It’s all going to get spooky on the canal

AS the nights draw in, London Canal Museum is serving up some spooky and festive treats to buoy family spirits.

For those wanting a creative way to keep their little skippers entertained this half term, the King’s Cross museum is offering a Family Fun Day on Tuesday 28th October – featuring a Halloween canal boat trip and monster-themed craft session. Expect ghost stories and nautical frights to stir the imagination.

The rest of the week promises further macabre, with Terrifying Tunnel Trips running from Wednesday to Friday (29-31st October). Hop aboard narrowboat ‘Long Tom’ and cruise through the eerie Islington Tunnel, serenaded by hair-raising stories. You’ll be glad of Long Tom’s Halloween lights as you check there’s no-one lurking in the dark…

Fear not – survive the tunnel and you’ll be rewarded with a hot drink and not-too-spooky cookie. Not a bad deal.

The cast at the London Canal Museum

Or perhaps treat yourself to a Scream Tea aboard – available on 3pm departures – complete with scones, cream and ‘blood-dripping jam’.

Halloween season offers a ghostly twist on the museum’s Top Ten Trail, promising sinister surprises along the way. Once completed, little ones can enjoy some light relief by playing shopkeeper in the ice cream role play area.

If you’re wondering what ice cream has to do with canals, there’s much to learn. The museum site was once a Victorian ice warehouse, housing ice imported from Norway. A surprising history is to be discovered through exploration of the ice well, demonstrating the role of canal trading routes in times gone by.

Dare you spend Halloween by the water?

The Victorian legacy of the building and its owner Carlo Gatti – pioneering ice cream entrepreneur – is celebrated on November 8th with a glittering Music Hall Evening.

After bringing iced treats to the masses, Gatti moved into the world of music halls, opening his famous Charing Cross venue beneath the railway arches. This history is due to be brought to life by the New Players Theatre Company, famed for ‘The Good Old Days’, a hugely popular Saturday night BBC programme which at one point had a live audience waiting list of over 20,000.

Museum doors open at 6:30pm for the Music Hall Evening, allowing guests to explore the exhibits and grab a drink, before relaxing into cabaret and theatre seats for a show bursting with Victorian entertainment.

Looking ahead, the Canal Museum is gearing up for Christmas – planning a special King’s Cross festive illuminations cruise, offering unrivalled views of decorations, complete with hot chocolate. Similarly, local artisan mince pie cruises can be enjoyed on select December dates, whilst the museum opens late on Thursday 11th for mulled wine, ice cream making demonstrations and a Christmas choir to boot.

Terrifying Tunnel Trips

Weds 29 – Friday 31 October; Departs 11:00, 12:00, 14:00 (approx. 50 mins)
Scream Tea – Weds 29 – Friday 31 October; Departs 15:00 (approx. 75 mins)
lcm.me.uk/bt

Carlo Gatti’s Old-Time Music Hall

Sat 8th November; Doors 18:30, Showtime 19:30-21:30
Prices from £16-27 (including museum entry)
lcm.me.uk/mh