4 ideas to celebrate Halloween outdoors

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There is more to celebrating Halloween outdoors than heading out under the cover of darkness to trick or treat the neighbours. Here are 4 suggestions to make the most of the spooky season.

1. Visit a pumpkin patch

Forget the bland gourds stocked in all supermarkets. Instead make a family day of it by visiting one of the many pumpkin patches around Ireland to pick your own. Several of them put on all sorts of Halloween activities, including of course pumpkin carving.

Check out these 9 popular places for pumpkin picking to find your nearest one.

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2. Collect autumn treasures

Fallen acorns, opened beech nuts, shiny conkers, crisp leaves in all shapes, sizes and colours – there is no better time of year to collect seasonal treasures and discover nature on our doorstep.

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And the sun took a step back,
The leaves lulled themselves to sleep,
and Autumn was awakened.

Raquel Franco

Only last year I learnt to recognise the chestnut leaf on seeing them beside little chestnuts in their prickly shell.

For that day out in the Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow, Mermaid had devised her very own autumn scavenger list. As we walked along, she ticked off and picked up nearly every single item on her list, which she then arranged in the most colourful nature table.

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3. Light a fire

What better way to celebrate Halloween outdoors than lighting a fire?

Halloween originated in ancient Ireland with the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), which heralded the new year and the arrival of winter. During this transition into the darker half of the year, “the boundary between this world and the Otherworld could more easily be crossed” (source: Wikipedia). Bonfires were lit to ward off the evil spirits that were believed to be freely roaming about for that night only. 

Last year’s magical Halloween party at the Octagon, in the Glen of the Downs, Co Wicklow, was my first time lighting a fire in the wild using Jedi’s trusty Firesteel

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Whether in your back yard or in the great outdoors, whether a bonfire or a firepit affair, outdoor blog Get Out With The Kids has the lowdown on having a memorable campfire Halloween party. Add a scary fireside story or two, and you’re set for an unforgettable Fright Night. 

4. Bake spiced apples

This perfect Halloween treat tastes so much better outdoors! The loose recipe I learnt during my intro to forest school last year goes like this – wash and core six cooking apples (the Bramley variety works best), fill them with a mixture of brown sugar, raisins, almonds and cinnamon, and wrap them in tin foil.

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To bake, put the apples over the hot embers (not in the flames) and leave for 10-15 minutes.

Leave to cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

Halloween outdoors has never tasted better.

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