fearsome family activities and attractions
Ghost Hunt of York
I’ve taken a few ghost walks in UK cities but easily the best (and spookiest) was the Ghost Hunt of York – the city was one of the first to start ghost walks, and with its long (and often violent) history, there are plenty of ghosts to go around. 504 separate hauntings, allegedly, from Roman legionnaires to a lost boy and a lonely piper.
For more ghost walks, you can find tours in London, Portsmouth, Southampton, Oxford, Norwich, Cambridge, Bury St Edmunds, Lincoln, Nottingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Cardiff among others as ideas for Halloween days out – some are only suitable for teens so check before booking.
Jump on the ghost bus
For a ghost tour with a difference, hop on board London’s Ghost bus tour – it’s family friendly (although best for around age 7+), as you cruise on the ‘orrible omnibus’ to the West End, around the city and south of the river.
There are spooky facts about some of London’s best known landmarks, including the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey, with a creepy conductor providing the commentary.
Set abroad the only Necropolis Bus left, the sole survivor of a 19th century private funeral bus service – painted midnight black – the rest were destroyed in a mysterious fire. If you don’t already have shivers down your spine, you’re sure to by the time you step off…
Take a Halloween ghost train
Check out the various heritage railways around the UK and you’ll find many transforming their usual routes with some spooky steam engine fun during October.
Buy a ticket for the Halloween trains on the East Lancashire Railway – if you dare! – with vampires, witches, zombies and ghosts on board… even if they’re more likely to sing to you, and teach you magic than scare you right out of your wits.
Or for a magical journey, try the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Wizard Week trains with owls swooping, illusions to be seen and a terrifying treasure hunt.
The Great Central Railway’s Steam and Scream is due to return this year, as is the Severn Valley’s Ghost train. Keep an eye on the Peak Railway’s special events too, to see if their Halloween Spectacular runs.Â
In Wales, you could board the Bala Lake Railway’s Halloween trains on October 29 and 30 too.
Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
One of the dark, mysterious lanes leading off the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Mary King’s Close was bricked up during an outbreak of the plague – and is said to be the most haunted place in the city.
Almost the entire narrow medieval street remains and it’s now a museum that you can tour.
It’s hardly surprising that you might find ghosts here – almost all the inhabitants of one house died of plague, while another includes a cell where the doomed Mary Queen of Scots once spent a night.
Old Operating Theatre, London
If you’re looking for blood and gore this Halloween, London’s Old Operating Theatre is an eye-opening experience with a look back at genuine medical and surgical practices of long ago.
Set in the attic of an 18th century church of the old St Thomas’s Hospital, it’s the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe and takes you back to the days before anaesthetics.
For a more modern touch, there’s a new contactless smartphone trail and most years see special Halloween events and talks.
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
There’s a special Halloween trail at Blenheim Palace this year, from October 22 to 31 with flickering flames in the fire garden, grinning pumpkins aglow and fantastic fire artists performing.
The historic palace in the Cotswolds will have its famous grounds transformed, so you wander through the illuminated woods filled with creepy neon cobwebs and a host of scary spectres from ghouls and witches to bats.
As well as treats to enjoy along the way, including hot toddies and devilish hot chocolate, you can toast marshmallows, before finishing in the Secret Garden… with its own surprises.
The Dungeons, nationwide
Whether you’re in London, Blackpool, York or Edinburgh (not to mention Alton Towers and Warwick Castle), you can terrify yourself with a trip to the Dungeons – with live actors whisking you through 1,000 truly alarming years of history, plus plenty of special effects and rides to get your heart racing even faster.
Not for younger kids – there’s plenty to make adults jump – each location has areas themed to suit its own history too. The London Dungeon, for example, brings you face to face with the Great Fire and Sweeney Todd.
Bodmin Jail, Cornwall
After a major multimillion pound overhaul, Bodmin Jail reopened in time for Halloween last year, to share some of Cornwall’s most haunting histories, with new accommodation for 2021.
