Bringing our towns together with a fun new trail to engage visitors and businesses alike.
This October saw the very first Great Pumpkin Trail in Lynton & Lynmouth – at least, the first that we know of. Spearheaded by Joady and Laura, it brought a splash of autumn magic to our towns, and we were delighted to see so many businesses joining in.
A Growing Tradition
We’ve run trails before – from the ever-popular Christmas Shopping Trail to the newly revisited Scarecrow Festival – and each time they’ve proved a hit with visitors and locals. The Pumpkin Trail followed in that spirit, offering families and children a reason to explore every corner of our towns, popping into shops, cafés and attractions along the way.
Why It Matters
The Pumpkin Trail wasn’t only about fun decorations. It was about engaging businesses of all kinds and giving people a reason to move through both towns. Trails like this build connections, spread footfall more evenly, and make sure no one is left out.
This is exactly how we grow our PIE – Plenty to do, Interesting variety, Everyone benefits. Each pumpkin display was another slice of that PIE, giving visitors more reasons to linger, spend, and remember Lynton & Lynmouth as somewhere worth returning to.
Behind the Scenes
Every participating business received a Pumpkin Trail Pack to make joining in easy and rewarding. The kit bags included:
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A Pumpkin Trail poster to display in windows.
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Trail maps for families and visitors to follow.
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Souvenir badges for anyone completing the trail.
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Answer cards so visitors could complete the trail at any time of day.
Businesses were asked to simply display their pumpkin, keep maps handy, hand out badges as rewards, and pop completed forms back into the kit bag for collection. A dedicated web page also promoted the event and showcased all participants.
This meant the whole event felt seamless – simple for businesses, fun for families, and effective for the towns.
Encouraging Signs
We’ve been genuinely delighted by the number of businesses who took part. It’s very encouraging to see such strong support, especially in the first year of trying something new. The more we stand together and say “yes” to these kinds of initiatives, the stronger our destination becomes.
Looking Ahead
The Pumpkin Trail shows what’s possible when ideas, effort and community spirit come together. With Christmas just around the corner, and future seasons to plan for, there’s a real opportunity to build on this success – and keep making a bigger PIE for everyone.
