Travel test

WHAT: Scarefest, Alton Towers. Halloween events take place this weekend, then from October 19 to November 2. Advance tickets from £32 for adults and £27.50 for children. Scare maze tickets start at £5. Hotel stay from £106.50 per room, per night, B&B basis, based on a family of four sharing. altontowers.com

WHERE: You’ll find Alton Towers Resort in rural Staffs, between the M1 and M6. The three nearest railway stations are Stoke-on-Trent, Uttoxeter and Derby. Buses take you to the park. All-day parking is £6 or free for hotel guests.

EXPERIENCE: If being dropped into an episode of The Walking Dead is your idea of fun, you’ll love Project 42, Alton Towers’ new scare maze. Suitable for those aged 15-plus, it involves walking through a pitch black bunker, where zombies (actors) jump out, hissing and snarling in your face. With strobe lighting and frights galore, it’s not for you if you’re a bit faint-hearted.

There are three other equally terrifying mazes, and Scarefest also allows you to experience thrill rides, including the new Wicker Man roller coaster and old classics, such as Nemesis and Oblivion, in the dark. There’s plenty for younger children too, including the House of Monsters maze, CBeebies Land Monster Ball and Freaky Fun Zone.

QUIBBLES: In a word, queues. You can beat the crowds with a Fastrack package, but it’s £20-£40.

VERDICT: Scarefest isn’t Alton Towers’ signature event for nothing. The thought, imagination and effort that goes into making it special for all is evident at every turn. 9/10