With so much Christmas fun likely to be cancelled this year, these brilliantly imaginative winter trails offer some much-needed festive sparkle and reverie
Walk-through displays of Christmas lights have sparkled ever brighter in the UK’s grand gardens over the lpast decade or so. They often include tunnels of fairy lights and themed illuminations (animal-shaped lanterns at Chester Zoo or glowing flowers at the RHS gardens). Flaming torches, lasers, glowing snowflakes and stirring seasonal music are also quite likely to feature. These events are well-suited to Covid regulations: they take place outside in spacious grounds or parkland, so it’s relatively easy to socially distance, and they always did involve reserving tickets in advance. They are not cheap, are selling out fast, and booking timed tickets is generally essential (there tend to be more slots available on weekdays and later in the evening), but these festive spectacles offer an hour or so of pure escapism, and we could all do with a bit of that right now. Continue reading...
