Have you explored one of the many light trails yet? They start from November with many of the Christmas trails ending at the end of the year, however there are a number of free displays in public places in 2025. I love that light trails take the magic you get when you see houses all lit up before Christmas and mix it with a structured walk where you don’t have to hunt for the decorations. There are less events on for 2024, however if you are looking for a light trail near you then check out the list of light trails in Essex, London and Hertfordshire for 2024 and 2025.
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| Lightopia is one of the great light trails in London, Essex and Hertfordshire this year |
Tickets for early evenings, especially at weekends, go quickly as parents try and nab the most child friendly time, but if you can go on a weeknight or a little later in the evenings you might find availability is better.
Skip straight to:
Light trails in Essex
Light trails in London
Light trails in Hertfordshire
Light Trails Near You in Essex, London & Herts
What Is A Light Trail? (And Advice For Visiting One)
Light trails are outside exhibitions which use light and often sound too to create exciting displays. They vary between locations with as some taking a more subtle approach with trees lit up pretty colours and strings of lights others have creative sculptures made of light and interactive displays.
While for some venues the light trail is their festive event for the year, other locations have separate Christmas events normally taking place in the day. As dusk falls they then reopen as the light event. While some venues offer discounted tickets if you want to visit in the day too, you normally have to leave the venue and wait for your evening time slot to re-enter and enjoy the lights.
Wrap up warm and have waterproofs on standby because they often don't have any protection from the elements and they are on whatever the weather (except in extreme weather conditions). Suitable footwear is recommended as the ground can be uneven and muddy.
Some venues ask you not to bring torches (and definitely no head torches or open flames), while others advise you might want to bring one. I would suggest bring a torch to get to and from the trail and if you want to use it on the trail just be careful not to ruin the light effects for other visitors.
Most venues require prebooking of tickets. Some venues (like Kew gardens) are nearly sold out at time of publishing while others (especially the newer venues) have really good availability.
Most trails have no re-entry and you can only go through once (the exception seems to be the English Heritage sites) so make sure you bring everything with you and you make the most of your time walking through.
Please note the information below is taken from Press Releases and the venues websites. They are not meant as endorsements of the events. I visited Enlightened, Lightopia and Lumagica in 2023 so make sure to check out my reviews if you are interested in visiting these trails.
Light Trails In Essex
Audley End - Audley End House and Gardens, Saffron Walden
Location: Audley End House and Gardens, Off London Road, Saffron Walden, CB11
4JF
Dates and times: This event is not happening at Audley End This Year
While Audley End is advertising a Christmas event there is no light trail planned this year currently, we will update if this changes. The Festive Fun events runs weekends from the end of November and you can also separately book to see Father Christmas
Enchanted - Trail of Light, Colchester Zoo
Location: Colchester Zoo, Maldon Road, Colchester, CO3 0SL
Dates and times: 30th November, 4th, 6th, 7th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 18th, 20th, 21st, 28th and 30th December 2024 Entry slots from 16.30 to 19.15.
Tickets: £12.50 per person on off peak dates (30 November, 4, 11, 30 December) and £15.00 per person on peak dates (6, 7, 13, 14, 18, 20, 21, 28 December). There is no discount for members, but children under 3 go free.
Described as: illuminations along a one way designated route, dancing fountains and fairies spreading their magic. Live brass band performance on selected evenings.
Useful to know:
The trail can take 1 1/2 hours.
You will not be able to see the animals during the visit.
Free parking.
Toilets and refreshments available.
Enlightened, Barleylands Farm Park, Billericay
Location: Barleylands Farm Park, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2UD
Dates and times: This event is not happening at Barleylands this year.
Enlightened, Castle Park - Colchester
Location: Colchester Castle Park, Colchester, Essex, C01 1TJ
Dates and times: 6th to 24th December 2024. Entry slots from 5pm to 8pm
Tickets: Peak £18.50 adults, £12.50 children. Off peak £11.00 adults, £8 children. Children under 3 are free, but need a ticket.
Described as: "The grounds will be transformed into a magical illuminated light trail for visitors to enjoy with all the family."
Useful to know:
Entrance is by the war memorial on the High Street
The trail is approximately 1.5km and expected to take visitors about an hour (including time to stop and appreciate the displays).
