When winter comes, the nights grow longer and the air gets colder. It is often fun to give yourself something else to do with your time, which is why some people do things like head to the cinema or enjoy a night in front of an open fire at the pub. Those that live in or like to visit Guildford have another option that is open to them, which comes in the form of Illuminate Guildford. This magical light trail gives you the chance to become immersed in a wonderful-looking light display that promises thrills and spills for all who get a look at it.
What It’s All About
When it is winter and the nights take up much more of your time than the daylight, you can step into the historic grounds of Guildford Castle and see a seemingly magical light display. There are amazing lights on offer in the heart of the Surrey town, illuminating aspects of the area that you wouldn’t believe could look that way. There are numerous activities for you to cast your eyes upon, following a light trail that can take as long as half an hour to make your way around, exploring the history of the castle at the same time.
The experience is based around the lights, but that isn’t all that it is about. There is a mini-market that springs up in the area around the castle, meaning that you can pick up a mulled wine or a hot chocolate depending on your age or your inclination. There is also a marshmallow-toasting pit on offer, giving young and old the chance to experience what it is like to sit around a campfire, toasting a marshmallow until it is crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. These aren’t any old marshmallows either, but rather are large ones for your delectation.
Fun For All the Family
One of the real joys of Illuminate Guildford is that it is a fun activity for the whole family to get involved with. This is very much a child-friendly event, with the fact that the nights set in much sooner in the winter meaning that you can enjoy your time there without worrying about having to keep your little ones up past their bedtimes. The lights are thrilling enough on their own, but there is also the fact that there are numerous different activations around the trail that will make it a brilliant experience for young people to enjoy.
There is something about Illuminate Guildford that feels altogether magical, with the entire atmosphere being one of friendliness and joy. There is a good chance that memories made on the night will stay with you for a long time, giving you and your little ones a shared experience to reference in the years to come. Even if you think you know Guildford Castle well, you will never have seen it quite like this. It is a chance to experience the wonder and joy that something as simple as differently coloured lights can provide.
Things You Need to Know
There are a few things about Illuminate Guildford that you need to know before you attend. Fears that the place might feel a touch overrun need not be realised, thanks to the fact that the company limits the number of tickets on sale for each session. That does mean, though, that you need to ensure that you buy your tickets in advance of attendance as you will soon find that the event is sold out throughout the various different time slots on offer. That does mean, though, that you can take your time once you’re actually on-site.
If you’re wondering whether or not to have some marshmallows and get yourself a drink, do bear in mind that you won’t be able to go back once you’ve left that area. In other words, if you don’t get some food or drink whilst you’re there, then you will be limited to what’s on offer around the light trail itself. If you know someone in your party is particularly keen to enjoy a toasted marshmallow, then make sure that you do so when you can in order to avoid a scenario in which they are heartbroken and don’t even want to look at the lights.
Whilst the area around Guildford Castle is largely step-free, making it good for disabled access, there are parts of the grounds that are quite steep. This is important to remember before you take a wheelchair user to see the light show, or if you yourself use a wheelchair but don’t cope well with steeply sloped areas. When it comes to the trail itself, it is not covered, being an outdoor activity. There is some tree cover in certain parts of the trail, but do bear in mind that it is winter and the weather might not be the kindest.
Is It Worth It?
Given the fact that this is a paid-for event, there will doubtless be some of you wondering whether or not it is worth getting tickets for. Obviously, this is something that everyone will have to answer for themselves, but one thing that it is worth remembering is that this only comes around once a year. You also have plenty of opportunity to make up your mind, given that Illuminate Guildford operates from the middle of November through until the start of January. That means that, if you want to, you can wait and see what the reviews are saying.
Ultimately, though, the winter nights are often hard to occupy yourself in, especially if you have younger kids in your life. If you’re the sort of person that is constantly scrabbling around for something to do to keep your children occupied, the Illuminate Guildford experience is one that they are sure to find thrilling and fascinating in equal measure. It is the kind of thing that you can do to get yourself in the right kind of mood before the Christmas holidays hit, with plenty of Christmas-themed lights on offer on the trail.