WHAT: Face Your Fears
WHO: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park
WHERE: Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park (Hell Lane, Heath, Wakefield, WF1 5SG)
WHEN: Friday October 6th – Tuesday October 31st 2023
PRICE: £26
OUR RATING: Do It!
This Halloween season Storefront City revisited one of our favourite haunt attractions in the UK – Face Your Fears at Yorkshire Scare Grounds Scream Park. Completely re-skinned yet again, this fantastic trail through the terrifying woods melds four unique scare mazes with three scare zones to keep you spooked and shook for an entire hour from start to finish, making this one of the longest and most fulfilling scares out there. Ever since we first made the trek out to Yorkshire for this event a few years ago we keep revisiting it every Halloween, as it is guaranteed to provide an insane level of entertainment, humour, and scares!
There are comical and fun interactions with the queue actors and staff even before the event begins, with the security and ticket agents taking part in the ridiculous shenanigans. Once through to the inside queue, we were loomed over by a giant devil-creature with a fantastic level of makeup and costuming – cinema level stuff! We saw some tried and true characters we’ve met at years passed, but also some newcomers, making the event both familiar but also new and improved.
Speaking of new and improved, as previously mentioned this trail of terrors has been completely reskinned again this year (in fact, we can’t remember a year that hasn’t been unique!). The layout of the trail through the woods is always well thought out, with four unique scare mazes connected by themed outside “scare zones” – even when you might think you are safe after exiting a maze you are immediately thrown into the clutches of the evil that lurks through the woods.
The three unique scare zones this year were Carnival of Carnage, where clowns came out at us at every side, hidden behind every twist, turn, and tree, The Pack, where werewolves roamed free to prey on us innocent victims, and The Harvest: Keepers of the Corn, where inanimate scarecrows came to life to stalk us down with the intent of killing us! Each and every one of these scare zones was themed to within an inch of its life, incorporating fantastic costumes, scenery built within the woods itself, and some lovely special effects (warning: you will get soaked!). And now for the haunts themselves…
#IDT: Interdimensional Terror: A groundbreaking scientific experiment aimed at accessing other dimensions goes wrong, resulting in a gruesome massacre, and now Dr. Klein is the only hope to rectify the situation! The alien/interdimensional beings that lurk in the corridors of this overrun facility will make you shriek, and we were especially impressed by the detailed introductory video with its top notch visuals.
Whitechapel Vampires: The streets of London, plagued by constant violence and deception, are infested with hidden killers in human disguise, a legion of vampires, making a journey to Whitechapel a perilous endeavor. Before focusing more on a Jack the Ripper theme, this zone has been redesigned to reflect a vampiric infection that is as terrifying and full of jump scares. Because of a larger group in front of us, we may have missed some of the scares whilst the creatures recharged their energy, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t find this bloodcurdling.
Krampus: Krampus, known by various names, is a legendary figure whose tales of cruelty and torment, aided by his corrupted elves, have transcended cultures and generations, making him a menacing presence who observes whether people have been naughty or nice. Transformed into a winter wonderland, don’t let the sweet exterior fool you – for there are beasts within. Prepare to be shocked and always think “did I just see that toy move????” The looming Krampus is nearby…
Clown Clinic: Blackthorn Asylum, now under new management, remains dedicated to rehabilitating those whose sanity wanes, employing extreme treatments such as electro-shock therapy, lobotomies, maggot therapy, and pain to ensure permanent mental instability in its patients, with an eerie invitation to consider one’s own sanity. Sudden shocks from animatronics heighten the sense of peril, as well as curated smells to replicate the clinical nature of the setting. By the end, we were running through a very twisted and confusing maze pursued by one of the maniacs within!
Final Thoughts: Face Your Fears is one of the best haunts in the UK, giving fantastic value for money with seven different scare experiences for an incredibly accessible price point, one which doesn’t go up in price for the peak days of the season. The attraction is open for practically the whole month of October too, so it’s super flexible to visit. Not to mention, Yorkshire Scare Grounds has really upped their game this year. In addition to the usual food and merchandise space at the end of the trail, they have added a huge extra entertainment area this year with a lovely garden bar, an entertainment stage, and archery and axe throwing booths! We are shocked, surprised, and so excited with this level of growth and attention to detail and guest experience. The expansion this year blew us away, and we can’t wait to attend this amazing attraction again next year!
