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Pumpkin Picking & Halloween Events in the Yorkshire Dales

We love the spooky season here at Catgill Farm! And luckily for us, the Yorkshire Dales is home to all sorts of fun seasonal events for the time of year, from pumpkin fields and Halloween trails to family-friendly farm fun and fright nights for older kids, there seems to be something happening every October weekend across North Yorkshire and the Dales, as well as all week during half term!

Whether you’re staying at Catgill Farm or planning a day out in the Dales, we’ve put together a guide to as many of the best places within an hour’s drive to find your perfect pumpkin, join in some Halloween fun, and make some unforgettable autumn memories.

Updated October 2026

Hesketh Farm Park, Bolton Abbey

Literally just down the lane from our gates, Hesketh Farm Park is a family-run gem and the easiest spot for a relaxed morning of seasonal fun. Each year, they transform one of their animal barns into a rustic Halloween grotto featuring pumpkin carving workshops and a family-friendly trail. Visitors can also enjoy all regular farm activities, including animal feeding sessions, the heated indoor play barn, giant sandpit, pedal go-karts, and straw bale maze.

Billy Bob’s Parlour, Skipton

Distance: 10 minutes from Catgill Farm

Halloween event dates: Halloween weekends start on 26th September, then every day from Friday 23rd October to Sunday 1st November 2026

Best for: The whole family, from toddlers and energetic teens to grandparents.

Highlights: Incredible retro photo opportunities, autumn props, and themed treats.

Billy Bob’s combines a 1950s American diner with sprawling indoor play barns and outdoor adventure areas, making it ideal for brisk or rainy October days. They go all out with authentic American fall festival vibes: haunted woodland paths, themed interactive displays like Hilda the Witch’s Crooked Hovel, a barn bounce house, pumpkin house candy scrambles, bespoke autumn ice cream flavours, and pumpkins ready to take home.

Bolton Abbey Pumpkin Trail

A beloved local tradition along the River Wharfe. Enter through the giant spooky gates of Strid Wood and follow the trail of giant pumpkins, deciphering hidden clues inside mystery boxes along the route. The path begins at the Cavendish Pavilion shop and winds through vibrant autumn woodland. It is entirely pushchair- and wheelchair-friendly, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.

Birchfield Farm, Summerbridge

Nestled in Nidderdale, Birchfield Ice Cream Farm is widely considered an autumn institution. Stroll straight into rows of homegrown carving pumpkins, and load up a wheelbarrow. Admission includes access to the maize maze, and don’t forget to pick up an ice cream!

Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, Bolton Abbey Station

Hop aboard a vintage steam train for a spooky ride through the picturesque Yorkshire Dales countryside. During October half term, the railway runs special Halloween-themed service, the Wizard Express, featuring decorated carriages, spooky characters, a costume competition and activities on board. There’s also the Evening Scare Train with scary stories and fireworks at the end, recommended for ages 10+. It’s an easy, atmospheric outing situated just moments from Catgill.

Thornton Hall Farm, near Skipton

Thornton Hall Farm hosts one of Yorkshire’s most comprehensive Halloween celebrations. Daytime visitors can enjoy SPOOKS!, featuring pumpkin picking straight from the field, tractor rides, Trick or Treat Street, live interactive character shows, and pumpkin carving barns alongside their massive soft-play facilities. In the evening, the farm transforms into Screams! at Thornton Hall, an intense live-action scare park designed strictly for older teens and adults.

Stockeld Park, near Wetherby

Stockeld Park’s Halloween Adventure offers an expansive woodland experience. Trek through the Enchanted Forest to meet the Woodland Witches, navigate the giant hedge maze, catch live theatre performances, and take a tractor ride out to the pumpkin meadow. High-energy activities include zombie laser tag, inflatable jump pillows, and massive wooden adventure play zones like the Spider’s Lair and Tangle Tree Climb.

Mother Shipton’s Cave, Knaresborough

Mother Shipton’s historic estate along the River Nidd transforms into an immersive haunted wonderland for half term. Actors bring eccentric gothic legends to life, this year is Hocus Pocus inspired, as you wander beneath ancient forest canopies past spellbound woodland sets. Alongside the costumed characters and fancy-dress competitions, visitors can view the famous Petrifying Well where water turns everyday objects to stone.

