Shocktoberfest

You cannot be serious. This place is a freezing cold joke! I booked a ticket and nearly didn’t go because I was almost sick with frightened anticipation. That was probably the scariest bit. Waiting to go. Or the price!
I don’t know whether what ruined it so much for me was because I knew what was coming (I’d been given a thorough run through from several people), but to be honest it really was just rubbish anyhow.
The tickets can be up to £35 or more if you book a ticket which will let you on all the attractions, but that would be pointless as the queues for each one where over an hour on most. I had a ticket which allowed me on 4 – 5.
You will really need to wrap up warm because you are out in the freezing cold the whole time. No heaters!
The first one we went on you had to squeeze through a tiny dark space — not good for the claustrophobes, until you come out of a badly made little path with sheets covering it splattered with light red paint… There would be little openings where people (mainly teens off for half term) would jump out and either go boo! Or hiss but this was spoilt by the people in front screaming first so I knew when to expect them. Then we went through a bit which was supposed to be what I think was a hospital scene, with a man in scrubs with an odd mask! When I peered closer to see the mangled mess, he put his hand up and said in a normal voice ”no mate”. Brilliant character acting there.
Then we waited about a year for the Haunted Hayride. It’s basically going about on the back of a tractor and ‘actors’ come and interact with you. Very shoddy and bodged if you ask me. Which would have been fine if it wasn’t for the price! Its about the same as visiting Thorpe Park!
Needless to say I was cold, hungry and bored so we went home. Totally not worth the money I certainly wouldn’t bother again.

I don’t scream like a girl. I’m a man-​yeller. My female voice somehow turns into this, low, throaty weirdness when frightened. And I was man-​yelling all up and down this joint.
Schocktoberfest takes place in Tulley’s Farm, and it’s a fantastic little (big) place. Makes me want to come back for a visit when it’s not all scare-​i-​fied to see how things run on a normal occasion!
There are 6 «scares» you can visit if you purchase the X-​Scream pass. Two of them, the Haunted Hayride and Creepy Cottage come standard no matter what level of ticket you purchase. Gemma has already done a fantastic job of describing these «scares.» My favorite by far… if favorite can be used as a word for «omg holy jeez I’m so freaked out!» was the Hell-​ements. Having a bag over your head that you can only see through to a certain extent with actors creeping up beside you and snarling and velociraptor-​screeching is truly creeptastic. And the Twisted Maze… to Hades with you, creepy clowns!
We also paid a couple pounds to slingshot onions and shoot corn out of cannons. All the additional fun and games around are £1 each. They also have a lovely tarot reader/​clairvoyant named Tia who will read 5 cards for £5. Which I had done, and which was pretty spot on!
There’s lots of food throughout the farm, so don’t be duped into buying the crummy burger from the first set of stands when you walk in. They even had a full hog roast which I so wish I had room for, but I was too full of crummy burger!
Seriously, a great night out.
Helpful note: if you book ahead online, you save £3.

BOO! «eekk»
Tulley’s Farm has been a family business since the 1930’s. Starting off as a traditional farm, it later specialised in fruit and veg, with pick your own options when the farm was opened up to the public. In the 1990’s they opened up a farm shop and a tea rooms and over the last 15 years they have branched out to putting on festivals to celebrate Halloween and Guy Fawkes night among others.
Shocktoberfest is a Halloween extravaganza that has been growing and growing. There are now six main attraction in the park, all of which are greatly toned down in the day time for the kiddies, but are pretty damn scary at nighttime, even for us grown ups! Yes, I knew that there would be people in fancy dress jumping out of dark corners at me, how scary can this be? Very! In fact, so scary, I was screaming like a five year old child!
There are six main attractions as well as smaller fairground-​esk stalls and plenty of food and drink options (no alcohol though). All of the six attraction involve people dressed as spooky characters who interact with you. There is no touching, but I have heard rumours of some of the staff being punched by scared customers!
Haunted Hayride is the attraction with the longest queues — we waited for about an hour to see this. It’s worth the wait though as you are driven around on a trailer attached to a tractor. Many scary ghosts and ghouls, including the much feared Woodsman, jump on to the trailer with you as you travel around and interact with you. The scenes they have created here are fantastic.
My favourite (and most scary) excursion was Its Curtains Maze, which featured clowns in a very disorientating maze. I’m not normally scared of clowns but I think I may have developed a new phobia after this experience!
Hell-​ements is the newest attraction. You have to feel your way around this maze as they make you do it with a bag over your head — not good for the claustophobes! It features the elements of earth, fire, air and water, but the scariest part of this one is not knowing what is in front of you!
The other attractions are Field of Screams, Haunted House and Creepy Cottage — all of which are petrifying in their own individual ways!
Shocktoberfest is a must-​do for all the family at Halloween time. Tickets are reasonably pricey but it’s a great experience, particularly if you like being scared stiff!