There is no dedicated car park, but Castle Park is in the city centre so there is a choice of car parks nearby.
Refreshments and toilets available.
Organised by Enlightened Moments.
Enlightened, Hylands Estate, Chelmsford
Location: Writtle Entrance off Greenbury Way, Chelmsford, CM2 8FS (the
same entrance you would use for the playground)
Dates and times: 29th November 2024 to 4th January 2025 Entry slots from 4.30pm until 9pm
Tickets: Peak
£19.50 adults, £13.00 children. Off peak £12.50 adults, £9 children. Children under 3
are free, but need a ticket.
Described as: “A dedicated trail of light around
the ground of Hylands. On the trail there are numerous static and interactive
light up attractions with an enchanting soundscape.”
Useful to know:
The trail is about a mile long and the visit is expected to take about an hour.
Parking is included with your
ticket (so don’t use the machines when you are there), but if you are booked into a later time slot leave plenty of time to park as there were long queues at peak times last year.
Refreshments and
toilets available.
Dogs on leads are allowed.
Organised by
Enlightened Moments.
Read my review of our 2022 visit to Enlightened here.
Enlightened, Markshall Estate, Coggeshall
Dates and times: 6th to 24th December entry slots from 4.30pm until 7.30pm
Tickets: Peak £18.50 adults, £12.50 children. Off peak £11 adults, £8 children. Children under 3 are free, but need a ticket.
Described as: A new venue for the popular Enlightened Moments trails. It will be a dedicated trail of light around Markshall Arboretum. On the trail there are numerous static and interactive light up attractions with music.
Useful to know:
The trail is about a mile long and the visit is expected to take about an hour.
There is free parking.
Refreshments and toilets available expected to be available.
Dogs on leads are allowed.
Organised by Enlightened Moments.
Epping Ongar Lights Express - Epping Ongar Railway
Location: Epping Ongar Railway. Starting at Station Approach, off Ongar High
Street, Ongar, CM5 9AB
Dates and times: Selected dates from 16th November 2024 to 12th January 2025.
Tickets: £22.50 per person or £30 per person on peak dates December 20, 21 and 22)
Described as:
a light trail with a difference. Instead of walking around and seeing the
lights you get to enjoy them while on a train journey. The train will be lit
up, passengers will have interactive LED wristbands and there will be line side displays as well as on board narration and
music.
Useful to know:
Lasts approximately 90 mins.
Starts at
Ongar station where there is no dedicated parking, but there is street parking
and a pay and display car park at the other end of the High Street. If you
have been to Epping Ongar Railway before then you need to know for this event
the train will not be stopping at North Weald and the heritage bus service
won’t be running.
Refreshments
and toilets available at Ongar station.
Care must be taken on the
platforms and no visitors should walk on the track.
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| Epping Ongar Railway Light Fantastic Event |
RHS Glow 2024 at Hyde Hall
Location: Creephedge Lane, Rettendon Common, Chelmsford CM3 8RA
Dates
and times: Selected dates 22nd November to 28th December 2024. Entry slots 5pm to
7.30pm, closes at 9pm.
Tickets: £16.50 adults, £8.75 children. Reduced price for members. Under 5s go
free, but a ticket must be booked for them.
Described as: "Go on an enchanting journey around RHS Garden Hyde Hall and see much-loved garden areas awash with colour against the dark night sky."
Useful to
know:
Free car parking.
Toilets and refreshments available.
Havering Christmas Land
Location: Harrow Lodge Park, Hornchurch Road RM11 1JRDates and times: Selected dates from 4th December to 1st January with entry times from 4.30pm to 7.50pm.
Light Trails In London
Canary Wharf Winter Lights Festival, E14
Location: Takes place around the Canary Wharf area. Download the map before
visiting to find all the installations or collect a paper map from a steward.
Dates and times: It has been confirmed Winter Lights will happen in January 2025 running from 21st January to 1st February between 5pm and 10pm.
Tickets: Not required: the installations are all in
public areas.
Described as: Returning for it’s 9th year the Winter Lights
Festival stands out because firstly it’s in January (after most of the other
trails have been packed away) and secondly it’s free. There are expected to be 11 new pieces as well as permanent light artworks. I loved visiting in previous
years, but it does get very busy. You can download a map or they have people handing out paper copies.
