5 things to do in the UK in October

Things are lighting up for October in the UK. The city of Hull will be lit up when the famous travelling Hull Fair arrives this month and Whitby Abbey in Yorkshire will be illuminated in colours of the rainbow for Halloween. Wembley Stadium is going to blaze with the cheers from thousands of Americans with the National Football League (NFL) Games. In Manchester the stage lights will be on the poets and writers at the Manchester Literary Festival and in London there is something that surely will light up everyone eyes – good food at the month long ​London Restaurant Festival.

1   London Restaurant Festival 1-31 October

London Restaurant Festival. Get a real taste of London this month at the ​London Restaurant Festival. ​. There will be talks from Michelin-starred chefs, tasting menus, restaurant hopping tours, wine tasting and that’s just for starters. This festival, which runs for the month of October, is now in it’s tenth year – now with food and menus to suit all budgets.

If that’s got your taste buds going then read our article of the​ ​history of food in the UK​.

2   Hull Fair – 5-13 October

Visit Hull in October and take in the famous Hull Fair. It’s one of Europe’s largest and oldest travelling funfairs, which dates back to the 13th century and is expected to be attended by 400,000 people. As well as the traditional fairground stalls such as bingo, fortune tellers and hook-a-duck, the fair boasts some extreme white knuckle rides including the ‘Power Tower’ and the new KMGXXL ride (a giant swing). With over 150 food stalls, you’ll be able to sample the traditional hot dogs and candy floss as well as a massive range of street food including a ‘yorkshire pudding wrap’.

The city of Hull was given a makeover to celebrate its status as the 2017 City of Culture and in now has a lot to offer visitors. Our Blue Badge Guides can take you on a tour of the city. Hull tour

3   Manchester Literary Festival – 6-21 October

Come to the Manchester Literary Festival. You can listen to award winning authors and poets and join exciting and interesting discussions. Big names include actor Kathy Burke, presenter Graham Norton and comedian Jo Brand. It is an important event as it marks Manchester’s first year as UNESCO City of Literature. Manchester is also the birthplace of the suffragette movement and the festival recognises and celebrates the centenary year of women’s suffrage in the UK.

There’s so much to see whilst you are in Manchester. Our guides have put together a Guides guide to Manchester. If you want to know more about the suffragettes, then take our suffragette tour​.

4   NFL Games – Wembly Stadium – 14, 21 and 28 October

This month we welcome the National Football League (NFL) Games to Wembley Stadium. This year there are three matches. See the Oakland Raiders take on the Seattle Seahawks on 14 October, the Tennesse Titans fight it out with the Los Angeles Chargers on 21 October and the Jacksonville Jaguars going into battle with the Philadelphia Eagles on 28 October.

Welcome to all our American visitors. If you only have a short time in London then book our London tour which takes in all the major sites. Or come and see Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the changing of the guards on our​ ​Royal London tour​. Here’s a full list of our​ ​London tours.

 

5   Get Spooked for Halloween – 31 October

• Illuminated Abbey – 25-31 October

Whitby Abbey was founded in 657, and is one of the most evocative and dramatic ruins in Britain. Visible for miles around and perched high on a cliff, it’s easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey were the inspirational setting for Bram Stoker’s Gothic tale Dracula.

This Halloween the Abbey will be illuminated in colours of the rainbow. Come along to see the story of Dracula acted out against a spectacular light display. You can also grab a bite to eat and a hot drink to warm up at the end.

Afterwards, why not take our guided tour of the Abbey by day and learn about its extraordinary history. Book a tour

• Haunted Castle 20-28 October

If you haven’t been scared off by Dracula then maybe you are ready to take on Kent’s most haunted castle. Dress up the kids and dare to face the ghosts and the tunnel off terror at Dover Castle.

Dover Castle is one of the most important fortresses in Britain. We can lead you underground to explore the darkly atmospheric 200-year old tunnels carved deep into the iconic white cliffs of Dover. Book a tour.