Lincolnshire is a predominantly rural English county known for historic towns, seaside resorts, nature reserves, and rich cultural heritage.
17 Oct–10 Nov
Children aged 3–11 can follow a Halloween trail with six bat-themed challenges, learning about British bat species and collecting facts to complete a set of cards. The completed cards can be taken home to make a Battle of the Bats game.
Gunby Hall is a Grade I listed historic country house in Lincolnshire featuring significant art collections and Victorian walled gardens set within a Capability Brown styled park. The estate includes a clock tower, a stable block, and an active parish church on site, offering a combined indoor and outdoor visitor experience.
8–9 Oct, 15–17 Oct…
Join Belton's ranger team for a guided walk through the parkland during the fallow deer rutting season, learning how the herd is managed and looking for signs of the rut.
Belton House is a Grade I listed English country house in Lincolnshire, surrounded by formal gardens and a deer park. It offers indoor attractions including historic rooms, exhibitions, and a restaurant in the restored stables, alongside outdoor experiences in its extensive gardens, parkland, and adventure playground for families.
17 Oct, 19 Oct…
Meet costumed characters at The Workhouse and Infirmary, hear stories about the inmates’ lives and see them at their daily tasks. Activities include writing on a slate, helping with washing and learning to pick oakum.
The Workhouse in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, is a well-preserved 19th-century workhouse museum operated by the National Trust, showcasing historic rooms and offering educational programs for children. It highlights historic poor law practices and Victorian-era workhouse life.
Southwell is a historic cathedral and market town in Nottinghamshire, England, known for its beautiful Southwell Minster, rich history, and vibrant cultural festivals such as the Southwell Music Festival and Gate to Southwell Festival.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can slow down and take in the sights and sounds of Gunby Estate, then use chalk to add their own drawing to a collaborative artwork in the Garden. The artwork grows through the season as visitors contribute.
7 Oct 2026–20 Feb 2027 (another 134 days)
Follow a self-led trail through the Sandilands nature reserve to learn about six migratory birds that visit the Lincolnshire coast and try wildlife challenges along the way.
7 Oct, 13–14 Oct…
Explore an exhibition about the risks to Belton’s collection and how the conservation team cares for it. Visitors can also handle specialist conservation tools and see specimens of pests that threaten the collection.
9 Oct, 16 Oct…
A volunteer-led talk and tour exploring Grantham House’s history from the 15th century to the present and the people who lived there. The tour may include access to parts of the building not usually open to the public.
18 Oct, 15 Nov
Bellmount Tower is open for visitors to explore and learn about its history, with views across the surrounding countryside.
Grantham House is a historic town house built in 1380, owned by the National Trust, featuring architectural elements from several centuries and set within extensive gardens. Open daily as a community space with free entry, a café, and a second-hand bookshop, it offers visitors a blend of indoor and outdoor experiences with rich historical significance.
17 Oct (next Saturday)
Take a guided evening trail along the Sandilands seafront, accompanied by a bird host and featuring illuminated birds and butterflies, artworks, poetry, music and characters. The experience lasts about 45 minutes and covers approximately one mile.
Sandilands is a coastal neighbourhood in Lincolnshire featuring a former National Trust-owned links golf course, annual family tennis tournaments, and seaside attractions including beach huts and local hotels.
7–11 Oct, 14–18 Oct…
An exhibition of landscape artworks by Sarah Watson, including scenes from Lincolnshire to Iceland and two large abstract paintings. The works are displayed around Grantham House.
Harlaxton Manor is a large Victorian-era manor house in Lincolnshire, renowned for its unique blend of Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Baroque architectural styles, with accessible interior facilities and historic tours available by appointment.
Grantham is a historic market town in Lincolnshire known for its rich heritage including the birthplace of Margaret Thatcher and education of Isaac Newton. It offers cultural attractions, historic architecture, riverside walks, and a lively town centre with shops, pubs, and restaurants.
11 Oct, 14 Oct…
Visitors use the Stranger Folk app to follow clues and complete folklore-inspired challenges while exploring the grounds of Tattershall Castle. The family-friendly journey asks participants to find hidden cracks and help restore the balance between the natural and magical worlds.
