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Come and join the hunt for a rag-taggle gang of mischievous scarecrows who have gathered in The Gardens at Ordsall Hall this October for their annual meet up.

They come in all shapes and sizes, but with one purpose- to protect the harvest crops from birds and pests. Overnight, the Witches of Ordsall have brought these otherworldly creatures to life and they party all night to celebrate the end of Harvest, collecting crops from the gardens to decorate their clothes.

By morning, you may find them looking a little ‘worse for wear’ and in some very peculiar places. Scarecrows are very shy creatures in front of humans, meaning they may be hiding from you in bushes and trees, making some very hard to find, some might even be camouflaged!  They very rarely come to life in front of humans, but keep an eye out for any movement or cheeky whisper here and there, as they chat to each other throughout the day.

You will have around 30 minutes to find 10 scarecrows hidden in the gardens and write down or draw what each scarecrow has chosen to decorate themselves with from the knitted crops around. Some may have even found an animal friend.

Please follow the ‘Buy Tickets’ button to browse the timed slots available and to book.

The trail will also be running on the following days:

  • Monday 19 October
  • Tuesday 20 October
  • Wednesday 21 October
  • Sunday 25 October
  • Monday 26 October
  • Tuesday 27 October
  • Wednesday 28 October
  • Thursday 29 October
  • Sunday 1 November

Once you have finished your trail, why not pop to the Café and enjoy some Halloween themed tasty treats to take away with you or extend your stay by pre-booking a Stewarded “Spooky Tour” of the Hall to hear more stories about the haunted history of Ordsall Hall and the legends and myths around Witchcraft.

Please note:

  • 1 ticket = 1 child so if you have multiple children who would like to attend together please purchase 1 ticket per child in the same time slot. If from the same household, you are welcome to do the trail together.
  • This year’s autumn trail is an outdoor event, therefore please dress appropriately for all weathers and wear suitable footwear and clothing for exploring the gardens.
  • The trail is timed entry, with very limited capacity per hour, so if you do miss your allocated timed slot, you may not be able to partake in the trail due to strict footfall limitations at the venue.
  • Please make sure to socially distance from any other visitors and staff in the gardens at the same time as you and please do not touch the scarecrows due to cross contamination.
  • We ask that all visitors wash their hands before and after the activity; we have hand sanitation stations throughout the venue for you to use.
  • Trails will be collected from the reception. Please make sure to have a copy of your Eventbrite confirmation on your mobile device or printed out, before arrival.
  • Masks must be worn in all indoor settings at the museum and whilst using the toilets. It is at your discretion whether to wear a mask whilst in the gardens.
  • The museum is currently closed to walk ups, however we will be offering free ‘Spooky Tours’ during this time. These must be pre-booked on our website prior to arrival and are for a maximum of 6 persons from 1 household. In this instance, 1 ticket gains entry for up to 6 persons so represents 1 bubble going on the tour.

The café and shop will be open with track and trace walk up operation with limited indoor seating and takeaway options. The indoor toilets will be open and available for use.

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