Here at Creepy Towers we enjoy a good ghost hunt and we have experienced some truly unexplainable and paranormal events while doing them, and we absolutely love a good horror movie, so the fact that The Darkening promises to combine these two into a night to remember is definitely a good thing in our books.
If you’ve ever fantasised about being the star of your very own horror movie or wished you could experience a truly bone-chilling paranormal encounter on a ghost hunt then The Darkening is an event that promises to bring those spine-tingling fantasies to life.
Developed by two paranormal magicians, John and David, this fully immersive experience is a unique blend of a ghost tour, ghost hunt, fright night, and supernatural magic show all rolled into one.
We had the opportunity to attend one of their shows at Merley House in Wimborne, Dorset to experience this first-hand, so of course we jumped (slight pun intended) at the chance.
The Experience
The whole experience is quite a long one, running from 3 pm until 9-10 pm depending on whether you want to hang around after in the bar.
On arrival at Merley House, we took in the amazing foyer and some pretty creepy portraits while we grabbed a drink. There was a good selection with a few non-alcoholic choices too, so we opted for a zero-percent beer shandy and waited for more guests to arrive.
After a bit of mingling to say hey to the others enjoying the night we were led through to a dining area and asked to pick somewhere to sit around several tables. Everyone was incredibly friendly in the group so we sat with a few others at the front of the room, where two of the hosts were sat motionless in chairs with a TV showing a loop of clips from previous events between them.
The show kicked off properly on the dot at 3:30 pm when the hosts came to life and did an exceptional job of immediately immersing us in the eerie and otherworldly atmosphere by telling tales of the manor house we were sat in and the awful things that had been seen and heard.
After this, we were all led to an attic area where everyone was immediately involved in the ghost-hunting part of the evening by being given a demonstration of a pendulum and then getting their very own to ask any spirits there to make themselves known.
This is a great way to make everyone feel part of the proceedings and using the pendulums in the attic was enjoyable, although the chances of getting a clear reading when there are that many people all doing it at the same time were non-existent, but it was good fun all the same.
We were then led around the house where we learned about the resident spirits and haunted locations within. The use of genuine ghost-hunting techniques added an authentic touch to the experience which we really liked.
Of note was a spooky scavenger hunt in the basement where you find ‘artefacts’ connected to the stories that have been told, and using apps and ghost-hunting techniques you get paranormal readings to cement the feeling you are on a real ghost hunt. This is only the first part of an evening-long event but they have gone above and beyond to keep you entertained so we never felt like anything was dragging.
As we walked around the basement we did catch some delicious aromas from the kitchen, where our dinner was being cooked (included in the ticket price), and at the perfect time before our stomachs drowned out any possible ghostly sounds, we were heading upstairs to eat.
Dinner Is Served
At around 6 pm we were led back to the dining room where we had started the evening, dropped our coats on the back of the chair and then queued to get a buffet-style meal, which tonight was Tex Mex, which was a real crowd pleaser, with varied choices including puddings and was delicious.
We believe the meal varies depending on the location so you may well get something different on a night you go along but they do cater for allergies etc if you get in touch before the event.
As we finished up our meal we were treated to Tarot readings by Lucy from Spirit and Sage. Lucy is based in Dorset and had been invited down for the event to do readings for guests after the dinner, which we thought was a lovely touch from the organisers.
Lucy was lovely and did some great readings and we found out that as well as Tarot she also does sound healing and vibroacoustic massage, so if any of what she does interests you then we fully recommend checking out her Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/spiritandsagedorset and getting in touch with her.
Fat, happy and chatting about the readings with others we relaxed for a short while longer and then headed to the next part of the evening, The Darkening Experience.
The Darkening Experience
By now it was around 7 pm, so we had been going for a while, but the food and rest break was perfect to build the energy up for the main event.
We aren’t going to give anything away on this part (sorry) but this is where the team really pull together all of their skills to steer the night into one where we start to feel like we are truly contacting the dead.
They use magic tricks, illusions and the power of suggestion to bring everything to life and convince the guests that we are experiencing something otherworldly.
We got to take part in some of these first-hand as we sat around the perfect occult feeling table while the investigators tried to contact the beyond, with the effects of these different set pieces ramping up the tension to a point where we had to move on through the house.
As more and more things start to happen the decision is made to revisit the most haunted area, the basement (have they never watched a horror movie?) and see what may be happening down there.
The Final Séance
This leads us to the climax of the night, a full séance to call upon the ghost of the house.
The scene was set, the lights went out and we stood or sat in pitch blackness as the paranormal investigators started to ask if anyone was with us…
Without giving anything away this was something spectacular with many guests screaming and shouting at what occurred… and it’s something you have to experience for yourself, words just wouldn’t do it justice.
With the séance over the lights come on, everyone breathes a sigh of relief and we ascend the stairs to the safety of the bar with much excited chatter going on about what we all just witnessed.
Conclusion
We had a great time at The Darkening, and it delivers on its promise of a truly unique and terrifying paranormal experience.
It’s very well-organized, especially when you consider this isn’t a permanent attraction, they are taking over different venues for the night and providing the guests with this spine-tingling adventure that blends elements of magic, illusion, and suggestion, no mean feat in a custom built location but even more impressive when you think it is one night only.
The event details vary by location but they cater for anywhere from 20 to 50 participants depending on where it is being held, and this info along with anything further about each event is available from the website at https://www.thedarkening.co.uk so you can plan well in advance as far as timings and getting there.
One thing to be aware of is that the fact that these are put together as a unique experience visiting different locations means that the tickets are genuinely limited, so if you like the sound of this event you should grab a space when you see them available as when they are gone they are gone, and that isn’t some cheesy sales tactic.
We felt the value of the event was exceptional. The ticket cost of £69 includes everything that makes up the experience, so the ghost tour, paranormal magic show, a really nice meal – something they could easily have skimped on but didn’t – the up-close table magic and other illusions, a ghost hunt, and the séance finale, which we feel is a huge amount and fantastic for the cost. We don’t know that it would be the same at every location but we also got a Tarot reading each thrown in, amazing!
If you’re a fan of the supernatural and looking for a heart-pounding adventure, The Darkening is an event that you won’t want to miss. It’s an entertainment experience, not a true paranormal investigation, as they make very clear on their website but if you want a day of spooky fun it doesn’t get much better than this.
5/5
