Head to the Lake District for some Halloween fun

The Western Lake District will be full of ghoulies, ghosties and things going bump in the night this Autumn, as three of its major attractions lay on a feast of spooky experiences sure to chill to the core.

The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway will be running special Ghost Train experiences on October 27 and 28, sure to send a shiver down anyone’s spine. Kids and their parents will collect their tickets from ghostly assistants, before joining the Halloween trimmed carriages of the 4.45 pm Ghost Train.

The children will each receive a ghostly gift before the train sets off to wind its way through Miterdale and Eskdale, before dusk begins to draw in and wooded areas cast eerie shadows through the trees.

En route, a host of ghostly characters will appear from the gloom, whilst at Irton Road station, the halfway point of the chilling journey, kids will be warned to look out for both the ancient stationmaster, weighted down with heavy chains, and other ghouls creeping up to catch them unawares.

The complete darkness of the return journey is a haven for the creatures of the night, as Thriller-style characters ranging from a green-haired witch, to the ghastly grim reaper, appear as if from nowhere. Add to that the elderly ghost, tottering along with walking stick in hand and blanket over his face and kids will be crying out for the driver to up the pace from the slow crawl he seems to adopt every time a ghostly figure emerges.

Those seeking a nerve-jangling experience can book their special Ghost Train tickets by calling 01229 717171. The journey lasts 40 minutes in each direction, with a 20-minute stopover at Dalegarth. Arrival time back in Ravenglass is 6.25pm.

Tickets cost £9.60 for an adult, £4.80 for a child and £24.90 for a family of two adults and two children.

Further information is available at Ravenglass-railway.co.uk.

Ghostly experiences are also on the menu at Muncaster Castle, in Ravenglass, reputedly one of the most haunted buildings in the UK, where the spirit of the legendary Tom Fool is said to run amok. Entering the castle’s spectre ridden Tapestry Room is one challenge, but spending a night here on a Ghost Sit is quite another!

This Ghost Sit experience is a unique opportunity for up to six people to stay overnight in the haunted room. Scene setting occurs in the late evening, with a private tour of the castle, with the tales and legends of Muncaster being spelt out. Once the characters of Tom Fool, The White Lady and a woman dressed in black are implanted on the brain, the party can settle down for an all-night watch, amidst the Flemish hangings, wonderful Georgian furniture and Elizabethan fireplace.

The next morning, visitors are greeted by a full English breakfast in Creeping Kate’s Kitchen, where they can explore their thoughts on the evening’s events and compare and contrast stories. As thoughts are crystallised, they are then committed to the written word, with all guests being asked to complete a log of what happened to them during their ghostly night.

The Ghost Sit costs £470 per group for a Saturday night, £440 for a Friday or Sunday night and £405 for a weekday night, Monday to Thursday. All participants must be aged 17 or over.

From October 22-29, on Halloween (October 31) and on every Saturday and Sunday in November and December, as well as between December 26-28, Darkest Muncaster allows visitors to explore life in the castle’s gardens after nightfall. The experience includes music, sounds, special effects and light, creating spine-tingling feelings and breathtaking entertainment and lasts from dusk to 9pm, with last entrances at 8pm.

Those seeking thrills and spills of the scary kind need to bring outdoor clothing and torches – along with lots of nerve. Prices for Darkest Muncaster are £5.00 for an adult, £2.50 for a child and £13.50 for a family. Further details are available from Muncaster.co.uk.

Those who want to complete the ghostly experience can head to The Rum Story, in Whitehaven – an award-winning attraction that tells the tale of the UK rum trade, inextricably woven with that of the slave trade and the smuggling that proliferated along the West Cumbrian coast.

Since opening in 2000, in the original 1785 shop, courtyards, cellars and bonded warehouses of the Jefferson family, The Rum Story has experienced many strange occurrences, now being investigated by a paranormal expert. A resident ghost named Henry is extremely mischievous and has been seen by many visitors. Those in the attraction can also testify to inexplicable moving objects and sudden temperature changes.

Those of a brave disposition can spend the night in the vaults of The Rum Story, alongside the experts carrying out the investigations, explaining the strange phenomena, if they can.

Visit the attraction at a price of £5.45 for an adult, £3.45 for a child, £4.45 for a concession and £16.45 for two adults and two children. The attraction is open from 10am-4.30pm daily, but as these hours can vary, it pays to telephone and avoid disappointment.

As well as potentially encountering some strange happenings, visitors can enjoy a journey encompassing a rainforest, a slave village, a slave ship, a sugar workshop and a punch house and a deserted vault, as well as learning all about smuggling, prohibition and barrel-making. Visit Rumstory.co.uk for more information.

The rich history of the Western Lake District is riddled with myth, legend and ghostly tales and to experience it is to relish it. Why not head to the Western Lake District to explore its past and present for yourself? If not, the missed opportunity might just haunt you!