But the opening night of Hampstead Heath’s first ever Halloween trail struck the right tone between scary and fun – with even the tiniest visitors enjoying dressing up in gruesome outfits for the fright night.
Thanks to influences from the US to Mexico, October 31 has become a playful festival where we celebrate the most macabre and grisly aspects of death.
Let’s face it, we all enjoy being scared – a bit – and of all the venues in London, Hampstead already has Exorcist vibes – even before you dress it up with cobwebbed coffins and whey-faced witches.
The darkened trip through the tunnel of trees after entering Kenwood’s West Lodge is creepy enough – but now there’s a spooky soundscape to get you in the mood.
My teen and I loved how the atmospheric music and sound effects enhanced the experience as we explored the illuminated trail.
And we also loved the jump scares from live actors along the route.
My advice would be take your time – don’t gallop around the grounds – pause at the ghoulish green hued graveyard and take a selfie of your loved ones in the stocks.
Enjoy the screams of lost souls in the midst of a thunder storm.
The front of the 18th Century house itself gets a spectacular makeover with spider web projections and iron cauldrons flickering with fire.
Without spoiling surprises you may encounter a long dead highwayman, a witch, a banshee, and a headless horseman with real live horse as you follow the route.
Make sure to linger on the lawn where the stage is set for a pair of fiery circus acts – and you are invited to take part in an incantation to waken the dead.
If you get thirsty or hungry there’s a bar and a row of food trucks near the Brew House Cafe – burgers, pizzas, gyros, hot chocolate and marshmallows – but we took one look at £10 for churros or £6 for chips with ketchup and moved on.
At one point you will be wandering through dry ice cut with lasers and feel you are on a film set, at another you walk past a flickering pumpkin patch.
We were particularly spooked by a scarecrow we thought was watching us.
There’s even a fluorescent spider web tunnel where you can get another selfie – and Kenwood’s mature trees look great all lit up red and orange – with creepy little installations dotted around the bushes.
However it happened, Halloween has become a family festival where everyone from grans to toddlers can get into the grisly groove – lean into it – bring the dog -and enjoy yourself.
Halloween at Kenwood runs from 4.30pm every evening until November 2. Tickets from premier.ticketek.co.uk