Tattershall College is the ruin of a 15th-century grammar school founded by the 3rd Baron Cromwell in Lincolnshire, featuring remains of Gothic architecture and an adjacent almshouse, now managed as a heritage site.
15 Oct, 12 Nov…
A sound therapist leads an immersive relaxation session in which participants lie down and listen to gongs, Tibetan singing bowls, African instruments and gentle vocal tones.
30 Sep, 8 Oct…
A three-session course introducing metal thread embroidery, also known as goldwork. Participants learn and practise embroidery techniques, with Thursday sessions for beginners and those with some basic experience, and Wednesday sessions for those looking to develop existing skills.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Children follow a trail inspired by Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar™, spotting fruit and snacks, discovering facts, and taking part in games and activities in Belton’s Italian Garden.
10 Oct, 17 Oct…
Join Will the Peasant on an interactive family tour of Tattershall Castle, hearing ghost stories and exploring the castle’s history, rooms and tower secrets. The route includes climbing 149 steps to the top of the tower.
Tattershall Castle is a historically significant 15th-century brick castle in Lincolnshire featuring a Great Tower with interior rooms and rooftop views, surrounded by moats, and preserved by the National Trust for public visits and events.
12 Oct, 19 Oct…
Join volunteer leaders for a gentle three-mile loop walk through Sandilands, enjoying the coastal reserve and looking out for wildlife and seasonal highlights.
Sandilands is a transforming nature reserve on the Lincolnshire coast offering coastal habitats and wildlife watching opportunities. It features walking routes, a car park, accessible facilities, and activities suitable for children and dog walkers. The site is open daily from dawn to dusk and aims to provide a welcoming outdoor experience for all visitors.
7–11 Oct, 14–16 Oct
Visitors follow a trail exploring the meanings of Victorian slang words and phrases from the 1800s. Trail sheets include a prize.
Langford Lowfields is a nature reserve in Nottinghamshire transformed from a quarry into a thriving wetland habitat, featuring the largest reedbed in the East Midlands. Visitors can enjoy extensive outdoor nature trails, birdwatching including rare species like Bitterns and Marsh Harriers, and a visitor welcome hut. The reserve focuses on wildlife conservation and offers scenic viewpoints and picnic areas for visitors.
10–11 Oct, 17–18 Oct…
Join a guided, three-mile walk from Gunby to Bratoft Manor, passing through the former medieval village of Gunby. A guide shares information about the estate’s history and natural features along the route.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
As part of The Big Draw Festival, visitors can take part in drawing activities at Gunby Estate during October 2026. Pencils and paper can be borrowed from Visitor Reception.
Monksthorpe Chapel is a unique late 17th-century chapel designed to look like a barn, set within the extensive Gunby Estate offering both historical indoor exploration of Gunby Hall and vast outdoor gardens and grounds for visitors to enjoy.
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors can pause to observe and listen to the surroundings at Tattershall Castle, then use chalk to add their impressions to a shared drawing board. The collaborative artwork develops as visitors contribute throughout the season.
11 Oct, 13 Oct…
A guided walk through Belton’s parkland during the deer rut, led by photographer and volunteer ranger Jon Pear. Attendees can learn photography tips and hear about how the rangers care for the deer herd.
18 Oct (next Sunday)
Participants learn to create a fresh flower arrangement in a pumpkin, making an autumn-inspired centrepiece to take home. The workshop is led by the Fairview Floristry team at Grantham Arts.
17 Oct (next Saturday)
Create a floral pumpkin display with dried flowers, foliage and other natural materials during a relaxed drop-in decorating session with Side Farm Flowers. Pumpkins can be decorated in a range of sizes and styles.
16 Oct, 18 Oct…
Afternoon tea at Grantham House includes sandwiches, bakes, a scone with jam and cream, and a hot drink, served in the historic dining room.
9 Oct–1 Nov (another 23 days)
Walls of Wonder is an exhibition of Laura Andrew’s paintings inspired by the historic wallpapers and textiles of Gunby Hall. The works reinterpret their patterns, colours and stories through contemporary art.
