WHAT: Nightmare on Church Lane
WHEN: 22nd – 31st October, 2022
WHERE: The Hellfire Caves (Church Lane, West Wycombe, HP14 3AH)
PRICE: £13.50-15
OUR RATING: Do It!
Deep in the Chiltern Hills, a twisted array of man-made caverns is waiting for its next set of victims. Excavated in the 18th century by Francis Dashwood, a notorious rake and co-founder of the mysterious Hellfire Club, they stretch 300 feet underground and conjure up images of the rumoured dark rituals and hauntings within. Whilst usually a heritage site, on Halloween you’ll find the tunnels populated by a frightening variety of ghouls and devils. Our exploration had started!
The theme for this year’s most haunted attraction is the stuff of your nightmares – quite literally, for dreaming is the name of this depraved game. As we visited much later in the night, no queueing was required and we were immediately greeted by a most well-dressed and spirited poet who whisked us down into this otherworld. The passages were crammed with creatures who were not afraid to run up and get right in our faces, sometimes popping out from the most unexpected crannies.
One of the highlights of the Caves is the actors penchant for following close behind us between the segments, which meant that more often than not you looked over your shoulder and were greeted by continuing terror. Also, bear in mind that there is only one way in and out of the Caves, so if any of the creatures within particularly frighten you, you’ll need to face them again on the way back up! We’d highly recommend you visit at later times so that you can experience the haunt relatively alone – it was exceedingly creepy being locked in the central shrine festooned with eerie masks peering down upon us.
Final Thoughts: The caverns themselves are a huge part of the draw here, with the River Styx perfectly lit to accentuate the uncanny cast of the place. Coupled with a range of sinister actors, from deadly twins to an ominous dream catcher, and some giant and monstrous entities, Nightmare on Church Lane is spooky, fun, unique, and well worth a visit this Halloween.
