Have a Happy Halloween This Half Term
Make it a truly freaky Friday with our family-friendly Halloween guide
Give the kids a real treat this Halloween with a spooky woodland walk by lantern light, or even a ride on a ghost train.
These events happened in 2008. Click here for Halloween 2009 events »
National Trust
There are Spooky Ghost Tours, Creepy Crafts, Halloween Trails and Frightening Tales at lots of National Trust properties throughout the October half-term, as well as family days out.
Traquair House
Visit Scotland's oldest inhabited house for a day of frightening fun on 26 October. Traquair House at Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, is holding a ghostly treasure trail, spooky storytelling, games, walks, falconry, workshops and a fancy-dress competition.
Eltham Palace
Similarly spooky stuff will be going on at the stunning Eltham Palace, near Grenwich, South London, on
2 November. Visit the English Heritage site for children's activities and tours.
Croxteth Hall
Croxteth Hall, near Liverpool, will be transformed with frightful family events between 20 and 30 October, including Spooky Days, Spooky Nights, a spooky horse-drawn bus and donkey rides
Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
Don your scariest garb and take the Halloween Spooks Express on
26 October, in Oxfordshire. Children who join the adventure on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway in Halloween costumes will even receive a gift.
Arundel Wetland Centre, West Sussex
Get grubby at Arundel Wetland Centre, West Sussex, from 29 to 31 October, and scare yourself silly on lantern-lit expeditions. Booking is essential.
National Wetland Centre Wales
Dress up for a spooky party at the National Wetland Centre in Wales on 31 October. Venture into the creepy cavern, and take a torch for a spooky walk. Booking is essential. Children aged four to 11 are welcome, and accompanying adults are admitted free.
Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Wales
Brave the ghost train at Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Gwynedd, and journey to Skull Castle. Enjoy games, competitions, and spooky story-telling in dark, haunted chambers. The Halloween Express service runs from 25 to 31 October.
Barry Island Railway
Climb aboard the Ghost Train at Barry Island Railway on 30 and 31 October, for apple bobbing and more. Dress up in scary garb for this fun family event.
Belfast
Head across the Irish Channel to Belfast for the Draíocht Children's Halloween Festival, which is in its 12th year. The fun runs from 29 October until 1 November in County Antrim and features a short story competition, fireworks and more.
Bournemouth
Dress up and get set for a Halloween trail, face painting, a pumpkin competition, a fancy dress competition, reptiles and more in Bournemouth – from 1pm on 31 October.
Eden Project
Or spend your Half Term holiday at the Eden Project, Cornwall, where there'll be ghouls galore. Go for a spin on the ice rink, hear scary stories, witness magic tricks, play Halloween games, and dress up for the Little Monsters Ball, from 25 to 31 October.
Crook Hall and Gardens
Crook Hall in Durham welcomes a witch with a lucky dip this Halloween. Dress up to hear spooky stories by lantern light and join the Halloween treasure hunt, on 25 and 26 October.
Chatcham Historic Dockyard
Chatham's Historic Dockyard, in Kent, will come to life with Junior Ghost Walks on the evenings of 24 October, 21 November and 19 December. Events are also planned for 20 February, 20 March and 24 April 2009.
Halloween Horror for Grown-Ups
If apple bobbing doesn't exactly float your boat and you're in need of something more thrilling, why not join some serious ghost hunters in search of the paranormal, or go spook-spotting by yourself in some of Britain's most haunted hostelries?
Sheffield
Sheffield will be transformed into a freak show featuring fire walkers, vampires, Daleks, mummies, zombies, and monstrous insects, on 26 October, for the city's annual Fright Night. More than 30,000 people joined in the street party last year and it's believed to be the biggest event of its kind in the UK. Dress up and get on down with music and entertainment, rides, stalls and lots more.
There's also a Sing-A-Long-A-Rocky-Horror-Show the same night at Sheffield's City Hall.
Merseyside
And on 31 October, don your fishnets and test your sea-legs with a Rocky Horror Cruise on the Mersey. The partygoer with the scariest outfit wins a bottle of bubbly.
Vogrie House
Join a ghost hunt and try to spot a Scottish spook at one of the most haunted places in Midlothian. Jimmy Devlin, Scotland's Ghostfinder General, and Johnnie Fiori, medium and star of Living TV's 'Most Haunted' host Fright Night at Vogrie House on 31 October, to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. The event is likely to sell out quickly and early booking is advised.
Cardiff
Help build at Wicker Man in the Celtic Village at St Fagans Natural History Museum, Cardiff, between 27 and 31 October. Then watch it burn on the afternoon of the 31st.
Warwick Castle
For a terrifyingly terrific Halloween, visit Warwick Castle's 'Ghosts & Ghouls Alive' extravaganza and enjoy an after-dark adventure complete with candlelit supper, on 1 November. There are also evening ghost tours from 27 to 30 October for the very brave.
Cambridge
Brave a Halloween Punting Ghost Tour in Cambridge, between 23 October and November. Prepare yourself for tales of tragic events and horror stories on the river Cam. Early booking is advised.
Oxford
Oxford Castle is set to host its very own Ghost Fest from 17 to 25 October. Horrors include overnight ghost hunts, mediums, spirit lectures, pumpkin-carving, and more.
Chillingham Castle
Tour the most haunted castle in Britain, and even sleep there if you dare. Chillingham Castle, in Northumberland, is just 20 minutes from the coast and claims to be home to several ghosts.
Ghost Walks
For a slice of horrible history, join one of the many ghost walks around the UK. Locations with established tours include London, Edinburgh, Derby, Chester, Nottingham, Bath and York. There's even one on the Isle of Wight, and Dublin has its own Ghostbus.
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