What to do over the October school holidays
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For all the parents out there, the ‘to do’ list for the October school holidays may be feeling rather sparse and you may need some fillers to ensure your young are entertained through the break.
As October has crept up on us so soon, I have a few ideas for you to add to your agenda.
Halloween is at the end of the month, and there are fun activities planned in numerous locations both within the city and just outside of it. If the theme of Halloween is something you base these holidays on, there’s a good variety of activities that you can go to or prepare for. If it’s not, there are still various attractions open and always lots of stay-at-home or local options too.
Halloween Events
Inverness Botanic Gardens are hosting The Purrrfect Potion! trail from now until October 31. The aim of trail is to get families learning about plants and herbs around the gardens, some of which are known to have healing properties. A donation of £2 has been suggested for families looking to take part. Food and drink is available in their lovely café, and both you and your family will enjoy a walk through the autumnal leaves.
Inverness Ice Centre is hosting a Halloween Disco on October 28 from 7pm-9pm. There are prizes for the best dressed and this is very family friendly – prices for entry differ and the rental of skates is available, but this could be something great fun to do for both the children and the adults!
Craggan Outdoor Centre advertise their event as ‘spookily good fun’ so take the family down to do something a little different on their Halloween Adventure trail. There’s plenty on offer including decorating your own pumpkin before heading to archery to use it as a terrifying target! Toasting marshmallows on a fire and drinking hot chocolate with some storytelling thrown in sounds like a rather good activity to me. With plenty more to choose from including Lazer Tag, you’ll need to be sure to book a slot in advance as they suspect this will be popular. Prices range but costs around £29 per adult and £29 per child for 3 hours. If that only suits some, there is also Grantown close by, where a paint-your-own Ceramic (Smarty Art) studio is available and no need to book.
Corrimony Farm has a very impressive pumpkin patch that’s worth heading to just to be surrounded in a sea of orange! Out towards Cannich, this could be paired up with a lovely lunch or picnic from a local café or even a walk at Plodda Falls to see the amazing waterfall.
At home or on the doorstep
Of course, you can also make your own fun at home – safely decorating real pumpkins, or even decorating a paper template. By searching online, there are hundreds of creative ideas to keep your family busy over the break, why not design your own treasure hunt?
Let's also not forget the plenty activities on our doorstep this October. There's no better way to embrace the spirit of the season than by embarking on a fascinating journey through time and legend of our very own Loch Ness Monster. Join the Loch Ness Centre for a captivating experience as you travel back through 500 million years of history in Drumnadrochit. This immersive tour offers a rare opportunity to delve deeper into the ancient myths, legends, and scientific discoveries that have shaped our region for centuries. As you explore, you'll uncover the mysteries of our enchanting loch and become an integral part of the story. Open daily from 10am-5pm, be sure to book your tickets online in advance to save your spot.
With the unpredictable weather, you never know what we might get. It might well be beach weather, so you could plan to head to Fortrose for a lovely beach walk, fish and chips and an ice cream to finish. You could also take a train or bus over to Nairn, and if in the car, a trip to Connage Dairy for a milk smoothie on your way. Indoor options are always on standby, so have Simpsons Garden Centre as one of your contenders for a look at their October displays, as well as Eden Court Cinema and Theatre with lots of great films on over the break, with a few shows too.
Baking at home can also be great fun – decorate your own pumpkin shortbread, create spider cupcakes, or even a cake! Take some inspiration from Bad Girl Bakery's cookbook, and even pop down to see them for yourselves in the Victorian Market and treat yourselves to lunch from one of the many vendors down there.
For the older children, if you like a Murder Mystery evening, it’s well worth a look at Glen Mhor Hotel on October 28 too!
With plenty to do this October, I hope you won't be stuck for inspiration. Even taking a walk around Ness Islands is spectacular at this time of year – the leaves are turning different colours and woolly hats seem to be appearing, especially in the mornings. Let's embrace October – have a fantastic October break.
Sponsored by Visit Inverness Loch Ness
