Lynda’s Wonderful Witches’ Den is Back Again!
At first glance, Acomb’s Kingsway West may look like any other suburban York street, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find a much-loved local landmark that could be the perfect destination for sweetie scoffers this spooky season…
Bordered by a privet hedge (soon to be adorned with marshmallows and twinkling tea lights), Camellia Cottage is home to Lynda Starkey, a community-minded pensioner who’s been transforming her home into a spooky attraction for over 40 years. Dedicated to providing “family-friendly fun for kids who may never get to visit Disneyland”, Lynda’s souped-up bungalow features more than 40 free homemade attractions, and pulls in over 400 visitors (sometimes up to 800 people) every Halloween!
When Your Local Link checked in with Lynda to have a chat about the upcoming festivities, she was proud to tell us that “the children never forget this. It’s wonderful to see their little faces at the gate – it’s so nice to see them smiling.” Her personal highlights over the years have included welcoming a 7-day-old baby dressed as a pumpkin, and prompting a 2-year-old to utter their first words!
For Halloween this year, Lynda will be putting together an array of attractions both old and new, including: the Stinking Spider Shack (can you find the Glitter Ghosts?); the Barbie Bat Cave (find Pink Baubles amongst the hanging bats to collect a treat), ‘Nice or Nasty’ Drinks (which kind will you receive?); Wizard and Witches’ Wonderland (where chocolates grow on trees); the Witches’ Den (locate the wild animals to collect a sweet treat), and the Dragon’s Dungeon, where kids can hunt for Dinosaur Eggs! Other spooky, sweet-themed attractions on offer include the Snake Tree with Jelly Snakes, Wild Worms in Sand, Mini Mice in a Feather Nest, Slimey Slugs, Freaky Flying Fish, Eyeball Sludge, and Frozen Fingers. New this year, nippers of all ages can also collect flying saucer sweets in Lynda’s latest attraction, Aliens, ET and Flying Saucers!
Lynda’s motto is “caring is sharing and sharing is caring”, and she funds the attractions out of her own pocket – if you’d like to donate any sweets or treats to help Lynda out this Halloween, your efforts would be greatly appreciated!
Head on down to the Witches’ Den in Acomb this Halloween… if you dare!
Lynda will be opening her home on 31st October, between 9am and 9pm – families and visitors of all ages are welcome to attend! If you’d like to donate some goodies ahead of the big day, get in touch with Lynda Starkey on Facebook, or drop off your treats at Camellia Cottage on Kingsway West.
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