Blood curdling screams – and the distant sound of a chainsaw – drift ominously through the air as nervous-looking visitors queue to enter Castle Horror’s ‘Creep’ scare maze at Forbes of Kingennie resort near Dundee.
After days of rain, the skies clear to reveal an atmospheric moon partially obscured by scudding clouds.
Yet despite the autumnal chill, palms are getting sweaty and the heart is beating faster as the moment of truth approaches: are we brave enough to enter Dundee’s Halloween scare maze?
Having made three visits to Spirits of Scone in previous years – an event which has been cancelled in Tayside this year – my teenage daughter and I feel like jump scare veterans.
But as we prepare to immerse ourselves in Forbes of Kingennie’s Halloween maze for the first time, there’s still a sense of nervous anticipation about entering this world of make believe creeps and weirdos.
What’s it like to enter the Halloween 2023 maze?
Encouraged to “keep left” by Castle Horror proprietor Carrol Douglas-Welsh, who’s dressed as a witch at the entrance, we edge our way down dark beech hedge paths illuminated only by darting phone light.
The distant screams seem closer now.
What made that raspy growling sound?
Who’s that lurking round the corner?
Was that a rustle in the hedge?
After a few minutes of getting ‘lost’, we meet a couple who’ve also taken a ‘wrong’ turn.
They are purposefully walking towards us from the other direction.
“You dinnae want to go that way!” insists the laughing yet terrified-looking man, as the couple decide to stick closely with us for the rest of the way round – the woman clutching my daughter’s hand and screaming loudly at every turn.
What followed was a spine-tingly hilarious 25 minute journey through the flashing blackness encountering wandering zombies, flesh-eating creeps and knife wielding maniacs.
When we felt like we were getting followed, we usually were!
A psycho nun character insisted we ‘pray’ and tried to make us turn left down a dead end!
A ‘Joker’ screamed manically from the shadows, running after us in the gloom and teaming up with a lurking serial killer to ambush us.
Then of course there was the psycho blocking the path with a chainsaw.
Yet some of the scariest characters were those who stood motionless and silent in the shadows, daring you to pass, like the black veiled widow with a dead-eyed stare.
Of course it was all make-believe.
The quality make-up and acting skills applied by the Castle Horror team was class.
But what a great evening of Hallowe’en escapism – a welcome break from some of the real life horrors filling our TV news bulletins all too often these days.
How to get tickets for Dundee scare maze Creep?
Creep continues its run at Forbes of Kingennie from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesday October 31 and Wednesday November 1.
Time bands issued for 30 minute slots are designed for queue management, helping organisers to reduce waiting times, and to prevent long periods waiting around on what could be a cold night.
Organisers say the event is suitable for brave adults and even braver children.
That’s about right, as is the recommendation that those under 14 are accompanied by an adult.
Tickets priced at £8.83 per person are available via Eventbrite.
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