Scarily Ever After at Fairytale Farm

Every child who follows the Pebble Trail to the Woodcutters' Pumpkin Patch receives a pumpkin to take home, and it is part of the ticket rather than something extra at the till. For families used to the pumpkin being the bit that quietly doubles the cost of the day, that is a real difference.

Once a pumpkin has been chosen, the Woodcutters' Carving Marquee is where it becomes something. Children can carve theirs or paint it, which keeps the youngest visitors involved rather than watching. Elsewhere there is a Hansel and Gretel puzzle trail to work through, and Ginger the Witch appears as part of the event.

The neat part is what happens at the end of the afternoon. Illuminations come on as daylight fades and they are covered by the daytime ticket, so a visit that starts in the morning finishes with something different rather than petering out. Separate Illuminated Evenings run across a longer stretch of autumn, from 23 October to 15 November, and a Potions and Spells party takes over 30 and 31 October at a higher price.

Booking online takes 10% off, one carer per disabled visitor comes in free with evidence of disability, and the farm asks anyone with questions about access, sensory needs or food allergies to get in touch before visiting, which is a fair indication of how those things are handled here.