Self-catering accommodation for Alton Towers Scarefest, Halloween and Fireworks

Alton Towers Scarefest, Halloween and Fireworks

27th October for 3 nights - £485

30th October for 4 nights - £495

 

Book direct with the owners to avoid booking fees 👍

If you would like more information or to book one of our last minute breaks please email

barkshc@gmail.com

🐕Two dogs welcome 

🎠Really near Alton Towers ST10 4DB

☀️Great for walkers and getting outdoors 

🍰Nearby tea rooms

🌳 Peak District & Churnet Valley await

😃 Family time 

Scarefest 2022- Holiday cottage near Alton Towers

Where has the summer gone this year? I honestly don't think I have ever been so busy. It must be a post covid thing, where the pace of life picked up massively... and possibly my multi-tasking skills were a bit rusty. Everything has felt so hectic all summer.

Last week dear son packed himself off to university, so I am starting to get everything back into some sort of order in my own house. I also have a few tasks and improvements to get organised in the holiday cottage. But first we have Alton Towers Scarefest season. 

I saw pumpkins in the shop today and was tempted to get some to decorate the cottage for our Scarefest guests. I resisted because I regularly drive past a pumpkin farm and would like to support our local growers if I can.

We still have some short breaks available for Scarefest and October half term. 

Available dates at the time of writing

3 - 7th October £420 for 4 nights

14 - 17th October £395 for 3 nights

20 - 24th October £495 for 4 nights

28 - 30th for £395 for 3 nights

31st  - 4th November £525 for 4 nights

Please check availability or message us if you are looking for self-catering accommodation that is really near Alton Towers.

October half term and Scarefest

The guests that stay at Barks Holiday Cottage are often parents who were brought up on family fun days at Alton Towers and are keen to start a new tradition with the next generation, their young children. So I am always pleased to see that there are fun things to do at the theme park for all ages. New for 2021 during Scarefest is the Trick or Treating thrill. Should be suitably scary for younger age groups. It is also rather fun for youngsters being at the park in the darkness with the old building all lit up across the lake. My son and his friends used to love the twirling swings (forgotten the name now) that lifted him and his friends high into the drizzly night air. They were meant to hold on, but stretching their arms out was favourite.

But having said all that about Scarefest, I am a fan of fireworks night. That is a spectacular event. I have watched it a number of times from afar as we can actually see it from our hill across the valley, but that is quite honestly just frustrating. You can see how amazing the fireworks are, but we don't get the accompanying music, lights and lasers. So no compromise this year, we're dressing up warm and going to the theme park.  

We currently have self-catering availability at Barks Holiday Cottage for a 4 night break during October half term - 22nd to 26th October. We also have fireworks weekend available. Please message or ring to check availability.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us.

Scarefest at Alton Towers

As we move into the second half of the school summer holidays we start being asked about holiday cottage availability for October half term and Scarefest. Such a great time of year around here. 

Update - Scarefest and October half term 

A cancellation means we have a Scarefest break available for £525 arriving Friday 22nd October and departing Tuesday 26th.  

Dog sitting is available for families wishing to visit Alton Towers.

And looking further ahead into November, the Alton Towers fireworks weekend is available for £375.

For the latest availability please check online or contact us.

Special offers to fill the gaps in holiday cottage bookings

Special offers at Barks Holiday Cottage

Spring 2024:

Last minute discounted short breaks

 Spring 2024 Last minute discounts:

week of June 1st -  last minute booking discounts. Short breaks available from £450. Please message for details.

If you would like more information or to book one of our last minute breaks please email

barkshc@gmail.com

🐕Two dogs welcome 

🎠Really near Alton Towers 

☀️Great for walkers and getting outdoors 

🍰Nearby tea rooms

🌳 Peak District & Churnet Valley await

😃 Family time 

Generally speaking we work on a Friday change over, but we like to try to be flexible about when people can arrive so that sometimes leaves a gap. To encourage our lovely self-catering guests to book these gaps, we make last minute special offers at Barks Holiday Cottage

Please check latest availability and email us at barkshc@gmail.com

Halloween at the holiday cottage

The holiday cottage has entered its orange phase, in perfect time for Halloween and Alton Towers Scarefest. A season highlight in the Alton Towers calendar.

A young family are staying in cottage and their friends are joining them for a couple of nights in the Annexe. They've come up from London, equipped with their Merlin passes, to make the most of the season.

They even stopped en route at Sudbury Hall, as they didn't get there last time they booked the cottage. I wonder if they'll find a moment to carve our pumpkins!

Half term Oct 2016 and Alton Towers Scarefest

Funny how flurries of bookings come at once. Suddenly, the mini breaks over half term are booked. The last available is for two or three nights from Friday 28th October.

