Scare Kingdom

If you’re looking for somewhere to go this Halloween, look no further, I have just the place, and Scare Kingdom truly does have something for everyone.

When you first enter it looks like an ordinary Fun Fair but this isn’t even half of the story!

All year round Hawkshaw Farm Park is nothing out of the ordinary but now the spirits have been set loose and have taken over.

For children (and those of a nervous disposition) the friendly Witch Pink Hazel awaits and audience with you as she takes you on a journey in search of a spell caster to help wake up the magic mirror.

For the slightly braver there is a trip into the cornfield for ‘Voodoo Bayou’ and ‘Day of the Dead’. Two creepy tales to follow through the mazes with the added atmosphere of the wind rustling through the corn it is definitely enough to put a shiver down your spine. Depending on how brave you are feeling these can be done by day or in the dark.

For those of you counting down the days to Halloween and waiting for a good scream, may I direct your attention to ‘HMS Hell’ and ‘Blood Bath II’.

The tension mounts as you wait outside and listen to the screams of the victims inside. These are two fantastic attractions with two very different stories. The visuals and music add to the gruesome experience to be had. A friendly warning – you will definitely get up close and personal with the people in your group for Blood Bath II .... and the residents within it. Be prepared to warm the vocal chords and stretch those calf muscles. But don’t worry as you conveniently escape in to Scare Kingdoms fully licensed bar and what better way to defuse and debrief than with a pint of Scare Kingdom Ale specially made for them by Thwaites the brewery. It’ll warm the cockles – if you managed to escape with them that is.

The characters, costumes and music at Scare Kingdom are all individually hand picked and come together beautifully to give you one of the scariest experiences you will ever have. In it’s third year running things are truly getting bigger and better for this place and I really can’t wait to see what is in store next year!

For the Best of Bolton

Scareworld Magazine

I have been lucky enough to be able to put my endless visits to Halloween attractions to some good use this year.
A few months ago I was looking at putting my own website together that would review scare attractions and also be a place to collate info about them, as usual when it comes to the internet, after research - I found things like this already exisit.

Searching through I found a wonderful site which runs a magazine and has loads of other spin offs to do with the scare industry. I contacted them when I saw the advert that they were looking for writers, perfect. I got a reply almost straight away and sent to review my first attraction. Haunted Live & Extreme in York.

Full review is in this editions Scareworld Magazine which can be found inside this months issue of Haunted Magazine for £3.99 - and it comes with a free book! You can't say fairer than that..2 magazines and a free book for £3.99 BARGAIN! It's available at selected W H Smiths.

Some great articals inside with some interesting insights to the world of the scare attraction, definately one to check out if you like a good scare.

Also available online at www.scareworld.co.uk Issue 4.

LONDON BABY!!

Just returned from a fantabulous weekend with my Mum in London.

After taking part in the Manchester Shine Walk the last two years we decided to volunteer at the one in London. This was London’s first Shine walk so they were asking for loads of volunteers to help out.

On our email it said our shift was 7:30pm until 2:30am, we hadn't been able to go to the meeting held in London in September so still needed to pick up our shirts. The plan was to head down to the O2 early (5pm ish) get some food then start our shifts.

The queues for the restaurants were very long. Lee Evans was also at the O2 this evening so we had to battle with his audience in the venue.

We walked down to the bottom of the O2 where we found the Shine area, thinking it may save time in the long run we popped in to grab our T-shirts. At this point we were told we were on to meet and greet and our start time was 5:30. Not a bad thing at all as we would finish early and not have to worry about trains and getting back to our Hotel. I assumed what happened is they had us down as floaters for the evening and they were a little short handed on the meet and greeters so added us to that list.

We were handed T-shirts and got to wear some sassy sashes :D. We were lead with the rest of the group to the entrance point, where we were handed 10ft posts with arrows on and were told to take positions in and around the area to make sure people knew the correct route.

The gates were to open at 6:30pm for the full marathon walkers the information packs states 7pm The walk starts at 9:30pm), we were there at around 5:45pm with other people posted around in-between the gate and the tube station, bus stops and O2 entrance to help ensure people know the right way to go. Unfortunately we couldn't account for people who got there uber early and had already walked around trying to find us.

The gate opening was delayed a little as there was a fire reported within the O2. Very dangerous combination, Fire-fighters down one end and the best part of the crowd of 1000's in front of us being Women :s.

Eventually the gates opened and with a cheer everyone was on their way to the Shine Walk area. My Mum and I wished people on their way, answered questions and generally offered help and advice to those who needed it.

At 9:30(ish) the gates closed again and the area was cleaned and re-loaded for the half-marathon lot to start their walk.

