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From the winter’s darkest nights emerges one of the year’s highlights with luminescent light trails and experiences switching on across Hampshire this Christmas and New Year.
Illuminate your imagination with neon trains, glowing gardens, and twinkling woodland – these winter light trails in Hampshire are sure to bring beaming smiles all around, just add hot chocolate and woolly hats.
Glow at Marwell Zoo, Winchester
Selected dates 29 November – 31 December 2024
Glow Marwell returns for another incredible illumination experience to round off 2024 in glimmering gorgeousness.
Synonymous with Marwell’s conservational core, experience the natural wonders of fire, earth, air and water: dive under the sea with jellyfish in a new ocean display, drift amongst neon clouds in the new Sky Zone, stroll in the snow beside the glowing ancient woodland, and tuck into toasted marshmallows at the firepits.
New for 2024, visitors can also become part of the spectacle of Glow Marwell with vibrant UV face painting coming to life under special lights around the trail.
There’s a chance to meet Father Christmas in his festive grotto in Marwell Hall.
Find out more about Glow Marwell at Marwell Zoo
Steam Illuminations at the Watercress Line, Alresford
Selected dates from 29 November 2024 – 4 January 2025
Neon nostalgic steam trains? See the locomotives of the Watercress Line as you’ve never seen them before at the Steam Illuminations when the traditional trains get a modern makeover and are adorned with LED lights inside and out.
With train-tertainment including the Christmas Chart Crackers DJ mix up and New Year Pop Anthems, interactive LED wrist bands, and onboard karaoke, this is one unmissable festive light party!
Find out more about Steam Illuminations at the Watercress Line
Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens at Christmas, Romsey
28 November 2024 – 1 January 2025
Returning for a third year in 2024, a new resplendent rendition of Light Up at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens will again add a new depth of winter colour to the beautiful gardens near Romsey.
A breathtaking array of glittering installations will lead visitors around the gardens on this magical trail with a Christmas Wonderland theme featuring mesmerising fire jugglers, breathtaking aerial artists, and larger-than-life characters.
Find out more about Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens at Christmas
White’s Eco Light Festival, Gilbert White's House
21 November - 21 December 2024
New for 2024, White’s Eco Light Festival at Gilbert White's House is a new light trail experience about wildlife and the natural world using renewable energy sources, solar power and low-level lighting with environmental consciousness at its core, remembering Gilbert White and his internationally important legacy to ecology.
Find out more about White’s Eco Light Festival
Winter Woodland Lights at Hawk Conservancy Trust, Andover
Selected dates from 17 January – 2 February 2025
Continuing the bright cheer into the New Year, the Winter Woodland Lights at the Hawk Conservancy should be the first date in your 2025 diary.
After exploring the beautiful woodland light trail, visitors will be treated to a breathtaking evening owl flying display set against the glorious glowing trees.
Find out more about Winter Woodland Lights at Hawk Conservancy Trust
Wellington Illuminova at Wellington Country Park
22 November – 23 December 2024
In the heart of Wellington Country Park near Basingstoke, an illuminated kingdom awaits where imagination knows no bounds.
This imaginative and immersive nighttime adventure takes visitors on an illuminated magical quest along poetic paths with magical light and sound at the heart of its story.
Find out more about Wellington Country Park
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The Christmas Illuminated Garden Adventure at West Green House Garden, Hook
23 November – 29 December 2024
North Hampshire’s stunning West Green House is known as the Opera Garden and its Christmas Illuminated Garden Adventure has equal theatrical flair with spectacles including a ten-acre wonderland of gigantic shimmering flowers, glowing fairies, a forest of illuminated field flowers, enormous lit waterlilies floating on the lake, and five bridges turned in tunnels of lights.
Find out more about the Christmas Illuminated Garden Adventure at West Green House Garden
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Enlightened Winter Light Trail at Staunton Farm, Havant
6 December – 24 December 2024
Returning to Staunton Farm in Havant from 6 December, Enlightened is a magical outdoor light trail with illuminated installations and interactive elements for the whole family to enjoy.
Expect twinkling tunnels, enchanted woodlands, and immersive lights, all accompanied by ambient music.