Useful to know:
There are public car parks in Canary Wharf
area, but on weekdays it might be easier to get public transport. At weekends
you can get 3 hours free parking if you spend over £10 in participating shops.
cafés, bars or restaurants.
There are toilet facilities in the shopping
centres.
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| Winter Lights Festival is a free light trail in Canary Wharf in January |
Battersea Power Station Light Festival, Battersea
Location: Circus Rd W, Nine Elms, London SW11 8AL
Dates and times: 2025 dates not yet announced. In 2024 it ran from 25th January to 25th February, 8am to 11pm
Tickets: Free, tickets not required.
Described as: In 2024 it was 7 light art installations from British and international artists. Both outdoors and inside the iconic Grade II* listed Power Station. There are also family-friendly workshops, live entertainment and music throughout the festival, some of which need to be booked in advance.
Useful to know:
There are food trucks plus numerous bars and restaurants
Nearest tube station is Battersea Power Station on the Northern Line
Christmas at Kenwood, Hampstead Heath
Location: Kenwood, Hampstead Lane, Hampstead, NW3 7JR
Dates and times: NO DATES CONFIRMED YET FOR 2024 Last year information became available in November so this will be updated when it has been confirmed whether or not it will happen.
Details for the 2023 event:
Entry times 4.30 to 8pm (closes at 9pm)
Tickets:
Peak £30 adults, £22.75 children, standard £25.50, £19.25 and off peak £22 adults, £17.50 children.
Children under 3 go free. 33% discount for English Heritage members with code EHMEMBER33 (bring proof of membership to the trail). You can also get a 10% NHS discount, in the FAQ section it has an address to email for a code.
There
are also reduced capacity quiet twilight viewing tickets for the 4.30pm entrance
which cost extra.
Described as: “Back with a brand new light trail for 2023, bringing colour, lights and interactive play to Kenwood this December and you immerse yourself in a world of seasonal sparkle and festive cheer."
Useful to know:
Trail expected to be “no longer than 2km”
and take about 1 hour.
Refreshments available along the route and in the
Christmas Market. Card payments only.
Toilets available.
There is
also a long list of items on the website it says not to bring which is worth
checking as it includes drinks, food and bags larger than A4 size.
Event
managed by Kilimanjaro
Christmas at Kew
Location: Kew Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. Entrance gate depends
on your booking.
Dates and times: Selected dates, 13 November 2024 to 5 January 2025. Entry times 4.20pm to 8pm (closes at 10pm).
Tickets: Peak £32 adults, £20 children. Off peak £25.50 adults, £16 children. Children under 4 are free. Discount for members and family tickets (2 adults and 2 children). It is probably the most popular light trail in the area so book tickets early as they sell out quickly.
Described
as: “sparkling tunnels of light, dancing lakeside reflections, and trees
drenched in jewel-like colour. Journey through the mesmerising flickering
flames in the fire garden, spot larger-than-life illuminations and say hello
to Father Christmas along the way.”
Useful to know:
Trail is
3km long and estimated about 2 hours long.
Bicycles, tricycles, roller skates, skateboards, micro-scooters, balance bikes aren't permitted and must be left at the gates.
Parking is available at
Brentford Gate (must be prebooked, £10 and is a 10 minute walk to the trail).
Parking also available at the National Archives car park, but public transport
is encouraged.
Refreshments available including independent street food
or a more substantial meal at Botanical Brasserie (which requires booking).
Accessible toilets at Victoria Plaza and Brentford Gate.
There will
be fairground rides and tokens can be prebooked at a discount or bought on
site.
Christmas in Chelsea
Location: Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital Road, London, SW3 4SR
Dates and times: 4th to 29th December 2024 (except Christmas Day and Boxing Day), 4.30pm-last entry at 8pm.
Tickets: £42.50 for a family ticket (2 adults, 2 under 15s) (+£4.25 total booking fee), £15pp per adult (+£1.50 booking fee), £9pp per child (+90p booking fee), under 4s go free.
Described as: ‘London’s newest festive tradition!’ Stroll through a breathtaking light trail in the exclusive Ranelagh Gardens, explore the festive market and join seasonal workshops.