Scarefest is still on at Alton Towers. In fact Scarefest is different this year as there are some weekends before half term when it is on. We currently have availability for 8 & 9th and the 15th & 16th.

Check our availability or email us on barks@btconnect.com or call 01538 703436

Autumn is here... dog walking time

Where did the summer go? It seems to have gone by in a whoosh. I didn't go anywhere this summer because I was in charge of the cottage and our pigs, ducks, hens and dogs. My poor, poorly dog...

But luckily the holiday atmosphere comes to me and we met lots of interesting and friendly people. It is lovely. We had a family from Holland stay for two weeks so had quite a few chats with them, and best of all they had boys who liked a kick about with my son round the football nets. The days of my son vetting booking enquiries according to the exact age and gender of the children are pretty much passed, but he still lights up when sporty lads are staying.

Now term has started and the demographic of our guests changes. The last few weeks we have had couples staying, often with their dog. The last people had a rescue collie, Mr Darcy, and he lived up to the name of Jane Austen's handsome character. He was a friendly boy who considered burying a bone in the long grass, but then sat in the sun and chewed it instead... contentment. Mr Darcy's owners reminded me that if you have a dog vacancy in your family, to hold out for the right dog. They visited the collie rescue place a few times until Mr Darcy chose them. Perfect fit I'd say - and they can come again!

September is fully booked at the cottage and even November has the odd booking. October is a bit of a peak season what with school half terms in England and Scotland and round here it is SCAREFEST at Alton Towers.

Stellar 2007 - 2016

Alton Towers Scarefest 2015

We have a few half term dates available for self catering for Alton Towers Scarefest when the theme park is open late into the dark nights.

Please check our availability page for the latest update or call us on 01538 703436 or email barks@btconnect.com

Scarefest - Saturday 17th October - Sunday 1st November

Alton Towers Scarefest is back for 2015 and is promised to be scarier than ever before with two brand new spine-tingling horror mazes, including for the first time ever a chilling hooded maze - The Haunting of Molly Crowe. Molly’s house lies empty, but her tormented soul is yet to depart. Travel back to Molly’s childhood in this theatrical experience that will heighten the senses as you attempt to cleanse the house of evil spirits…

‘Sub Species: The End Games’ is where you’ll need your wits about you to race for survival from the post-apocalyptic sewer dwelling community. Choose your own path and work your way through a sewer - your decisions will seal your fate as you find yourself alone in a maze that could take you to many different endings. Also new for Scarefest 2015, set in the Sub Species maze, is Operation Lockdown -  described as an intense new horror escape exclusively for those wanting to extend their scares into the late evening! With dark confined spaces, this physical and immersive two hour escape room puts you at the heart of your very own horror movie. Strictly for over 18’s who have nerves of steel, the experience combines real life gameplay, extreme performance and hands on interaction where destiny is in your own hands.

Returning for Scarefest 2015 is the fearsome favourite, ‘Terror of the Towers, What Lies Within’. Set inside a new route, it will once again reveal its dark and horrifying secret and will have two startling scare zones - The Dark Apocalypse where a deadly virus has infected Forbidden Valley and Nox: Infernus in the Dark Forest, where the underworld rises again.

For brave young visitors there’s a chance to learn how to spook with Phil’s Ghoul School then meet up with the famous freaky four for more Halloween excitement with Skelvin’s Spooky Storytime and Patch’s Trick or Treat Party. With frightening family fun and many spine-chilling attractions open until 9pm, there are lots of Halloween horrors to be enjoyed by everyone, including the chance to experience many of our amazing rides and attractions in the dark.

Alton Towers accommodation Oct half term

Alton Towers Fireworks -
Barks Holiday Cottage is just 8 minutes drive from
gates of Alton Towers

Barks Holiday Cottage near Alton Towers has a three night break available during October 2014 half term for £295. This self-catering holiday accommodation for a family of 5 is just 2.6 miles or 8 minutes drive from the gates of Alton Towers ST10 4DB.  The holiday cottage is perfect for the late opening during Alton Towers Scarefest Spooktacular and the fabulous Fireworks season finale. If you have a Merlin pass ... make the most of it!

Please email barks@btconnect.com or use our online booking form or call us on 01538 703436.

Half term Alton Towers Scarefest fun

We are mid summer holidays but there is a hint of autumn in the air and thoughts are turning to the next holiday opportunity to nip to Alton Towers.  I have had two enquiries today for 'half term', which around here starts Fri 25th and is perfect for some Alton Towers scarefest fun and games. 

Here are the remaining short break options for Barks self catering holiday cottage that week:
3 nights self catering at £330 

27 - 30th - 3 or 4 nights midweek
31, 1, 2 Nov - 3 night weekend
Please check the availability calendar for updates.

Barks Holiday Cottage - appox 8 minutes to Alton Towers gates