Find out more about Enlightened at Staunton Farm
Forest of Light at Sandy Balls Holiday Village, New Forest
1 November 2024 – 2 January 2025
Book a stay at the Sandy Balls Holiday Village this winter and see the New Forest in a new light as the wonderful woodland surrounding the village is lit up with thousands of twinkly lights.
Throughout November and December, Sandy Balls’ stunning courtyard will shine with festive light displays, illuminated pathways, and decorations, bringing some Christmas magic to the New Forest – and the icing on the Christmas cake is that it might even snow!
Find out more about Sandy Balls Holiday Village
Christmas Evening Lights Trains at Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway
13, 20 & 23 December 2024
The miniature locomotives at Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway near Southampton are a joy any time of the year, but on selected evenings in December, the trains look their Christmassy best when they are illuminated especially for rides around the country park in the dark.
The station will also be decorated with lights for the occasion and yuletide music will bring all the Christmas cheer.
Find out more about Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway
See our full guide to what’s on this Christmas in Hampshire
See our guide to winter in Hampshire
Planning a Christmas break? Take a browse our huge range of accommodation. Hampshire has something for all budgets including hotels, bed and breakfasts, self-catering properties, and cosy traditional holiday cottages.
Related
Make Memories Make memories to last a lifetime as Glow Marwell's magical light experience returns this winter brighter than ever before! Join Marwell Zoo once again as they invite you to explore Marwell in a whole new light. Follow the enchanted nature light trail through a magical world of breathtaking new displays and interactive experiences that will fill you with wonder.
Steam Illuminations returns to The Watercress Line (November to January). Experience an incredible light show on and in a steam train, consisting of thousands of coloured lights and LED wristbands, creating a kaleidoscope of different colours and flashing patterns, includes 'Canopy of Lights' a sound to light show inside every carriage.
After an unforgettable transformation last year, the magnificent Sir Harold Hillier Gardens are set to shine bigger and brighter than ever before! Award winning producers, Light Up Trails return with a host of NEW glittering installations and amazing food and drink, completing a sensational, sensory feast!
A ten-acre wonderland of gigantic shimmering flowers, glowing fairies, and a forest of illuminated field flowers. There are enormous lit waterlilies floating on the lake and the five bridges turned in tunnels of lights. All the garden's follies are wonderfully lit for your enjoyment. An outdoor event with a trail of a mile in length, it is loved by all ages.
Light up your December with a truly magical evening at Staunton Farm's Enlightened trail. From 6 to 24 December, over a mile of the farm will be transformed into an enchanted wonderland filled with specially curated illuminations. Book now and prepare to be dazzled by Enlightened's biggest year yet.
Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway runs every weekend throughout the year and daily during all school holidays. The railway runs from its main station, Eastleigh Parkway, to Monks Brook Halt and then back to Eastleigh Parkway. Trains are usually steam hauled and the journey of 1¼ miles takes about 15-20 minutes. Monks Brook Halt gives an opportunity to visit the lakes, children’s playground or use the adjacent picnic tables.
Winter Woodland Lights is back! This January, the Hawk Conservancy Trust will once again, become even more magical, with beautiful illuminations and a live owl display set in a stunning, colourful woodland.
Wellington Country Park, ‘The Biggest Outdoor play in Berkshire’, was established in 1974 by the Eighth Duke and Duchess of Wellington. Set in 350 acres of beautiful parklands off the A33 between Basingstoke and Reading, Wellington Country Park offers a safe, open air, fun filled venue for all the family and has now opened!
Step away from the ordinary and into the extraordinary at Sandy Balls, where the natural beauty of the New Forest is an amazing backdrop to the famous Away Resorts Great British staycation.
Delve into the story of Gilbert White, discover our collections in a whole new light, and unlock your passion and an excitement for wildlife and the natural world around us. Journey through the house and gardens as we open the pages of The Natural History of Selborne and bring your imagination to life, learning more about the creatures which 18th century naturalist White identified, and how we can protect them today. Prepare to discover the plight of the harvest mouse, the noctule bat, follow the mesmerising journey of swifts and swallows, and then head out into the starry night to be enchanted by a mystical world of captivating light installations in a unique light trail.