The same again, without the Firemen this time. People were in good spirits and excited for their challenge it was easy to soak up the atmosphere. I only got grief off 1 person which isn't bad out of 10,000.

A fantastic night and everyone was so nice. I would be tempted to volunteer again but I have a real itch to walk it next year - as I didn't get accepted in to the London Marathon (again) it seems like the right thing to do :D

Whilst in London we had a great time, we were lucky enough not to be effected by the tube disruptions. We went on the London Eye which was kewl!! And also went to Sherlock Holmes' actual factual house (I knew he was real!) - Now, Paul tells me that he is only a fictional character but I know now that he is lying as I have been to his house at 221b Baker Street (nicely nestled between 239 and 243 Baker Street).

Is Bolton FMs Breakfast Presenter more hardcore than Jack Osbourne - Adrenaline Junkie?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not one to shy from a challenge and I tend to have a mouth to big for my own good - a little like Barney Stinson I'm always one to say 'challenge accepted' (this is what introduced me to Hellrunner).

After a successful and most enjoyable holiday with Cheddar Climbing and Caving in July I was feeling quite adventurous and ready for another challenge. I was told that the first cave we went down was once to feature on the TV show 'Jack Osbourne - Adrenaline Junkie' - His trip went a little deeper that ours, however, Jack backed out at the last minute and didn't complete the challenge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N40-7eITZo

Well, talk about red rag to a bull....

I quickly booked up another week with Bruce the same instructor who had hosted our previous trip and couldn't wait for September to roll round. The Facebook and Twitter posts went up

... Is Bolton FMs Breakfast Presenter more hardcore than Jack Osbourne - Adrenaline Junkie? - Well I would definitely try!

As the weeks passed, it slowly dawned on me that I was actually quite a wuss when it comes to water and wearing contacts I would have to probably invest in some goggles or a mask. Found some goggles in sock draw - sorted!

Before I knew it, it was September, bags were packed and we were in the car heading down to Somerset.

Swindon’s.  I'm not going to lie to you; at this point I am feeling VERY nervous. The air head in me forgot the wet suits so normal caving suits with fury all in ones underneath it was. Need to be fairly wrapped up as caves are a constant temperature of around 11 degrees C. Not a bad day outside, it had been raining heavily the night before - great...But the sun had graced us with his presence this morning (not that it mattered). Mars bars and goggles in chest pocket I was ready to set off.

We started with the familiar ground we had taken a few months previous. Lots of ducks, dives, scrambles, chimney sweep type balancing (back again one wall feet against the other) and crawls. Getting very wet and muddy.

Paul anchored the rope to the first point on the wall then I perched precariously over the top of the 40ft pot that this time were roaring with water due to the weather over the last few weeks unlike the July when we were there last - as Bruce talked me through the rest of the rigging for it. I have to say you do learn a lot faster when faced with a dark drop below you accompanied by the sound of rushing water. All safe though and happy that I was secured in. Happy with my work and with Bruce agreeing I put my stop on the line and abseiled down followed by Paul the Bruce.

A few more meters of scrambling and now to the 20ft abseil, this one was rigged by Paul with Bruce carefully looking on. Paul went down, I followed, and then Bruce re-rigged it as a pull through as we wouldn’t be coming back up that way.

The territory changed, we were now off the familiar track of the trip we did a few months previous and were now well in to the round trip.

All the way through Bruce is remarking how much wetter it is than he has seen it for a while – I’m thinking this bodes well for later – NOT!
We turned a corner and hear very loud running water. Bruce lets out a comforting ‘That doesn’t sound good’.
We approach the first of the troubles. These are ‘usually’ ducks (we are told). Not today. No sign of a gap between the water and the rock. There is a pipe which takes out most of the water but this appears to have stopped pulling, The 3 of us spend a time trying to get it running and only managed a successful trickle out the other side so then take to bailing, whilst intermittently eating chocolate.. I think I walfed mine down too quickly, I felt a little queasy after – probably that and the nerves kicking in at what’s ahead.

The bailing grants us about 3 inches of air space. Bruce goes through first, directing us to follow on our backs with our helmets on our chest. I tell Paul to follow so I can check how he does it too (and so I know he can reassure me it’s not too bad).
I get ready to go next. OH MY WORD CAVE WATER IS COLD! As soon as I emerged myself in it, all the breath left my body. It’s very hard to think when your breathing has increased so much. Gasping for air I try and let myself float on the water. I had a brief moment (brief compared to what’s to come) of ‘ahhh I can’t do it!!’ then sucked it up, and floated on my back to the other side. The tunnel was a few meters long and you have to go slowly otherwise you cause a wave and end up immersed completely in the tunnel.
Completely soaked and very cold, with my wellies full of water and being unable to feel my feet I followed on behind Bruce and Paul.

