Cattle grazing walk and talks
7 Oct, 12 Oct
Join a Formby ranger for a walk and talk about the conservation benefits of grazing English longhorn cattle on the dunes, with an opportunity to ask questions.
Merseyside
Merseyside is a historic and culturally rich metropolitan county in North West England with vibrant urban centres, iconic maritime and musical heritage, and strong transport links.
Near Formby
National Trust Formby is a coastal nature haven in Liverpool known for its significant sand dune habitats, rare wildlife including natterjack toads and red squirrels, prehistoric footprints, and shipwrecks. The site offers accessible paths, woodland and beach exploration, and horse riding opportunities. Major conservation work impacts some facilities through 2026.
Spooky Speke
9 Oct, 14 Oct…
Spooky Speke is an adults-only Halloween event at Speke Hall, beginning with tea or coffee and a sweet treat before a torchlight tour of the house and stories about its former inhabitants.
Near Speke Hall
Speke Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Liverpool, renowned for its historic timber-framed architecture, ancient yew trees, and scenic views over the Mersey estuary. Owned by the National Trust, it offers visitors both indoor exploration of historic rooms and outdoor gardens with walking paths.
What's On at Rufford Old Hall
1 Jan–31 Dec (another 83 days)
Rufford Old Hall in Lancashire offers a programme of scheduled talks, demonstrations, exhibitions, and drop-in activities throughout 2026. Events include daily house tours and talks, garden talks, a monthly dementia friendly café, music performances, traditional yarn spinning demonstrations, sports and games during summer, fencing drop-in sessions, a Victorian play exhibition, a woodturners market, and a scarecrow festival in autumn. Admission to events is free with normal venue admission charges applying.
Near Rufford Old Hall
Rufford Old Hall is a Grade I listed Tudor and Jacobean hall house in Lancashire featuring richly decorated interiors, a notable sixteenth-century carved wooden screen, extensive Victorian gardens with topiary squirrels, and historical collections of arms and rural memorabilia. The site offers both indoor historical architecture and outdoor garden experiences.
Stranger Folk
10 Oct–12 Nov (next week)
Stranger Folk is an outdoor interactive adventure at Speke Hall, played using a free app and inspired by British folklore. Families with children aged 7–12 can explore a story featuring goblins, boggarts and other strange creatures.
Jekyll and Hyde
17 Oct (next Saturday)
A performance of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, presented by Don’t Go Into the Cellar. Attendees can have tea or coffee and a sweet treat before watching the show in Speke Hall’s Great Hall.
The Sorceress of Speke and the Lost Familiars
12 Oct–8 Nov (next week)
Visitors follow an outdoor trail around the grounds of Speke Hall, completing five activities to discover a magic word and reunite the Sorceress of Speke with her lost animal familiars.
2 miles from 20 Forthlin Road
20 Forthlin Road is the childhood home of Paul McCartney in Liverpool, preserved by the National Trust as the birthplace of the Beatles. Visitors can explore the historic house where early Beatles songs were composed and rehearsed.
Stranger Folk
9–13 Oct, 16–20 Oct…
Stranger Folk is an app-based adventure inspired by British folklore, featuring interactive games and creatures such as goblins and boggarts. Families can explore Rufford Old Hall and its grounds, follow the story and take part in additional on-site games.
2 miles from WWT Martin Mere
WWT Martin Mere is a large wetland nature reserve in Lancashire managed by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, renowned for birdwatching with observation hides and hosting many rare species. It provides significant habitat for wildfowl and migratory birds, especially in winter, and supports important biodiversity.