Hall(oween) Hill Farm has Fiendish Family Fun for Half Term

Frighteningly fun events and activities are taking place all next week at an award winning tourist attraction in Durham.

Hall Hill Farm, near Lanchester, Durham was recently named Visitor Attraction of the Year (small) in the 2011 North East Tourism Awards and is set to offer visitors a ghoulishly-good time between 22nd October and 30th October.

In addition to a great day out, the farm is offering extra Halloween inspired activities for half-term which include opportunities to make your own scarecrow, carve a pumpkin lantern, have your face painted by the Hall Hill Farm witch and watch the spooky puppet show. The celebrations culminate on Sunday 30 October with a Halloween fancy dress competition.

“The autumn half-term traditionally marks the end of the tourist season here at Hall Hill Farm,” said Ann Darlington, tourism manager, Hall Hill Farm. “This year has certainly been one of our best. We started the year by being named nationally as the Farm Attraction of the Year and have ended with a Visitor Attraction gold award in the region’s Tourism Awards.”

Hall Hill Farm, which employs up to 50 people, welcomes around 60,000 visitors every year attracted by the family fun on offer and the opportunities to see and touch animals at close quarters. Visitors can bottle feed lambs, see fluffy chicks, inquisitive goats, magnificent Highland Cattle and get close to children’s favourites such as guinea pigs and rabbits, as well as enjoy the Playbarn, a tractor or donkey ride around the beautiful countryside.

“2011 has been a very good year for us with new developments such as the Playbarn as well as celebrating our 30th anniversary,” said Ann Darlington. “We have invested significantly in Hall Hill Farm this year to ensure we are able to continue to offer our visitors a quality and fun experience. Our visitor numbers have increased dramatically and it is great to see so many people enjoying themselves here at the farm.”

The County Durham farm, which opened in 1981, is very much a family business. Situated on a 291 hectare site near to Lanchester, Hall Hill Farm is owned by Jack & Pat Gibson, whose son David runs the working farm and livery and daughter Ann Darlington manages the visitor enterprise.

Hall Hill Farm is open daily on 22 October to 30 October from 10.30am til 5pm. It will then close until 2012 except for Santa Special weekends in December. You can find Hall Hill Farm on Facebook and Twitter (@HallHillFarm) and at www.hallhillfarm.co.uk