Christmas At Wimpole Review

Reviewed by Eleanor Ayres

Christmas is just around the corner, which means it is time for the magical Christmas Illuminations Trail, at the National Trust’s Wimpole Estate near Royston.

For those who have been before, the overall set-up is similar to last year, but refreshed and revised so that it doesn’t feel that you’ve done it all before. On entering the estate from the car park, you are greeted with a handful of traditional fairground rides (this year a helter-skelter, chair-o-plane and swing boats) and a couple of food trucks – including the very intriguing Yorkshire pudding burrito van – but this is only a brief distraction before the main event, and can in any case be revisited on the way out.

Following the path from the main entrance to the stable block provides a taster of the main trail to come: extracts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker emerge from the darkness to soundtrack a route that goes past neon bulrushes and pale-lit trees, and is a beautiful introduction to the evening. At the stable block there are more food trucks, covering the Christmas essentials of hot chocolate, German sausage and mulled wine, and giving you the opportunity to pick up supplies for the main trail.

The route itself takes around 1.5-2 hours and is fully wheelchair/pushchair accessible, with plenty of benches along the route for those that need it. There is no shelter, however, so it may be a little trickier on a wet night. The trail includes everything from the show-stopping Cathedral of Lights (whose soundtrack of ‘O Holy Night’ delivers a truly cathedral-like experience, and the lights themselves are an excellent photo backdrop), to a mystical fire garden and a soundscape evoking the northern lights accompanied by ‘Walking in the Air’ from The Snowman. The light show on the hall itself is perhaps a bit plain by comparison, despite Wham’s best efforts to perk it up, but the illuminated trees and gardens are the true stars – sometimes literally.

Other stand-out areas include the heart arch walk in the walled garden, a field of illuminated Christmas trees, beautiful flowers made of light and the laser garden at the end of the trail – the laser/smoke combination being my children’s firm favourite. The rest of the music covers everything from an ethereal ‘O Come, O Come, Emmanuel’ to ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ and plenty in between.

Around halfway round the trail there is the opportunity to meet Father Christmas, who was on fine form, and to toast giant marshmallows on open fire pits (there is also another drinks truck). The fire pits were unfortunately a bit on the cool side for toasting, but we managed it eventually and the children loved the experience.

The food, drink and tokens for rides are not included in the entry fee and are not cheap – £2.50 for a single ride on the helter-skelter is a lot, and you are very much a captive audience for refreshments once inside – but there is plenty to see and hear even without the extras. The marshmallows, on the other hand, are definitely worth it! The venue is cash-free, so make sure you take cards.

Tickets cost from £19 for adult National Trust members, with discounts for children and family bookings. Car parking is payable in addition for non-members. Transaction fees may also apply.

Overall, this is a fantastic and mesmeric experience. The mixture of lights, sound, art and sheer breath-taking Christmassy-ness mean that this is a wonderful evening out for all the family and a tradition in the making.

Rating: 4.5/5
For more information or to book please visit Ticket Options (seetickets.com)