The Dark Walk gives visitors a first-hand experience of what life in the remote 18th and 19th century prison would have been like on the edge of the moor.
As well as tales from the jail’s most infamous prisoners, plus child criminals, there are extra evening events including paranormal tours with some suitable for 16+.
Otherwise Bodmin jail is recommended for 8+. There is an opportunity to skip parts of the ‘Final Drop’ – the only working execution pit in the UK at the end of the visit. This is one place where Halloween feels very real…
Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden – the Harry Potter tour
If you want to guarantee wizards and witches, you can always head to Hogwarts – or the next best thing, at The Making of Harry Potter tour in the Warner Bros studios near London.
Previous special Halloween events have included A Celebration of Slytherin, looking at the house which turned out more dark wizards than any other, while this year the focus is on the Dark Arts from September 24 to November 7.
You can also spy some of the creatures which appeared in the wizarding world, as well as trying your hand at flying a broomstick: probably the closest you can get to magic within half an hour of the capital!
For more ideas of days out for Harry Potter fans, check out these magic ideas too…
Terrifying theme parks
Scarefest at Alton Towers
You’re guaranteed to emerge with your heart racing after a visit to Alton Towers Scarefest, from October 8-10 and 15-31.
As well as being able to board your favourite rides at dusk or after dark, there are experiences just scary enough for younger visitors – the littlest can head to CBeebies Land for the Monster Ball.
Or every day is Halloween in the new Trick O’Treat Town, where you need to knock on doors from Spooky Avenue up to the Witchy Woods… with tricks as well as treats along the way.Â
There’s also the Garden Lights Walk: Whispering Souls where the sound and lights will get you imagining spooks around every corner. And for older ones the terrifyingly fiery Wicker Man ride, and the spine-chilling chance to get lost in the Scare Mazes.
If you’re looking for Halloween days out with teens, check out Fright Nights at Thorpe Park as well
Chessington World of Adventures Howl’O’Ween
With adventures for little pumpkins and older thrill-seekers, Chessington’s ‘Howl’O’Ween’ Halloween event is always a good one for families – and tickets include access to the full theme park and zoo entry.
Wander through the Forgotten Forest to discover the inhabitants of the magical woods, meet the mischievous Wild Witches of Adventure Point, who’ve conjured up a cast of curious characters across the resort, and enjoy rides in the dark on some dates.
There’s more planned as well for 2021 at the Surrey theme park, to be announced in the next few weeks.
Halloween at Flambards, Cornwall
As well as the usual thrills at Flambards theme park in Cornwall, there’s some added fun to make your spine tingle this half term, including a special Halloween Fireworks Spectacular on October 27, if you just can’t wait until Bonfire Night.
Follow the spooky pumpkin trail quiz through the cobbled streets of Flambards’ Victorian Village, as well as attempting to discover the nefarious village character behind the crime in the Who Dunnit Mystery Trail.
Or there are more ways to get your heart racing, whether it’s the all too real recreation of Britain in the Blitz, complete with air raid sirens and shaking floors of a London street during the Second World War – and more adrenline thrills on the rides and rollercoasters.
Fairground Frights at Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach, Norwich
Fairground Frights at Great Yarmouth’s Pleasure Beach won an award for ‘best scare entertainment’ after it launched last year, and is back for more fearsome fun in 2021.
Running from October 27 to 31, the experience will include ghoulish characters and spooky surprises – not to mention the Haunted House.
Not recommended for under 10s, the event includes unlimited access to all 25 rides at the attraction.
Â
PIN FOR LATER: THE BEST HALLOWEEN DAYS OUT IN THE UK
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission
Main image/Pumpkin patch/Edinburgh lane/Blenheim courtesy Depositphotos, Crescent Moon Richard Haughton 2020 ©Sony Music, Bodmin Jail courtesy Bodmin Jail, all others copyright MummyTravels
LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER
Â
