Magical Christmas Light Trails To Check Out This Winter
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4 weeks ago
The UK is aglow this festive season
What’s your favourite part about the run up to Christmas? Is it the gift gathering, the tasty treats in your advent calendar, or perhaps the Christmas lights springing up across your local area? If it’s the latter, upgrade your festive season with a trip to one of these magical Christmas light trails across the UK.
14 Christmas Light Trails For Winter 2024
Longleat Festival of Light
Longleat Festival Of Light, Warminster
The nation’s favourite iconic lantern event will return in 2024 for its 10th anniversary edition. Every year, The Festival of Light brings a spectacular lantern trail to Longleat, and this year it’s all about the evolution of Earth, from dinosaurs to the present day. Of course, the giant singing Christmas tree will also return, featuring festive lights, carols and even flurries of snow.
Details: Select dates from Saturday 9 November 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025 at Longleat (Center Parcs Longleat, Warminster BA12 7JS). Tickets start from £20.95 and can be booked at longleat.co.uk
Christmas At Kew, London
London’s best winter light trail is undoubtedly Christmas at Kew, a glamorous affair bringing sparkly joy to the Royal Botanic Gardens. When it returns for 2024 this winter, guests can expect twinkling lights and seasonal sounds to fill the air as they explore tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections, trees drenched in jewel-like colour and more. En route, find independent street food vendors serving up delicious festive treats, including spiced winter warmers and hot chocolate. Plus, keep your eyes peeled for Santa Claus…
Details: Running 4.20–10pm on selected dates from Wednesday 13 November 2024 until Sunday 5 January 2025 at Kew Gardens (entrances at Victoria Gate, Brentford Gate and Elizabeth Gate). Tickets start from £21.50pp and can be booked at kew.org
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Cotswold Farm Park’s Enchanted Light Trail, Cheltenham
Embark on a nighttime journey across Cotswold Farm Park, featuring colourful lights and the chance to meet, feed and see the adorable farm animals in specially-decorated barns. Best of all, dogs are welcome, too.
Details: Running 4pm until late Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Friday 22 November until Sunday 15 December, as well as 18–23 December and 28–31 December at Cotswold Farm Park (Guiting Power, Cheltenham GL54 5FL). Tickets can be booked at cotswoldfarmpark.co.uk
Farmer Christmas Woodland Light Trail, Hertfordshire
The 700-acre Tewinbury Farm in Hertfordshire will be transformed into a winter wonderland this season, featuring stunning light displays, snow filled paths, LED waterfalls, whimsical installations and more. Santa’s Grotto will bring the kids’ dreams to life, with a special Farmer Santa waiting with a bounty of gifts.
Details: Running Thursdays to Sundays from 3.30–8.30pm from Thursday 28 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Tewinbury Farm (Hertford Road, Welwyn, Hertfordshire AL6 0JB). Tickets start from £15pp and can be booked at tewinbury.co.uk
Light Cycles, Meriden
Fever and Moment Factory have teamed up to bring Light Cycles to Warwickshire this festive season, a brand new winter light trail including five installations across a 1.5km trail. Exploring the hidden communication of trees, the rhythms of plant life, and the mesmerising hues of a sunset, Light Cycles is all about connecting with nature.
Details: Running Thursdays to Sundays from Friday 15 November 2024 until Sunday 16 February 2025 at Stonebridge Golf Club (Somers Rd, Meriden, Warwickshire CV7 7PL). Tickets start from £14.50 and can be booked at lightcycles-experience.com
‘Trumpet Flowers’, by Sydney-based artist studio Amigo & Amigo. (© David Parry/PA Media Assignments)
City Of London
Not a trail as such, but two light installations are coming to the capital this winter: ‘Trumpet Flowers’ outside Citypoint (1 Ropemaker St, Barbican, London EC2Y 9AW) and ‘Glow’ at Principal Place (1 Principal Pl, London EC2A 2BA).
Details: On display from Tuesday 15 October 2024 until Monday 6 January 2025.