Useful to know: 1km long trail. Workshops include candle and wreath-making and there will be daily pop-up carol services. Held in Ranelagh Gardens, the nearest underground station is Sloane Square and overground is Victoria, the 170 bus stops right outside if you need a direct service.
Enchanted Eltham, Greenwich
Location: Eltham Palace and Gardens, Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, London,
SE9 5NP
Dates and times: Event does not appear to be happening this year,
2023 information:
Selected dates 1st December to 1st January. Entry slots from 4pm to 7pm. Closes at 9pm.
Tickets: Peak adults £22.50,
children £19.25, standard adults £20.50, £15.25 and off peak adults £17.50 and children £11.50. Children under 3 go free. 33% discount for English Heritage members with code EHMEMBER33 (bring proof of membership to the trail). You can also get a 10% NHS discount, in the FAQ section it has an address to email for a code.
Described as: Explore
the grounds and gardens lit up with illuminations, sound and colour.
Useful to know:
Trail is approximately 2km and you can walk it
as many times as you want. Average time to walk it expected to take 45 minutes
plus additional time for rides and food. There are traditional fairground
rides for small children and the English Heritage shop will be open.
Refreshments
and toilets available.
No parking available (other than Blue Badge
holders).
Event managed by Kilimanjaro
London Christmas Lights
Of course many of the main shopping streets in London have Christmas lights that are well worth seeing too. It may not be a dedicated trail, but it's free, you can go any evening you want in late November and December and you can check out amazing shop window displays too. Check out this useful walking route to take in some of the best areas.
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| A festive water show in 2022 (Crystal Palace, London) |
If you are near to Kent, then Bedgebury light trail is also worth checking out- running from Friday 15 November 2024 - Wednesday 1 January 2025. Tickets for peak times are £25.00 for adults, £18.00 for children with under 2's free. Off peak tickets are slightly cheaper.
Light Trails In Hertfordshire
While it appears that Lumagica (Willow's Farm and Hatfield House) light trails are again not happening this year, the good news for those living in Hertfordshire is there is a light trail at Ashridge House in 2024. I have included details below as well as other christmassy places to go in Herts this year.
Ashridge House Illuminated, Berkhamsted
Location: Ashridge House, Ashridge, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 1NS
Dates and times: 29th November to 1st January from 4pm to 8pm (last entry)
Tickets: Tickets available at Off Peak, Peak and super Peak rate which range from £13.80 to £16.40 for children and £23 to £26.75 for adults. Children under 4 go free (but need a ticket). Car park ticket can be prebooked for £3.21.
Described as: 20 light experiences set in the gardens of the Grade II listed building.
Useful to know:
Trail is 1.4km. Average time to walk it expected to take 60 to 75 minutes, but you can take as long as you like to enjoy the trail and "food village full of local vendors".
Refreshments and toilets available.
Parking available.
Dogs are welcome on Wednesday and Thursday evenings
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| A light trail returns to Ashridge House in Hertfordshire for 2024 |
Welwyn Garden City light trail. The Christmas Lights Trail has returned to Welwyn Garden City town centre until 1 January 2025 and features light installations including a Christmas bear, tunnel of lights and 'Wilfred' the Christmas dog.
If you are looking for something to get you in the Christmas mood in Hertfordshire then I would suggest maybe a garden centre like Van Hage (Great Amwell, SG12 9RP).
The Magic of Christmas (a Christmas shop with Grotto in Walkern SG2 7PD) is now open and selling anything and everything associated to Christmas. You can book tickets for the Grotto via their website.
There is also a Christmas Fair at Knebworth House on Friday 22nd, Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th November 2024.
Harpenden have a Christmas Carnival and light switch on on Sunday 24th November 2024 featuring a Farmers’ Market, Santa's Grotto, Funfair, live entertainment. The light switch on is at 5pm.
Tring's Christmas festival is taking place on Saturday 30th November 2024.
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| Visitors at Lumagica were greeted by a Hummingbird display |
For more Christmas magic why not go outdoor ice skating or choose your own tree from a Christmas Tree Farm? Check out where the Christmas Tree Farms are in Essex here.
If you are struggling to get your children outside in the colder weather then check out this post on how to be an outdoor family in winter.
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