Westonbirt's Christmas trail opens 27 November, adults £19.50 to £26.50 plus £10 parking. Sudeley's Alice in Wonderland trail starts 20 November.
The two big Christmas light trails within reach of Stroud have both published their 2026 dates and prices. Christmas at Westonbirt opens on Friday 27 November and runs on selected evenings to New Year’s Eve. Sudeley Castle’s Spectacle of Light starts a week earlier, on Friday 20 November, with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Both are timed-entry, Westonbirt expects its weekend slots to sell out, and neither takes dogs.
The quick answer
- Westonbirt, near Tetbury: 27 November to 31 December on selected evenings, entry slots every 15 minutes between 4pm and 8pm. Adults £26.50 (standard) or £19.50 (off peak) booked in advance; parking £10 a car and must be booked with your tickets.
- Sudeley Castle, Winchcombe: 20 November to 30 December on selected evenings, entry from 4.45pm to 7.15pm. Adults £22.50 to £27 booked in advance; parking is free.
- Book ahead: Westonbirt charges more on the day, and Sudeley sells no tickets at the castle.
Every price and time on this page is from the organisers’ own pages, read on 7 October 2026.
Christmas at Westonbirt, from 27 November
Forestry England’s trail at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum (GL8 8QS) is made by the producers of Christmas at Kew. The organisers say the 2026 trail is “reimagined” with new installations alongside the Christmas Cathedral, the Fire Garden, the Sea of Light and the Ribbon Tunnels, and that you may catch a glimpse of Father Christmas on the way round. (Forestry England, Christmas at Westonbirt)
Dates. The trail runs on these evenings only:
- Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November
- Thursday 3 to Sunday 6 December
- Wednesday 9 to Sunday 13 December
- Wednesday 16 to Thursday 24 December
- Saturday 26 to Thursday 31 December
It does not run on any other night, including Christmas Day.
Times. You book an entry slot. Slots generally run every 15 minutes from 4pm to 8pm, varying by date, and Forestry England asks you to arrive 15 minutes before yours because the trail entrance is a short walk from the car park. The route is a circular 1.6km (about a mile) through the Old Arboretum, starting and ending on the Downs, and takes about an hour and a half to two hours. (Forestry England, Christmas at Westonbirt FAQs)
Prices booked in advance:
| Ticket | Standard | Off peak |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £26.50 | £19.50 |
| Student (with ID) | £24 | £18 |
| Child, 3 to 16 | £19 | £13 |
| Family, 2 adults and 2 children | £89 | £64 |
| Anytime adult | £46.50 | £39 |
| Anytime child | £33 | £26 |
Infants up to two and personal assistants go free but still need a ticket booked alongside a paid one. Off-peak prices apply on selected midweek dates; the time grid PDF marks which. An Anytime ticket lets you start at any slot on your chosen date. Tickets bought on the day cost more (adult £28.50 standard, £21.50 off peak) and are sold only through Ticketek, if any are left.
Parking: book it with your tickets. Standard and Blue Badge spaces are £10 a car and must be pre-booked. Friends of Westonbirt and Forestry England members get one free space, booked at least a day ahead. You can arrive and park from 3.45pm. Part of the parking is on grass near the entrance. The ticket does not cover daytime entry to the arboretum, and on trail days the Old Arboretum closes at 2pm and day entry stops at 3pm.
Relaxed sessions, with fewer people, for visitors with additional needs, are on Saturday 28 November, Friday 4 December, Thursday 10 December and Wednesday 16 December.
Good to know: the trail is outdoors and uncovered, so dress for the weather. Only assistance dogs are allowed. The fairground rides and food stalls charge separately; rides take tokens bought in vouchers of 10, 15 or 20, and most need three to five per person.
Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light, from 20 November
Sudeley Castle near Winchcombe (GL54 5LP) runs its Spectacle of Light for the eleventh year. The 2026 theme is Alice’s Amazing Adventures in Wonderland: the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts along an illuminated trail through the castle grounds, with mulled wine, hot chocolate and hot food on the Castle Terrace. (Spectacle of Light, Sudeley Castle)
Dates and times. Selected evenings from Friday 20 November to Wednesday 30 December. Entry slots run from 4.45pm, with the last entry at 7.15pm, and the walk takes about 60 to 75 minutes. The booking calendar on the organiser’s page shows which evenings are open.
Prices. Booking in advance saves 10% on the full price:
| Ticket | Saver, in advance | Saver, full | Standard, in advance | Standard, full |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult, 16 and over | £22.50 | £25 | £27 | £30 |
| Child, 3 to 15 | £14.40 | £16 | £17.10 | £19 |
| Family, 2 adults and 2 children | £63 | £70 | £73.80 | £82 |
There is a £1.75 fee per booking, not per ticket. Under-threes go free but need a ticket, and carers go free. Tickets are not sold at Sudeley Castle: book online, by phone on 01242 705 555 (Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 6pm) or in person at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham. Parking is free. Only registered assistance dogs are allowed. (Sudeley Castle, Spectacle of Light 2026)
Which one?
Westonbirt is the longer walk, through the arboretum’s trees, by the team behind Christmas at Kew, and its off-peak midweek nights are the cheapest adult tickets of the two. Sudeley is shorter at 60 to 75 minutes, has free parking, and its storybook theme suits younger children. Westonbirt’s own advice is that weekend and early-evening slots go first.
Nearer home, WWT Slimbridge’s winter season and its grotto are on our Slimbridge in winter page, and every Father Christmas visit in the district is on our Santa’s grotto page. For Stroud’s own lights, see the Christmas lights switch-on.
Getting there
Westonbirt is south of Tetbury and Sudeley is on the outskirts of Winchcombe, between Cheltenham and Broadway; Westonbirt’s parking must be booked, Sudeley’s is free. Check our roadworks and travel page for closures before you set off, and our page on parking in Stroud if you are meeting friends in town first.
Frequently asked questions
When does Christmas at Westonbirt 2026 start?
Friday 27 November 2026. It runs on selected evenings until Thursday 31 December, and is closed on Christmas Day.
How much is Christmas at Westonbirt?
Booked in advance, adults are £26.50 on standard nights and £19.50 off peak, children aged 3 to 16 are £19 or £13, and a family ticket is £89 or £64. Parking is £10 a car and must be booked ahead.
Can you buy Westonbirt Christmas tickets on the door?
Only through Ticketek on the day, if any are left, and at a higher price. Forestry England recommends booking ahead because weekend and early-evening slots sell out.
Can you take a dog to the Westonbirt or Sudeley light trail?
No. Both admit registered assistance dogs only.
What is the theme of Sudeley’s Spectacle of Light this year?
Alice’s Amazing Adventures in Wonderland. It runs on selected evenings from 20 November to 30 December 2026.
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