With the autumn school holidays only a few weeks away it’s time to start planning ahead and thinking of fun things to see & activities to do with the children, family & friends this coming October half term when visiting St Ives at this magical time of year, which also includes the fun filled spooky activities to see & explore over Halloween, there’s so much going on this year!
Pendennis Castle, Falmouth, Cornwall
A fabulous enchanting castle to explore in Falmouth perched on the cliff top over looking Falmouth bay & out to sea .
Definitely worth a Halloween visit between 24 October – 1 November where it transforms into ‘Spooky Pendennis Castle‘ with countless tales of creaking footsteps & scary creatures. Pendennis Castle has long had a connection with ghostly happenings.
Dress up your kids in ghoulish fancy dress and follow the trail to solve creepy clues and gather round to listen to spooky stories – there’s a frightful daily fun fancy dress competition so don your scariest outfits and win a prize !
The Eden Project, St Austell, Cornwall
It’s not all about enjoying what’s going on inside the amazing giant biomes – you can leave that to the parents this October half term ! Yes Halloween is back at Eden again this year and between 18 October – 29 October , Eden is putting on ‘ Halloweden’
The legendary tree giants have arrived at Eden on a special quest this Halloween – they’ll need your help to protect the worlds forests. Uncover their hiding places and discover ancient wisdom, extraordinary tales and enchanting performances. ( pre-booking is highly recommended )
Plenty of other ghoulish activities are being put on with a special Halloween audio trail, a special spooky plant trail, screech owl shows , wand making workshop and don’t forget the magical Eden ice rink, fun for all the family.
Pumpkin Picking Fun
It’s pumpkin season after all, and no Halloween would be complete without picking your very own big bright orange pumpkin! Why not embrace an age old autumn tradition and visit a pumpkin farm to pick your own which you can take back to your Cherished Cottage and carve out and design your very own scary faced pumpkin in readiness for the big night!
The following are the perfect pumpkin picking venues to visit throughout October ( check the websites for pumpkin picking days before you head off !)
The Cornish Maize Maze and farm – Saltash, Cornwall
Pumpkin patch with pumpkin picking, a short maze with a pumpkin quiz ideal for families with younger children.
All the regular farm animals will be there too!
Trevaskis Farm- Hayle – Cornwall
Come and choose the perfect pumpkin before it’s too late! They have fields full of beautifully orange pumpkins in all shapes and sizes, ready for carving. Don’t forget to explore the fabulous cafe (with it’s amazing cakes!) & deli.
Dairyland – (Scaryland at Halloween) Near Newquay, Cornwall
Come and pick your own pumpkin from Scaryland’s very own pumpkin patch and enjoy the pumpkin carving – you make the design, and it will be carved by an expert Scaryland pumpkin carver, and you get to take it home!
Splattenridden Farm near Lelant , Cornwall
Close to St Ives, just outside of Lelant village, the pumpkins are just about ready to pick for 2023!
Open on 14-15th Oct, 21-22nd Oct, 23-27th Oct (half term week) and 28-29th oct, 10am until 15.30 there’s loads of choice here, different colours and sizes, white, pink. This year they also have zombie pumpkins, ornamental gourds all grown in the fields at Splattenridden.
Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome too!
Halloween at Healeys Cyder farm Near Newquay, Cornwall
Visit Healys this Halloween for a haunted tractor ride, pumpkin patch and spooky pumpkin carving sessions!
From 21 October to 31 October, you can board the haunted Vintage Tractor and you’ll be taken to the Healeys Pumpkin Patch to pick out your very own pumpkin! After you’ve found the perfect pumpkin, it’s time to get creative in the Rattler Bar, which will be transformed into a spooky pumpkin carving family workshop!
Healy’s isn’t just for Halloween – it’s for all the family too! Discover how they have been making their very special cyder for 40 years as you tour the cyder house, distillery, museum and cellars – kids will also love meeting the farm animals and riding on the vintage tractor while parents can indulge in cyder tasting, perfect !
Bodmin Jail , Bodmin, Cornwall
( Booking ahead advisable during half term and Halloween)
For a really spooky Halloween trip visit the very creepy & spooky Bodmin Jail this half term as it embraces the veil between the living and dead with its award winning Heritage Guided Tours go darker for Halloween! Step into their darkest stories and history, and it will bring you up close and personal to the Georgians and Victorians at their most grim.
The jail will also be running extended ghost hunting events, a kids special Cinema Fright Night, Séances, Guest speakers and finishing off the with our Halloween night special, a Victorian Spiritualist evening.and don’t miss out on the Ghost walk spooktacular and the Go Darker junior jail tour and the excellent Trick or Treat trail too.
Unlock a Hauntingly Unforgettable Halloween Experience at Bodmin Jail.
If you are too spooked to visit any of the Halloween themed activities & places to visit then just stay in and around St Ives as there’s so much to see and do on your doorstep !
For a bit of culture visit THE TATE ST IVES and the BARBARA HEPWORTH museum or the spectacular Minack Theatre or if you are feeling energetic then why not learn to surf at St Ives Surf school , or head to Coast to Coast go-karting , Penwith Pitch & Putt near Hayle or if the kids want a non scary adventure visit Flambards or Paradise park & jungle barn near Hayle !
And if that’s too much effort just relax in St Ives and enjoy its beautiful beaches, shops, cafes, restaurants, galleries & pubs all just moments from your Cherished Cottage!
So, there’s no excuse not to get out and about this October half term and visit beautiful St Ives in Cornwall. We have a fabulous collection of cosy fisherman’s cottages, delightful studios for 2, large family houses and luxury sea view apartments to choose from at …. www.cherishedcottages.co.uk .. and remember don’t forget your four legged friends as the beach bans are now lifted until Easter!
Tim.
