The Magical Woodland at Blakemere Village is an immersive Halloween light trail that the whole family can enjoy. It is designed so that families can walk through the woodland and take in the spectacular lighting, eerie music, and spooky live performances. We were invited down for the press night and having never been before we were unsure what to expect, you can read our full review below along with all the top tips we recommend for making the most out of your visit.
Magical Woodland Review
On arrival we were guided to a parking space in a large car park so there’s no need to worry about being able to park, despite the fact that Blakemere Village is home to numerous other attractions and shops. The Magical Woodland itself was then well signposted, which made it so much easier.
As soon as we entered the The Magical Woodland we were greeted by live entertainers in full costumes who were happy to chat to us and who were really patient with my 5 year old who had suddenly decided that the whole thing might be too scary (it isn’t).
We then entered through the tunnel of light to be greeted by, quite literally, a magical woodland. There was colour and sounds, statues and decorations, photo opportunities and entertainers everywhere. I’m convinced we could go a second time and see a whole host of things we missed the first time round there really is that much. The effort and attentional to detail that has gone in to creating this event is second to none.
The trail itself is easy to follow so you can’t get lost, even as it gets darker so you can let your children explore around you as they can’t deviate from the path. We were also impressed with how it transitions from one theme to another effortlessly. No matter what your Halloween character of choice is you are bound to find a section here that covers it from aliens to E.T, clowns to dinosaurs, witches to pumpkins and even some sharks and pirates!
One of the things that makes this light trail different to others is the presence of actors and character performances along the route, including two witches, a mad scientist, pirates, and even a clown. I loved how they all stayed in character and engaged with guests, adjusting their approach based on the age or weariness of the child ensuring that they were never too scary or intermediating and getting them involved in the stories they were telling. They were also all more than happy to pose for pictures, do high fives or answer questions. It really made it extra special.
Once you come to the end of the trail there are food and drink stalls, benches, photo stops and fire-pits to toast marshmallows. This created a lovely atmosphere as everyone was gathered together talking about the walk and enjoying the rest of the evening. It also meant it didn’t end to abruptly and we could stay a little longer and have a go at toasting marshmallows (£4 per stick) which the kids loved.
Overall we had a wonderful evening and stayed for approximately 2 hours. We found the Magical Woodland to be much larger and more interactive than we expected and would recommend for anyone looking for a Halloween Trail in the Cheshire area, especially if you have younger children and don’t want anything too scary.
We didn’t have a pram with us but spotted lots of families using them and didn’t see anyone struggling so would assume that it is pram friendly too, unless there has been heavy rain and then this may change.
Tips to get the most out of it:
- Book in advance as it’s selling out fast
- Choose an earlier slot if going with younger children so it gets dark once you’ve started instead of heading into the dark.
- Wear suitable footwear and warm layers
- Bring a camera (or phone) there are lots of photo opportunities.
- Factor in time to relax and linger at the end, enjoying food, fire-pits, and revisiting favourite spots.
- If you can factor in £4 for marshmallow toasting, you get 3 on a stick so can easily share
- If visiting in wet weather, consider using a baby carrier over a pushchair if applicable
- Go in fancy dress and really soak up the Halloween spirit.
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