We’ve been to the Hylands Estate for a few different events; playing at Castle Park and seeing their light trail has been a few highlights, so when I saw the Hylands Fear Fest happening, I was curious what they were doing and what this meant. The Hylands Fear Fest has two different options; EXTREME and Spooky Trail. To start things off, we all went to the Spooky Trail as the Extreme version is for teens and above, where as Robin is a touch too young. The Fear Fest Spooky Trail is more family friendly, meant to be interactive in a way that the whole family can enjoy.
When we arrived, we checked in, and then waited for our turn. They were staggering entries per family, so that the actors could really focus on each individual family and give them the time that they needed to enjoy the walk. I really think this was smart as nothing felt like it was too crowded! It’s worth mentioning that the Fear Fest Spooky Trail is during the light hours of the evening and then the trail transforms into the spookier version when the sun sets, following the same sort of walk.
The Fear Fest Spooky Trail is well decorated, with different sections that feel spooky and make great use of the space. Because it’s light out, it’s not super scary, and instead feels like exploring a Halloween place. I do feel that it might be best for those who are younger, possibly even younger than Robin, but we all had a fantastic time due to the interactions with the actors. There are TONS of actors on the Fear Fest Spooky Trail. Each of them do interact with you – the vampire lady moves from side to side of the trail, staring, as does the clown following behind. A ballerina doll challenges you to dance and tells you about her sadness. This light-up dance mat was Robin’s absolute favorite part!
The scarecrow is silly, encouraging children and adults alike to get lost in a hay maze. Witches lead us to picture points and had us using spells to help with the potions. Kai was even in the spirit, participating because he thought it was all so funny. There are plenty of fun moments and fantastic interactions, which really made the whole trail feel well worth it! At the end, every child gets to decorate a pumpkin using a bunch of stickers, and then you are able to go into a fairgrounds. It’s worth mentioning that back at the start, there are some spooky-themed foods, like pizza and hot dogs, to purchase as well. Robin had a lovely time on the walk and loved doing bits of acting, where as Amelia and Kai asked if we could come back for the Extreme version, which is always a good sign!
You can check out our other Days Out to see what else we’ve been up too!