Cornwall

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Back again for 2024, the new winter&#8217;s magic light trail at <a href="https://www.heligan.com/events/events-at-heligan/heligan-night-garden/">Heligan Night Garden</a> has become an institution in the Cornish festive calendar, and once again Muddy was delighted to be able to walk the new longer route ahead of opening night on the 15 November. With purse strings tighter than ever this year, the question I&#8217;ve been asked most is if you&#8217;ve been before, is it worth going again? 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-Old-and-New-Lanterns-RB-1000x667.jpeg" alt="mushroom and deer lanterns Heligan Cornwall light trails" class="wp-image-35471" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-Old-and-New-Lanterns-RB-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-Old-and-New-Lanterns-RB-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-Old-and-New-Lanterns-RB-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-Old-and-New-Lanterns-RB.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The beautiful trails builds on the new night-time route that was introduced last year, but takes a new and much more winding route through the extensive gardens and woodlands. It&#8217;s now around a mile long (slightly shorter for the accessible route) which is long enough to feel like you&#8217;ve got a decent return on your entrance price, but short enough that it is not actually too far for little legs. 



Familiar (lantern) friends are still there, from the robin at the front, to the bee on the reception building; the mushrooms and woodland animals are all there, in mostly new locations, and it really did feel like a new journey this year. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Heligan-Owl-Lights-Trail-2024-RB-image-1000x667.jpg" alt="owl lantern at Heligan Lights Trail 2024 RB image" class="wp-image-35467" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Heligan-Owl-Lights-Trail-2024-RB-image-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Heligan-Owl-Lights-Trail-2024-RB-image-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Heligan-Owl-Lights-Trail-2024-RB-image-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Heligan-Owl-Lights-Trail-2024-RB-image.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The <a href="https://lanterncompany.co.uk/">Liverpool Lantern</a> company’s illuminated installations at Heligan holds up a nocturnal magnifying glass to the often-overlooked wonders and beauty of nature on our doorstep and there&#8217;s plenty of new things to admire too &#8211; I don&#8217;t want to spoil the surprises, but among the new things to discover are plenty of insects and a new light / music installation, plus something special from <a href="https://www.squidsoup.org/">Squid Soup</a> in the ornamental gardens. I would definitely allow more time to explore than the suggested one hour to walk the route, especially if you want to pause at any point to enjoy a drink, eat any food, or write a letter to santa. We arrived at 6.30pm and didn&#8217;t leave until after 9pm, and could have spent longer too if we&#8217;d had it! 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-festive-RB-1000x667.jpeg" alt="Victorian festive vibes at Heligan Cornwall lit tree and fake snow" class="wp-image-35475" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-festive-RB-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-festive-RB-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-festive-RB-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-festive-RB.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



The team at Heligan always does a great job of making the place feel beautifully festive; alongside the lights and lanterns Melon Yard is where the Christmas magic happens, with a scene that wouldn&#8217;t be out of place in a Dickens movie playing out &#8211; again, I don&#8217;t want to ruin any surprises, but your kids will love it, and even though you know it&#8217;s just bubbles, it is surprisingly romantic watching the weather change and the Christmas music waft through the Victorian yard and gardens. As we come into later December, this will come into its own for festive vibes!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-marshmallows-and-donkeys-RB-1000x667.jpeg" alt="marshmallow toasting and donkey Heligan Cornwall" class="wp-image-35473" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-marshmallows-and-donkeys-RB-1000x667.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-marshmallows-and-donkeys-RB-800x533.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-marshmallows-and-donkeys-RB-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/cornwall/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2024/11/Cornwall-Heligan-marshmallows-and-donkeys-RB.jpeg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



Along the way you&#8217;ll find new food offerings in three locations (we loved the yorkshire pudding roast wraps, £10, and the crumble pots, £5, along with hot chocolates, £4.50, and mulled cider, £5.50, for a proper winter / Christmas vibe) and also included is a marshmallow to toast over one of the fire pits. New for 2024 was the barn being open, where you can say hello to the donkeys and goats, and the trail also goes past the sheep and cart horses this year, so if your littlies love the animals, make sure you leave time to say hello to them all! 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



Yes, even if you&#8217;ve been before, this year really does add something new to the experience. Longer, a new route, new lanterns and new food offerings mean that it is a new experience. We loved it. It is still the highlight of my kid&#8217;s year, and they rated this year 10/10. &#8216;Amidst the crisp winter nights, the air is filled with spices, anticipation, and maybe even a sprinkling of snow…&#8217;



Good for: Everyone! And not just for kids. From the dogs to the toddling tots, adults and the grandparents, I didn&#8217;t see anyone who wasn&#8217;t delighted &#8211; it is a gentle undulating walk and there are accessible options too if you need. Even the simplest decorations like sparkling lights and a disco ball feel magical in these ancient woodlands and beautiful gardens, and it is gently festive without smacking you in the face with Christmas. It&#8217;s a great family experience, but also lovely for adults too, or a group of mates, as there&#8217;s places to get drinks all the way round.



Not for: It does feel like you need deep pockets, but also factor in that you could easily spend the whole evening enjoying the outside, with not a screen in sight, as a family, and that&#8217;s worth something too.



The damage: Booking essential, and members and locals pass holders must also pay &#8212; £15 adults / £11 3 &#8211; 17 (Members) // £18.50 adults / £10 3 &#8211; 17 (Locals pass) // £20.50 adults / £11 3 &#8211; 17, under 3 free.



<a href="https://www.heligan.com/events/events-at-heligan/heligan-night-garden/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heligan Night Garden &#8211; A Magical Winter Experience</a>, Lost Gardens of Heligan, Pentewan, Fri 15 Nov &#8211; Sat 4 Jan

First Look: Heligan Night Garden, winter’s magic light trail, Cornwall

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