Ghost-hunting 2025!

Belsay Hall Castle & Gardens 2025

The Brief

Alongside our daytime Halloween programme, English Heritage invited us to create an after-dark family experience at Belsay Hall and Castle for October half-term. Rather than a traditional ghost story walk, the brief was to develop something more immersive and interactive, blending storytelling with the site’s unique history and giving families an exciting role to play within the experience.

What We Did

Following a site visit, we drew inspiration from the carved graffiti left by First World War soldiers in the stables, using this as the foundation for an evening trail hosted by WWI soldier characters.

The journey combined ghost stories with escape-room-style challenges, encouraging families to actively explore the grounds and solve problems along the way. Activities were carefully placed within the landscape including moments set beside an old wall re-imagined as the entrance to a former mine shaft. The experience also featured bespoke scenic elements created in collaboration with the gardens team, including an old stone wishing well built especially for the event.

The Result

The Ghost-hunting adventures were delivered successfully over three nights across the Halloween weekend, offering families a dramatic and atmospheric after-dark adventure that brought together history, storytelling and playful problem-solving in a truly site-specific experience..