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Not everyone can understand why you'd want to go out of your way to be terrified. As Halloween approaches, however, horror fans are in their element, as ghosts and ghoulies come out to play.
To celebrate All Hallows' Eve on 31 October, we’ve selected the best hair-raising activities throughout the UK. Not all will leave you trembling though – some are devilish fun for the whole family.
From being chased by zombies round the streets of London, to braving the night in an abandoned wing of a haunted house in Yorkshire, scroll through the gallery for some spooky suggestions.
Show all 10 1 /10Where to visit for Halloween Where to visit for Halloween Fright night at Thorpe park As well as the usual impressive collection of rides and rollercoasters (including Saw, Swarm, Stealth, Colossus and Nemesis Inferno), the theme park is hosting horror mazes where ghouled-up actors will jump out at you when you least expect it. Mazes include The Blair Witch Project, My Bloody Valentine, The Cabin in The Woods and SAW – plus new for 2014, Studio 13. This night is not for the faint-hearted. Or ideal if you have just eaten. Nor if you have seen the Scream 2 cinema scene.
Where to visit for Halloween 2.8 Hours Later For those who shout ‘why do they always run UP the stairs?!’ during horror films, could you really do any better in a moment of sheer fear? Here’s how you find out. Entering a world where zombies are running loose, your only job is to survive. If you do, they’ll be a zombie disco awaiting at the end. If you don’t, you will have to eat brains for eternity.
Where to visit for Halloween Ghost Hunts If you think Yvette Fielding has nothing on your spirit stalking skills, there are a range of ghost hunting events available in the UK. From a sleepover in East Yorkshire, to a hospital/jail in the most haunted town in Wales, you’ll be guided by a Paranormal Team to search the premises – and even encouraged to try the Ouija Board.
Where to visit for Halloween Dark Arts at the Harry Potter Studio Tour The new feature at the Harry Potter Studio tour takes a darker turn. The set which became the headquarters of Lord Voldemort’s followers and a model of Voldemort’s snake Nagini are now featured in the tour – though the spectacular highlights remain the Great Hall and the model of Hogwarts which was used in every film. A perfect Halloween highlight for the family.
Where to visit for Halloween Zombie experiences If being chased by zombies on open streets isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps being trapped in a shopping mall might be preferable? As well as that Dawn of the Dead-esque treat in Berkshire, there’s also The Asylum in Worcestershire, or you can head to an abandoned manor house in Greater Manchester.
Where to visit for Halloween Murder Mystery Perhaps your anniversary is coming up and you want to surprise a partner? A murder mystery weekend will certainly do the trick. There are real-life Cluedo style murder mystery events all around the UK, some can be bespoke group events at a venue of your choice, and others are planned events where you need tickets. Whether it’s friends or strangers - can you work out who’s telling perilous porkies?
Where to visit for Halloween Wicked Telling the story of the Wicked Witch of the West before she become the baddie in The Wizard of Oz, Wicked is a treat for the whole family. There’s magic and witches, but no frights to be had, just one hell of a musical. Though it’s been running at the Apollo Theatre in London for eight years, there’s a UK tour which will see performances at Liverpool, Southampton, Edinburgh, Plymouth, Bristol, Sunderland, Aberdeen and Salford until July 2015.
Where to visit for Halloween Dungeon lates The dungeons can be a bit too family-friendly during the day, so head after dark for extra frights. And alcohol is allowed, so you could find yourself in a drunken row with a lairy Casper.
Where to visit for Halloween Ghost Stories Remember the one with the woman whose dog licked her hand under the bed? While hardened horror film fans might not be too startled by the show, attempting to vamp up the genre in theatre is certainly welcome. Horrifying sounds and dramatic lighting are used to build suspense in this entertaining journey of ghostly tales.
Where to visit for Halloween Horrible Histories For little ones, Horrible Histories have been extremely successful in making education entertaining. And boy is there some gore in our history. The tour will visit Hull, Chelmsford, Cambridge, Darlington, Poole, Nottingham, Hayes, and Newtown up until December 6th.
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