Wild Halloween returns to Five Acres near Truro this October

Bats, owls, spiders and a torch-lit trail through the woods. This Halloween, Cornwall Wildlife Trust is betting families would rather meet the real creatures of the dark than dress up as fake ones.

A trail through the dark

Wild Halloween lands at Five Acres nature reserve at Allet, near Truro, on Saturday 24 October, running from 3pm to 8pm. The event follows a wildlife-themed trail through the woodland reserve, with clues to uncover along the way as daylight fades into evening.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is framing it as a gentler alternative to the usual Halloween scare-fest, built around Cornwall’s own nocturnal wildlife rather than jump scares. Bats, owls, spiders and other after-dark creatures take the starring roles, and the event is aimed squarely at families and young nature lovers who fancy a family day out with a spooky edge but not actual nightmares.

Owl pellets, bones and glowing sea creatures under UV light

The programme mixes hands-on and drop-in activities across the reserve. There’s owl pellet dissection, bone identification, wildlife arts and crafts, storytelling and family games. A Shorelab marine discovery experience lets visitors explore sea creatures under UV light, and there’ll be refreshments, hot drinks, cakes and seasonal treats on site, along with a raffle in support of the Trust’s conservation work.

Most activities are drop-in, though some sessions may have limited capacity, and a full programme of timings is due to be released closer to the date.

What to know before you go

Wild Halloween is free to attend, with donations welcome to support Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s work protecting Cornwall’s wildlife and wild places. Parking is free on site, and the reserve has toilets, an accessible toilet and disabled parking.

Some woodland paths are uneven, muddy and damp, and as the light goes some activities continue after dark, so a torch or head torch, warm clothing and sturdy footwear are all worth packing. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and supervised throughout, and only registered assistance dogs are permitted on the reserve. Full details and directions are on the event listing.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has billed it as an evening of spooky family fun, with a promise of more still to be confirmed nearer the date.