Monksthorpe is a hamlet in East Lindsey, Lincolnshire, featuring a Grade II* listed Baptist chapel and an open air baptismal font, both cared for by the National Trust. It is notable for its historic religious architecture and outdoor heritage setting.
8–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can choose from around 30 varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds at Doddington’s pumpkin patch, reached by a spooky walk through the Kitchen Garden. There are also hidden golden-bottomed pumpkins to find and a giant pumpkin on display in the Farm Shop.
Doddington Gardens in Lincoln feature restored Elizabethan gardens with formal East Front and West Garden, a Wild Garden, and a productive Kitchen Garden, alongside wildlife planting and seasonal colors. The gardens offer accessible facilities, refreshments, and parking, with free access for RHS members on specified days.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Visitors can collect a free sketching bag and draw their own views of the estate, with suggested inspiration in the Kitchen Gardens, Courtyard and by the Ice Pond.
7 Oct, 14 Oct…
Little Lambs is a weekly session for under-fives and their parents or carers, featuring a seasonal story followed by themed play or activities in the Grantham House bookshop.
9–10 Oct, 16–17 Oct…
A gentle vinyasa flow yoga class led by Grow Your Wings Yoga, with mindful movement and breathing in Grantham House’s restored rooms or outdoor spaces depending on the weather.
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors follow a mystery trail through Tattershall Castle, completing six mouse-door challenges to collect clues, solve a code and find the stolen mouse cheese.
17 Oct–1 Nov, 7–8 Nov…
Visitors follow a trail around the Workhouse to find the ingredients used in a traditional Victorian plum pudding and complete its recipe.
17 Oct–1 Nov
A family-focused October half-term programme at The Workhouse and Infirmary includes a Victorian plum pudding trail, pumpkin decorating, garden and indoor tours, costumed storytelling and demonstrations, and Bramley Apple Day activities with a choir performance.
10 Oct–23 Dec (next week)
Visitors use the Stranger Folk app to follow clues and take on folklore-inspired challenges while exploring Gunby’s gardens, parkland and historic landscape. The family activity follows a story about finding hidden cracks between the natural world and a world of magic.
17 Oct, 24 Oct…
Visitors can drop in to make Halloween-themed decorations to take home, with different craft activities offered on each date, including spooky silhouettes, masks and bunting, conker pumpkins, leafy ghosts and spiders.
Gainsborough Old Hall is a well-preserved Tudor manor house in Lincolnshire, showcasing medieval architecture, historic interiors including a medieval kitchen, and intriguing features like witches' marks and a reputed haunting. It is managed by English Heritage and open as a museum for visitors.
Gainsborough is a historic market town in Lincolnshire, England known for its medieval Old Hall, riverside charm, historic churches, cultural venues, and river heritage.
7–31 Oct (another 22 days)
Photographers are invited to enter images of Gunby’s gardens and parkland, featuring plants, wildlife or nature at the historic estate. Selected winning images will be displayed at the IGPOTY 20 exhibition at Gunby in 2027.
7 Oct, 10–11 Oct…
Visitors can borrow a sketching bag and use its drawing materials to create their own pictures inspired by Tattershall Castle, its towers, moat and grounds.
10 Oct–1 Nov (next week)
Families can use the Stranger Folk app to follow a story-led outdoor adventure around Belton Estate, completing activities to help seal a rift between the human and spirit worlds. The app is recommended for children aged 7 to 11.
7 Oct 2026–31 Oct 2027 (another 387 days)
Follow an outdoor trail of eight giant moth and butterfly models through Belton’s parkland, and learn about species sighted at the estate.
15 Oct, 19 Nov
A volunteer-led walking group for adults with or caring for pushchair-aged children, offering seasonal routes of up to 5 km and a chance to meet others and build basic fitness. The walks are designed to be pushchair-friendly and last up to 1.5 hours.
18 Oct (next Sunday)
A monthly market in Grantham House’s courtyard and gardens, featuring arts and crafts alongside locally produced sweet treats. Visitors can browse goods from local makers and producers.