I’m terrible. I must confess. I’m usually so prepared for Halloween, I’ve pinned my favourite pumpkin ideas, bought the said pumpkin from a local farmer and carved the life out of it, plus the house is usually full of sweets. But sadly, this year I have just completely forgotten. So, instead of worrying about how many disappointed children there are going to be when they knock on our door (or how many eggs I’ll be scraping off my window) I’ve put together a list of 5 spooky places to travel to on Halloween to scare yourself silly this year (or for next!)
WHITBY
My native Yorkshire provides a lot of spooky goings-on and first on the list is Whitby, famed for it’s 199 steps up the castle, it’s also where Bram Stoker was inspired to write his famous novel, Dracula. Influenced by it’s rugged coastline and spooky castle graveyard he stayed in the town and set to writing his book. With cute independent shops, the infamous whalebones and meandering steps, Whitby has always been the “alternative” beach side break here in Yorkshire. Not only is it popular with vampire hunters, Whitby is even more well-known for it’s Goth weekends, where you will most certainly not be disappointed! Spend hours being entertained and watching everyone descend to the town in their chosen gothic ‘wares. Who knew I’d be able to tell the difference between a Victorian Goth and a Steampunk Goth?
MEXICO
The Day of the Dead. A list like this would not be complete without mentioning it (plus, look at my face in these photos!) I bloody love Mexico, so so so much. This Mexican holiday celebrates all those that have died. Families gather to pray and remember their loved ones who have passed away. Really, it’s a happy time for everyone rather than a scary holiday! The three day event see’s the synonymous sugar-skull style make up being fashioned and whilst Mexico City never had a parade, after the success of James Bonds opening scene in Spectre where it is shown to be celebrating the Day of the Dead the city put on a parade the next year which attracted over 250,000 participants. I bet that was incredible! If you fancy a trip further afield then Mexico needs to be on that bucket list for next year.
YORK
My home town has been voted in countless lists as one of the most haunted places to visit. With sightings of roman soldiers walking through cellars, to the famous horse thief, Dick Turpin’s hanging and even Guy Fawkes who plotted to blow up the houses of parliament even went to school here. It’s safe to say that the city has a rich history of both notable figures and spooky stories to make your spine tingle. The Golden Fleece has long been pronounced the most haunted pub in England and a York Ghost tour will take you around some of the cities most gruesome spots, from where a little girl died in a window from the plague, AKA the “Black Death” to the Treasurers house where a workman swears blind he saw the roman soldiers and horses marching through the grounds of the building – but could only see from the torso up! There’s also the York Dungeons to visit too if you fancy a fright. I could write a whole book on the spooky-goings on in my beloved York but if you ever fancy a UK break that might just keep you awake with bumps in the night, this is the place to go.
NEW ORLEANS
It seems that the theme of vampires runs outside of the UK and across the pond. Having watched countless Louis Theroux and weird travel programmes New Orleans always seems to come up as the place to go vampire hunting, because you will find plenty of self-proclaimed vampires! I’m not talking any of this American Horror Story shit, but real people who actually try live life as an actual vampire, drinking blood and also having cosmetic surgery to make their teeth more like fangs. I’m not even joking. New Orleans has always been somewhere I’d love to visit, but then again, I’m not quite sure who I’d bump in to on the street!
PONTEFRACT
Yep, I can hear you scream – why on earth would you want to go to Pontefract? Well, not only is it home to the haribo sweet (perfect for those pesky little trick or treaters!) it is also famous for the house that inspired the film, “When the Lights Went Out.” 30 East Drive in Pontefract is where ghost hunters flock to in their droves. What happened to the Pritchard Family at the hands of “Fred” send shivers down my spine (you can read about the history here.) The new owners are cashing in hard on it’s creepy past and offer overnight stays at the home which you can book here. I’m not sure if I could pluck up the courage to stay here, but I dare one of you too!
What are your Halloween plans this year?
Bee
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