Northern Lights Leeds dazzles and sparkles during festive outing - review
An enchanting light trail has taken over a popular Leeds country estate. It's receiving rave reviews from those who attend, so we visited to see if it really is as magical and mesmerising as everyone says.
Northern Lights is back at Temple Newsam until New Year's Eve and has seen sell-out days since its opening night in November. The spectacular display is set out over a mile in the Temple Newsam grounds, along with a Christmas village and photo opportunities aplenty.
We visited one weeknight, expecting a quieter experience, but were shocked at just how busy it was - a testament to the success of the event. Despite the packed car park, everything was so well organised and, while it was obviously busy, it never felt overcrowded or difficult to move.
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The Christmas village, located at the entrance and exit, can make even the biggest of Scrooges feel festive. Christmas music played, the smell of mulled wine filled the air, and the huge Christmas tree was decorated to perfection.
Plenty of toilets were available at the gates and all around the trail - an absolute necessity when visiting with three young children aged 6 and under.
A small selection of funfair rides were just beyond the food and drink vendors, with the spectacular Temple Newsam house lit up in the background.
The trail itself was beautiful. A one-way system is in place, which keeps the event running smoothly, and marshals are dotted around the route at regular points. Some parts are a little steep, but the whole route is pram and wheelchair friendly. And we only encountered one small muddy section - the rest was absolutely fine (unusual for an outdoor event in Yorkshire during winter).
Split into various sections and themes, it begins with a twinkly Star Scape before moving onto the Tree of Magic and Tetra Park. Other highlights include the Lantern Trees, the Laser Garden, the River of Light and Rainbow Road.
I think our favourite part was the Fluff Pods, while the kids loved the midway stop at Marshmallow Land for some marshmallow toasting. Open fires were dotted around and skewered marshmallows were on sale to toast - priced at £4 for 3 big marshmallows per skewer.
Loaded donuts - £7 for 4 - were also tucked away in this refreshment pitstop, as well as hot drinks and boozy hot chocolates. The event is entirely cashless, which is one thing to bear in mind if you do want to enjoy any of the festive food and drink offerings; of which there is plenty.
Benches and seats were dotted regularly along the route, perfect if you wanted to take in each area or just rest your legs.
The kids absolutely loved it - but it's definitely an event suitable for all ages. We saw couples, friends and groups of families all enjoying the event on a Monday evening. There were also a lot of dogs on the route - adding an extra special touch to your pooch's evening stroll.
Unlike some large-scale events, the parking was organised to perfection. A one-way system is in place in and out of Temple Newsam, and the car park itself was run brilliantly by the stewards.
It is really hard to find any flaws with it - it ticked all the boxes for us. A fun, family-friendly, festive night out that really is worth a visit.
Northern Lights Leeds is running at Temple Newsam all the way up until December 31.
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