Wallace & Gromit's Fantastic Fungi Trail at Wakehurst

If you are after a plan for the October half term that gets everyone out of the house, Aardman is marking its 50th anniversary with a trail that is hard to argue with. The Wallace & Gromit: Fantastic Fungi Trail runs at Wakehurst from 17 October to 1 November, so it is worth sorting a date now rather than leaving it to the last minute.

Wakehurst is the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's 465-acre estate over in Haywards Heath, and the trail takes you through its autumn landscape. The story is a familiar one: Feathers McGraw is up to his old tricks again, and Wallace and Gromit need your help to stop him. Along the way you get a look at the world of fungi, with its surprising shapes, scents and secrets, and the trail is built around interactive challenges, scientific records to collect and a mycological mission to complete. The activity pack comes with a guide and a sticker sheet, so there is something to actually do rather than just walk past.

It is worth knowing what you are paying for before you turn up. Wakehurst family members go free, with unlimited entry and the trail included if you show membership on the day or enter your membership number at checkout. Everyone else pays £3 for the trail pack on top of garden entry, and you need to book both a ticket to Wakehurst and a trail activity pack. There are no costume characters to be found here, so it is an interactive, activity-based trail rather than a meet-and-greet.

Practicalities are the strong suit here, which is what makes it work for families. The paths are buggy-friendly, the route is dog-friendly, and the activities are aimed at a range of ages, so it is not just for the youngest. The trail and gardens open at 10:00, and the last entry changes halfway through: it is 17:00 until 24 October, then 16:00 from 25 October onwards. It goes ahead come rain or shine, and the organisers are happy to talk about puddle suits and muddy fun, so bring clothes you do not mind getting dirty.

Beyond the trail, Wakehurst is a place you could easily spend the whole day. The 465 acres take in ornamental gardens, temperate woodlands, a nature reserve and an Elizabethan mansion, so there is plenty to see once the fungi mission is done. If you want to double check opening times or book your slot, the team can be reached on 01444 894066, and they keep their latest updates on Facebook and Instagram at kew.wakehurst. It is a simple, low-stress way to fill an October day, and because it is built around a 50th anniversary, it feels like a bit of a moment rather than just another half-term activity. Pack the wellies, book the pack, and leave the car for a few hours while the kids track down Feathers McGraw.