The second trouble is not as bad, we didn’t need to bail and trundle straight in. Again Bruce went first to talk us through and I told Paul to follow, this one probably gave us the same amount of head space but the tunnel is tighter and longer. I had to get down to eye level to see any light on the other side when the others were through. We were told to go through sideward’s, I chose the floating back method again and used my hands on the roof of the low tunnel to steer me right.

More scrambling, my balance is a little off, I have taken on so much water I must have weighed a tonne. My feet are a little numb from the coldness (nothing new to be honest) and it didn’t help that my wellies are a little big so at this point I am not quite sure where my feet are in them. It’s allllll good :D

Finally we get to the sump; oddly enough there is a sign down there telling us Wookey Whole is only a few miles away. Like a proper road sign. Very odd!
*I would like to add at this point in the journey I had already done so much more than Jack Osbourne even attempted. He was sat on the other side, quite dry in comparison after probably only an hour (if that) of being underground.


So, here we go. No head room. A dive is needed to get to the gap under the rock and a rope to follow to the other side. I won’t lie. I am s#@!!ing myself at this point. This is what I mean about my mouth being too big for my own good sometimes. This is quite scary, especially for a wuss like me that doesn’t even like to get her face wet when in the bath or shower (perhaps something I should have mentioned to Bruce before we started).
Paul went first Bruce stayed with me to make sure I get through ok. He is very patient and very supportive (considering how much of a complete wreck I had suddenly become). Goggles on I realised now that the thing I should have invested in is a nose peg! Another talent I have not quite mastered – stopping water getting up your nose whilst swimming.

I pretty much go through the same motions a Jack does on his video – yes, no, yes, no, OMG I’m gonna die, yes, no, OMG I can’t do it etc etc but whilst he is sat on a dry side paddling his feet, I am chest deep in freezing cold water. THIS IS COLD JACK! Wuss!
Bruce tried to reason with me but in the same breath mentions that Army men have flat out refused to go through this bit – cheers for that!
I had been whining like a little girl probably for the best part of 10 minutes now. He counted down, I can’t do it! I don’t respond well to pressure. Deep breaths, ‘come on Leuse’ – (this is me talking to myself).
OK, deep breaths again, calming my body and brain down. I’m not fecking going back and it’s bloody cold.

OK, OK, OK, and I’m down. My left hand was on the rope and my right was pegging my nose (I know – wuss right?). Glad I wore the goggles as I can keep my eyes open to watch the rope and I knew where to grab, that would have panicked me a little I think. And was through! Swiftly followed by Bruce.
Looking back as soon as I had done it I realised I had been a big girls blouse over nothing. How easy was that? I used the moment to apologise for being a complete wuss. All that for less than 10 seconds under water (very cold water mind). Still I did it. Jack however, did not and has not – ‘just sayin’!

We trundled on; energy levels were really low now. I had used all my adrenaline to get through that sump – now I needed to get to the surface. I am very cold, very wet and very tired. Slipping all over the place and unable to feel my feet. I was lagging at the back a little in places, doing my very best to keep up. I did well getting over rocks and through small gaps until we get to the chimney sweep climb again. Not being able to feel my feet failed me big time at this point as I slip a little and head to the bottom of the rift – not too far to go and making myself big as taught. I safely get to the bottom and then clambered back up, embarrassment in tow. I’m good!

The last bit of energy I have is now required for me to prussic back up the 40ft pot – under full flowing water. I hooked up, Bruce put me on a safety (I assume at this point he thinks I may die given the previous parts of the journey - We owe him a pint, which is why I’m guessing he wants to keep me alive for the time being :D) but I’m fine and make it to the top then climb up followed by Paul.

More twists and turns, now on familiar territory. We reached the last bit. I remembered this well. The 45% slanted rift with nice foot holds and room to pull yourself up – and fresh air. Daylight! We are out!

I felt so heavy with all the extra water, all the water than became apparent when taking the caving over suit and willies off when we got back to the car.

In short,- an epic trip. More than double of the original Jack Osbourne – Adrenaline Junkie was set to do. Two ducks, one sump, two abseils and one prussic plus lots of water! The obstacles themselves are easy to tackle individually, but together, with the travelling in-between is no mean feat but we were very lucky to have the expertise of a Cheddar Climbing and caving instructor with us at every step (I would highly recommend them). Very hard work, really worth the trip.

Would I do it again? – Of course I would!.... what was that? Jack wouldn’t do it wearing a fairy outfit? Move aside!