What did we think of the Pumpkin Grove at Auckland Castle Achi-News

Over 600 carved pumpkins in all shapes and patterns lit up the night on Thursday night (October 3) at Auckland Castle as a sneak peek before it finally opens for the spooky season leading up to Halloween.

For £15 per adult and £11 per child, you can walk through the historic grounds of the castle and see pumpkins carved in fun shapes; everything from Harry Potter, The Wizard Of Oz, and Beetlejuice to name but a few.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Access will vary every half hour on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 4 – 27 October and daily from 28 – 31 October.

As a big fan of all things Halloween, I was really looking forward to the trail and seeing everything lit up at night and thinking how many different carving shapes the team had.

But, I had pretty high expectations based solely on the promise of hundreds of pumpkins. That is a tall order.

I wonder – will it all work? Will there be enough to cover the whole route and feel complete?

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) I’m happy to say that my expectations were met – and the whole experience is nothing short of the most Instagrammable autumn experience you can do in the region.

But, let’s go back to the beginning.

You start your evening by grabbing or redeeming your tickets at Auckland Tower before taking a stroll through the gates and into the castle grounds with staff on hand to point you in the right direction.

Taking a right, you are first greeted by a collection of pumpkins of all different sizes on top of hay bales reading ‘Pumpkin Forest’ – and from there, the magic begins.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Each part or part of the section was arranged in a fairly linear and coherent manner – meaning you wouldn’t come across a chicken-shaped carving alongside one of a seahorse.

First, you’ll see farm pumpkins sitting around a barn door next to elaborately designed Wizard of Oz pumpkins set up as scarecrows that even had matching costumes.

Elphaba, Glinda, Dorothy, you name it – you could see it overlooking the lovely rolling fields of County Durham.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Straight ahead into a more wooded area through a beautifully created pumpkin arch saying ‘welcome’ was the second and I would say more scenic part of the route.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) A fence made of fairy lights guides you through trees wrapped in the same lights, but often colorfully through the ‘forest’ where you might see pumpkins with carved leaves, flowers, film and TV characters , and more.

This, I think, was part of the fun. Walking through it wasn’t just looking at the same old classic scary face carvings but you had to figure out which one each was.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Families with young children were doing the same thing as I passed them, little ones staring at their favorite Disney princess so perfectly captured in pumpkin form.

Simply put, the lights, themes and music were stunning and immersive making you feel like you’ve stepped into a Halloween movie; unable to hide a smile, a burst of ‘wow’, and a laugh as you wander through.

My personal favorite was a section of Christmas pumpkins depicting a candy cane, Santa Claus, and a sleigh – but next to it was also a big, very fat pumpkin that said ‘too soon?’.

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) No doubt this would have gone straight over the heads of children walking past but I thought it was a very funny gag which had obviously been put there with a lot of thought and to score a few laughs from parents.

There’s another, more open section where you’ll find a nautical, seaside-style setting complete with a lighthouse cutout, blue lights for the ocean, and yellow lines for sand.

I really admired and enjoyed the creativity of this, along with music from the Little Mermaid as a fun final foray before leaving for a temporary cafe.

All in all, I have to say that my trip to Pumpkin Forest was nothing short of a delight.

You don’t have to be young to marvel at hundreds of thoughtfully crafted pumpkins which, to my surprise, were made by The Auckland Project team themselves.

Plus, as I admitted in a Facebook Live I did at the event, there’s no way you’d be able to leave without some inspiration for your own pumpkin carving later this month.

So, if you live in County Durham and are looking for something spooky to do this month I’d say head down to the Pumpkin Forest and take the whole family for a scary good time.

For tickets, click here.

Here are a few more photos from the night:

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Caitlin and Ollie Smith aged 10 and 6. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Grace Goddard, 5, Henry Lawson, 7, and Orla Cook, 2. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

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Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Pumpkin Forest at Auckland Castle. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)