Halloween at Kew has returned for its third year, transforming the world-famous botanical gardens in West London into a spooky wonderland of ghouls, witches, Egyptian mummies, spectres and monsters. The trail runs for two weeks until November 1 and is suitable for all ages, with three time slots available.
A Tranquil Garden Turned Terrifying
Kew Gardens is normally known for its serene and tranquil atmosphere, where visitors can wander through vast open spaces filled with some of the oldest, most impressive and most endangered plants, trees and flowers on the planet. The calm of the Palm House, which is soon to undergo a multi-million transformation where every pane of glass will be replaced, and the Temperate House is a draw for many.
But as soon as October hits and darkness falls, the gardens are transformed into a Halloween experience that is both awe-inspiring and a little bit terrifying. The younger sibling of Christmas at Kew, Halloween at Kew first launched two years ago and has proved so popular it is here to stay.
Three Time Slots for Different Scare Levels
The trail offers daylight sessions for little ones or those not keen to be spooked, with the bare minimum of scaries. A twilight slot runs between 6pm and 7.30pm, where things get spookier as the sun starts to disappear. The moonlight session from 7.30pm onwards takes place in complete darkness and is the scariest option.
The experience begins with a stunning tree bedecked in ghoulish green lights, guarded by a real cloaked horseman, followed by an enchanted tunnel of pumpkins and a witch cooking up spells in the front garden of a cottage in the woods. The Egyptian section includes a mummy that growls at walkers, and visitors are warned beforehand that the trail is very interactive.
Immersive Sound and Interactive Scenes
The soundtrack plays a key part in the experience, with ghostly moans, creaking doors in graveyards and a sinister score as visitors move through woodland filled with cloaked figures. Other highlights include vampires putting on shows, pumpkin patches with a real-life dancing Mr Pumpkin head, haunted tractors, giant disco skeletons and pagan gods lining the walkways.
The moonlight walk proved genuinely unsettling at times, and younger children on the walk were reduced to tears in the pitch-black spooky world. Earlier time slots are recommended for families with younger children. The trail remains family friendly, with interactive characters adding to the fun and plenty of places to stop for food, hot chocolate or toasted marshmallows.
Tickets for Halloween at Kew start at £19.50, and family tickets are available.