Westonbirt Cranes by Studio Vertigo
Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury
New for 2024, the nation’s largest arboretum is having a festive makeover this Christmas. Trees from across the globe will be completely transformed into a magical, sparkling vista with more than 1 million twinkling lights and seasonal sounds filling the air. Luminous birds will also perch on the branches, while the sparkling tunnel of light is not to be missed.
Details: Running Friday 29 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Westonbirt Arboretum (Tetbury, Gloucestershire GL8 8QS). Tickets start from £18 and can be booked at forestryengland.uk
Warwick Castle, Warwick
Warwick Castle’s magical Christmas Light Trail will return this winter for its best and biggest edition ever. Covering a whole mile (and taking around 45 minutes to explore), more than 40 beautiful light installations will be on display around the castle’s picturesque grounds, comprising thousands of shimmering lights.
Details: Running Saturday 23 November 2024 until Sunday 5 January 2025 at Warwick Castle (Warwick CV34 6AU). Tickets start from £17.50pp and can be booked at warwick-castle.com
Dunham Massey Luminosi Trees by Sound Intervention
Dunham Massey, Cheshire
This National Trust property is getting a glowing makeover once again this festive season, with new illuminations for 2024 including colour-changing battens of light stretching into the distance, a tunnel filled with stars in all colours of the rainbow, and a glittering display of lights across the lake. Don’t miss Santa himself along the way.
Details: Running Friday 15 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Dunham Massey (Altrincham WA14 4SJ). Tickets start from £19 and can be booked at mychristmastrails.co.uk
Ashridge House Illuminated, Berkhamsted
Spanning 1.4km, Ashridge House Illuminated is the longest Christmas light trail in Hertfordshire – and it’s back for 2024. Featuring 20 key moments, guests can expect plenty of new never-seen-before light installations across the pretty Grade II* listed gardens of Ashridge House, all partially powered by renewable energy. At the end of the trail, refuel with a tasty dish from the bigger-than-ever Food Village full of local vendors.
Details: Running Friday 29 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Ashridge House (Ashridge House, Berkhamsted HP4 1NS). Tickets start from £13.80 for kids and £23 for adults and can be booked at ashridgehouse.org.uk
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Woodstock’s palace has never looked so pretty. Every year, Blenheim Palace is transformed with its illuminated outdoor Christmas Trail, bringing sparkly magic to the already-picture-perfect gardens. Soundtracked by festive music, little ones will love spotting Santa around the course, while a trip can be combined with the annual Christmas Market (15 Nov–22 Dec) and the new-for-2024 Great Skate ice rink.
Details: Running Friday 15 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Blenheim Palace (Woodstock, Oxfordshire OX20 1UL). Find all the details at blenheimpalace.com
Stourhead Snowflake Show by Culture Creative
Christmas At Stourhead, Wiltshire
This Palladian house and garden has been described as a ‘living work of art’ – and it’ll embrace a kitschy festive makeover this winter. With more than 1,000 pea lights woven into the forest landscape, highlights of this trail include a stunning Christmas Cathedral and a brand new Sea of Light featuring huge snowflakes hanging in the air.
Details: Running Friday 29 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Stourhead (Mere, Wiltshire BA12 6SH). Tickets start from £15 and can be booked at mychristmastrails.co.uk
Christmas Lights at Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle, Maidstone
Perched on small islands in the River Len, Leeds Castle’s magical Christmas light trail is back for 2024. Featuring larger-than-life glowing reeds, giant colour-changing lilies shimmering on the lake, sparkling tunnels and trees lit up against the inky night sky, families can enjoy the picture-perfect 500 acres of parkland in a new light.
Details: Running Friday 22 November 2024 until Wednesday 1 January 2025 at Leeds Castle (Broomfield, Maidstone ME17 1PL). Tickets start from £18 and can be booked at mychristmastrails.co.uk
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2024. (© Matt Alexander/PA Wire)
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2025
The capital’s largest winter light trail usually takes place after Christmas, bringing a much-needed glow to a post-Christmas city. Details are still TBC, but the Canary Wharf Winter Lights festival dates back to 2014 and showcases the work of some of the world’s most innovative light artists. Stay tuned for 2025 details.
