Meet Santa near Stroud: Slimbridge's grotto is £15 on December weekends and 21 to 23 Dec, Cattle Country runs 5 to 23 Dec, and the free Goodwill grottos.

Two paid Santa experiences in the Stroud district have confirmed their 2026 dates, and both run from 5 to 23 December: WWT Slimbridge’s new grotto and Cattle Country’s Christmas on the Farm near Berkeley. The free grottos that come with the Nailsworth and Stroud Goodwill evenings have not been announced for this year.

The quick answer

  • WWT Slimbridge: Santa’s Grotto is a £15 add-on to admission, on Saturdays and Sundays in December up to Christmas plus 21, 22 and 23 December.
  • Cattle Country, Berkeley: Christmas on the Farm runs 5 to 23 December, with a timed grotto slot and a gingerbread session. No tickets are sold on the gate.
  • Free options: Nailsworth’s Goodwill Evening grotto was free in 2025 (families asked for a foodbank donation); its 2026 date is not yet published.

WWT Slimbridge: Wetland Wonderland

Slimbridge is launching a Christmas event called Wetland Wonderland this year, aimed at children aged 3 to 11. The storytelling, trail and willow-star workshop are included in admission and free for WWT members. Meeting Santa is a bookable extra at £15, for members and non-members alike. Each child gets a gift: Lottie the otter, from the Christmas story the day is built around. (WWT Slimbridge, Wetland Wonderland)

The days are Saturday 5, Sunday 6, Saturday 12, Sunday 13, and Saturday 19 to Wednesday 23 December. Adult admission is £17.91 online in advance (without Gift Aid) and juniors aged 3 to 17 are £11.84; under 3s are free. WWT has not yet published grotto time slots. Full prices and winter hours are on our Slimbridge in winter page.

Cattle Country, Berkeley: Christmas on the Farm

Cattle Country’s 2026 Christmas experience runs from 5 to 23 December. The ticket covers: (Cattle Country, Christmas)

  • a Christmas barn and a timed visit to Father Christmas in his grotto, with a personalised chat and a gift for each child
  • a Gingerbread Factory session, where children decorate a gingerbread to take home
  • marshmallow toasting at the fire pits, reindeer food, and an elf post room for letters
  • the play barns and outdoor play (the animal barn and farm trail are closed on Christmas days)

Book both the grotto slot and the gingerbread slot when you buy; the park advises leaving an hour between them. Babies under 12 months need a ticket because every child gets a gift. Entry starts at 10am. There is no waiting list, and no extra tickets are held back for the gate, so if a date shows as sold out, it is. Cattle Country has not put its 2026 prices on the page.

Nailsworth Goodwill Evening: free grotto

In 2025 Santa’s grotto was in the Mortimer Rooms, next to the library in Old Market, from 4.30pm on Goodwill Evening, Friday 28 November. There was no charge; families were asked to donate to the foodbank instead, and every child received a gift from the grotto’s sponsor. (Nailsworth News, November 2025)

The 2026 Goodwill Evening date has not been published. Last year the details appeared in the November issue of Nailsworth News.

Stroud Goodwill Evening

Stroud’s Goodwill Evening is listed for Friday 4 December 2026. In 2023 Stroud Town Council ran a free grotto at Thanet House from 4pm, with no booking and a gift for every child. (Stroud Town Council, November 2023) The council has not announced a grotto since, and the evening itself has no single organiser confirmed for 2026. Our Goodwill Evening page has what is known, and we will add any grotto here.

Also this Christmas

What is still to be confirmed

  • Slimbridge grotto time slots
  • Cattle Country 2026 prices
  • Whether Stroud and Nailsworth run free grottos at their Goodwill evenings, and Nailsworth’s date

Frequently asked questions

Where can I see Santa near Stroud in 2026?

WWT Slimbridge (£15 add-on to admission, December weekends plus 21 to 23 December) and Cattle Country near Berkeley (5 to 23 December) have both confirmed. The free grottos at the Stroud and Nailsworth Goodwill evenings have not yet been announced for 2026.

How much is Santa’s grotto at Slimbridge?

£15, the same for WWT members and non-members, on top of admission for non-members. Each child gets a gift.

Is there a free Santa’s grotto in Stroud?

There was one at the 2023 Goodwill Evening, at Thanet House, and Nailsworth’s Goodwill grotto was free in 2025. Neither has been confirmed for 2026.

Sources