The shadows are lengthening and the nights drawing in. Like it or not, Halloween is around the corner, waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting!

You’ll need your wits about you if you dare to dine at The Maid’s Head Hotel. Aptly situated in Tombland, this 13th century hotel provides the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery evening.

Or how about a scary quiz at The Ribs of Beef or a night at the Spa with Imagine Spa?

But how to build up an appetite before dining with sleuths and villains? Join the adventure at BeWILDerwood’s Snagglefang's Spooky Spectacular! As well as the amazing treehouses, bridges, swing ropes and zip wires, throughout half term you can also enjoy mask and lantern-making, bat hunting, interactive storytelling sessions and face painting.

Not terrifying enough? Then check out Insanitorium and Circus of Terrors, just two of the attractions on offer at Primevil. Located at the traditionally tamer Dinosaur Park, this is definitely not an experience for the fainthearted.

If you think modern train travel is shocking, try The Halloween Ghost Train or The Spooky Express! Your carriage and more await…

Budding artists should spirit themselves down to Norwich Puppet Theatre, where kids will love making monsters and ghosts at a Halloween workshop.

More creepy crafts can be found at Norwich Arts Centre, where children aged 8 to 11 are invited to spend the morning getting creative with paint, collage and clay to prepare a ghoulish exhibition for parents and friends.

Our city’s waterways ooze with atmosphere at this time of year. The Norwich Punting Company offers you a candle-lit horror history as you silently glide along the Wensum.

For those who prefer their frights on dry land, Norwich’s famous Ghost Walks have a new chapter to open in haunted tales from around the world. Places are limited, pre-booking is essential.

If autumn sun is on the horizon, why not make the most of Norfolk’s landscape? Wildlife lovers can follow a spooky trail around Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, whilst learning more about some spooky beasts, factual and fictional.

Nature lovers can go green at Hickling Broad with natural artist Tim Willey, collecting materials to make a scary mask. Not many people will have used trees as their medium for art, but why not? Using natural materials and clay, you can bring the trees at Hickling to life during an afternoon of spooky fun in beautiful surroundings.

The Halloween Spooky Trail at Fairhaven Woodland & Water Gardens offers magic, music, fire breathers and ‘strange happenings’, while Salhouse Broad’s Horror Hunt promises educational fun, autumn crafts and games, food and drink. Poltergeists who love to party are invited to the legendary Halloween Ball at the Waterfront. Described as “the biggest & freakiest fancy dress party in town”, this event is kicked off by Liqueur, an epic tribute to The Cure, featuring all their classic tracks.

Fans of fancy dress will be familiar with Norwich’s fine costume hire shops, but why not take it a step further and join a Halloween make-up workshop? Professional make-up artist Trevor Killeen will show you how to use special effects for cuts, wounds and burns, or even to transform yourself into a zombie or horror movie character. 

NB check website for details of each event. Some events have age restrictions.