Halloween Fun This October

With Halloween fast approaching we have put together a handy guide to the spookiest goings on, in and around what was once named as the most haunted city in Europe: York! Home to the UK’s most haunted pub, The Golden Fleece, sometimes affectionately referred to as the city of 1000 ghosts and built on years of bloody and gruesome history, we can offer a perfect location to explore those things that go bump in the night. Read on if you dare…

Search For Spooks

The Great York Ghost Search is a free event organised by Visit York. Hidden around the city are 26 Ghost Lamps and Mini Ghosts. Complete the spooky trail for a chance to win some super scary prizes courtesy of York Dungeon, the place where some of the goriest events in history come to life!

For a limited period each evening from 5-7pm between 27^th October to 1^st November there will be 50 Mini Ghosts hiding in York’s shadowy corners, some with extra special decorations. If you are lucky enough to find a Mini Ghost it is yours to keep! Keep your eyes peeled for a spooky souvenir. Download your map here or pick one up from Visit York Information Centre, located at 1 Museum Street.

Terror at the Maze

Not for the faint hearted, York Maze are once again pulling out all the stops with their Hallowscream event. With over one hundred actors, five individually themed haunted houses, street food and a bar the event, hosted in a huge marquee at a real corn maze, is a fun packed and thrilling evening. Corny the clown returns with his sinister house of fun Cornevil, you can time travel to a zombie infested, dystopian future in 2073, stare into the Flesh Pot for grotesque scares, dare to walk through the haunted science lab in The Singularity and put on your 3D glasses in the ever popular Barnageddon whilst you try to separate the shape shifting illusions from reality! This event is a high intensity, exhilarating horror experience aimed at adults. Under 14s are strictly not permitted and it’s not recommended for those of a nervous disposition. For those daring enough tickets can be found here.

For younger children there is a Hallowtween event hosted in the afternoon from 26^th to 21^st October at the maze this year featuring haunted houses creepy creatures and live stage acts. This is aimed at those age 10-14 who have grown out of trick or treating but aren’t quite ready for the scares that await at the evening event. Details can be found here.

Theme Park Thrills

Lightwater Valley will be transforming into Frightwater Valley again this year from 26^th October. As well as the usual rides and attractions, the North Yorkshire theme park is hosting various Halloween themed events, spooky character meet and greets, scary magic shows and a Halloween dressing up competition which takes part on stage daily from 3pm. This year there is also a Live Scare Maze which promises some intense scares and may not be suitable for young children. The whole event will finish with a fireworks spectacular as darkness falls. Click for more details.

Magic and Mystery

England’s Oldest Tourist Attraction, Mother Shipton’s cave in Knaresborough is a place steeped in history and atmosphere. See the petrifying well and hear the story of prophetess Mother Shipton and the magic of water that turns objects to stone. For an added Halloween twist there will be a haunted trail through the historic woodland – will you find a scary monster, spooky ghost and creepy skeletons hiding around the corner? The attraction will be transformed for the ghoulish event from 26^th October to 3^rd November. Further information can be found here.

The Lawrance York is a pet friendly accommodation provider. Book with us and bring your furry friends this autumn (Halloween fancy dress optional!)

There is so much spooky fun to be had this year, from the terrifying to the fun and family friendly. The pumpkin festival returns to Piglets Adventure Farm , with a free pumpkin for every child, a mysterious maze, spellbinding magic from the Magic Hatter plus all of the usual playground activities and animals the park has to offer. There will also be a free event hosted by York BID in Library Square for 4 nights from 29^th October featuring outdoor light and sound projections which promises to be a fascinating and immersive experience for all the family. The famous City Cruises York are also available with a spooky twist and no horror fan’s trip to York is complete without a visit to York Dungeon, which will also open late some days for an adults only Halloween special!

Perfectly positioned to access all of these events and more, we are putting sweeties into our trick or treat bowl at reception and carving pumpkins into ghastly jack-o-lanterns ready for your arrival. Your home from home, The Lawrance, is just waiting to offer you a comfortable nights sleep, soft furnishings, large flat-screen TV’s, a fully equipped kitchen and everything you could need to enjoy some time in beautiful Yorkshire. And we can guarantee no ghosts within our walls…or can we?