The Forbidden Corner, Leyburn

Known as “The Strangest Place in the World,” this labyrinth of underground tunnels, hidden chambers, and eccentric follies is naturally built for Halloween. Daytime visitors can enjoy family scavenger hunts searching for hidden skeleton bones and solving riddles through the gardens. On selected Friday and Saturday evenings, the estate opens The Forgotten Corner, an intense after-dark experience featuring live-action scare actors within the maze.

Thorp Perrow Arboretum, Bedale

Thorp Perrow is home to one of the North’s finest tree collections, making it spectacular when autumn color reaches its peak. Their annual Halloween trail winds through the arboretum with spooky props, tombs, and family-friendly clues to solve. Half-term week features free craft stations by the bandstand, face painting, pop-up woodfired pizza, and daily flying displays at the bird of prey centre.

Bolton Abbey Pumpkin Trail

Distance: 10 minutes from Catgill Farm

Running daily from 9am to 4pm, the Bolton Abbey Pumpkin Trail is a local favourite for families with little ones. Enter through the giant spooky gates of Strid Wood and follow the trail of giant pumpkins, solving clues hidden in mystery boxes along the way to complete the puzzle.

The walk begins at the Cavendish Shop and winds through the beautiful autumn woodland beside the River Wharfe, making it perfect for pushchairs, wheelchairs, and dogs on leads. The event is included in the estate car park fee, and it’s best to pre-book the Riverside car park to start right at the trail’s beginning. Expect fresh air, beautiful scenery, and plenty of gentle Halloween fun for the whole family.

Halloween event opening dates: Saturday 25 October – Sunday 2 November 2025

Best for: Younger children and families staying at Catgill who want something nearby and low-cost.

Yorkshire Pumpkins, Cundall

A photographer’s favourite, Yorkshire Pumpkins grows more than 50 distinct varieties of pumpkins, squash, and gourds, from classic carving varieties to polar white, blue, and warty heritage varieties. The site features pumpkin bowling lanes, pedal tractor tracks, a straw bale climbing mountain, hot food vendors, and sprawling fields with sweeping rural views.

Yolk Farm, Boroughbridge

Home to the world’s first egg restaurant on a real egg farm, Yolk Farm offers a relaxed pumpkin patch setting paired with exceptional food. Pick your own pumpkin from the patch, explore the enclosed animal paddocks, and let children burn off energy inside the timber play barn before stocking up on seasonal produce at the farm shop.

Blooming Sheep Pumpkin Patch, near Skipton

For something truly charming, Blooming Sheep pairs rustic pumpkin picking with their flock of Valais Blacknose sheep dressed up in gentle Halloween costumes. Families can explore the patch, capture seasonal photos at scenic staging points, and book private 30-minute cuddle sessions with the sheep in a decorated paddock. Pre-ordered Halloween afternoon tea treat boxes from Mama Doreen’s Tea Emporium make for an easy picnic feast.

Ilkley Pumpkin Trail, Ilkley

The annual Ilkley Pumpkin Trail takes over the Riverside Memorial Gardens on Halloween Saturday. Organised by the local Addingham Scouts to raise funds for upcoming youth expeditions, this community event offers games, family activities, and carved pumpkin displays tucked along the riverbanks. Admission is free with a suggested donation of £2.

RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate

Harlow Carr celebrates the autumn season with its family-friendly pumpkin trail winding through landscaped gardens and woodlands. Visitors can inspect sculpted pumpkin displays, watch live master-carving demonstrations, and attend hands-on workshops including storytelling, garden detective sessions, and Zoolab creepy-crawly animal encounters.

Bonus Stops (if you’re travelling from further afield)

Bonus Stops (If You’re Travelling From Further Afield)

If you are travelling to or from Catgill Farm and want to stop along the motorway corridors or explore further into Yorkshire, these regional destinations are well worth a detour:

Plan Your Autumn Escape

From gentle woodland walks right outside our door to sprawling festival farms across the countryside, autumn in the Dales offers something memorable for every age. Spend your days out picking the perfect carving pumpkin, then return to Catgill Farm to light your private fire pit, toast marshmallows, and share spooky stories under clear, starlit skies.

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