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RZSS Highland Wildlife Park is challenging families to get frightfully creative with traditional turnips this Hallowe’en in return for free entry into Scotland’s wildest visitor attraction.
The traditional Highland ritual of carving a turnip, instead of the modern pumpkin, will be resurrected by the Highland Wildlife Park as part of a spooktacular Hallowe’en promotion for families who carve animal-themed turnips. Every family to bring their carved turnips to the Park between Friday 27 and Monday 30 October will get one free child ticket (15 years and under) with every full paying adult.
Centuries before pumpkins became Hallowe’en decorations, people in the Highlands and across Great Britain carved ghoulish faces into turnips and placed them near doorways to frighten away evils spirits. Turnip carving is said to date from a Celtic folktale about a man cursed with holding a burning coal inside a hollowed-out turnip after trying to trick the devil.
A selection of the best designs brought in by visitors will be displayed around the Park until Hallowe’en when all turnips received will be used by RZSS Highland Wildlife Park for animal enrichment.
Daska Mackintosh, Head of Operations and Visitors Experience at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, said: “This year we’re going back to our Highland roots and giving families a fun and traditional way to get into the Hallowe’en spirit. The Highland Wildlife Park is a great day out, whatever the season, and we can’t wait for visitors to check out all of the amazing turnip designs as an added extra this week.”
Park keepers presented resident red panda, Kitty, with a specially carved turnip this week to launch the Hallowe’en incentive. Visitors travelling with their turnip designs will also get the chance to come face to face with some of the country’s wildest animals such as the European grey wolf, the great grey owl or the Park’s resident wolverines, Tina and Xale.
‘Hallowe’en turnip offer’ terms and conditions
- - Maximum 1 free child (15 yrs and under) with every full paying adult
- - Valid from Friday 27 to Monday 30 October 2017
- - Only 1 child will be admitted per themed carved turnip/pumpkin
- - Walk up admission only
- - Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer
- - No cash alternative
- - No entry after 4pm during October
- - Turnips/Pumpkins will be retained by Highland Wildlife Park at the front entrance
- - Normal terms and conditions of Highland Wildlife Park entry apply