Adding a touch of enchantment to a festive farm visit, the Christmas light trail at Hatton in the heart of Warwickshire proved to be a delightful addition. Priced at a reasonable £10 per person, it offers a budget-friendly option for families looking to extend their festive experience. If you’re visiting the farm for a magical day out this Christmas then consider adding on the light trail to complete your day with a walk at dusk.
Alternatively you could drive out just for the light trail and visit the shopping village with its fabulous new sweet shop and the Christmas shop of dreams. With several local pubs nearby it makes for a lovely evening activity.
While it may not boast the polished grandeur of larger light trail events in the West Midlands, this trail stands out as an excellent choice for families with younger children. The relatively short route, taking around 30 minutes to navigate, is perfect for little ones with shorter attention spans.
However, be prepared for a bit of an adventure – the trail, meandering through fields, proved to be muddy and uneven. Wellies are a must, and I’d recommend bringing a torch to navigate the path more comfortably. Some of the areas were quite dark which made the installations really stand out. Despite the rustic terrain, the overall experience was a joyous blend of lights, laughter, and festive cheer.
We started with a walk through some glowing stars in all colours of the rainbow. The path was a one way route and took us along the boundary of one field with golden lights hung amongst the trees before coming to an interactive light feature.
We then turned around a corner and found ourselves in a fairly themed woodland with toadstools and angel wings glowing. The ideal spot for pictures.
We stayed and watched some butterflies flutter for quite a while on one area of trees and also enjoyed several different light canopies and the different colours before finding mirror balls, projections and some neon themed areas. The entire trail was very carefully laid out so that even though all of these spaces are in close proximity they’re all distinct from one another and allow for surprises as you turn around corners.
Our favourite moment was crossing a field boundary in to a large open space with another large light tunnel. The only other light source was the moon so we played with light exposure on the camera – it’s not easy to find anywhere dark enough to do this.
Arlo was thoroughly engaged with the imaginative displays, sparking his curiosity at every turn. The highlight for us was the captivating light tunnels, providing the perfect backdrop for some memorable selfies. He has also decided we need to come back to choose a Christmas tree – they had hundreds all lit up with warm golden lights which made for a stunning end to the trail.
We took some sneak peaks around fences to see the enchanted Christmas exhibitions taking shape – and we can’t wait to visit again very soon.
After our walk we sat munching our first hot pork and stuffing bap of the festive season and took some time to learn all about the Roald Dahl charity on the special opening day event – with live music, story telling and illustrators capturing portraits of this moment in time. The team at Hatton are raising money for the Roald Dahl Charity, officially known as Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, which focuses on supporting seriously ill children and young people.
The charity was established in memory of the renowned children’s author Roald Dahl. Their mission involves providing specialist nurses, known as “Roald Dahl Specialist Nurses,” who work in communities and hospitals to support children with serious health conditions.
These nurses aim to ensure that children and their families receive the best possible care, assistance, and emotional support. The charity also engages in various fundraising activities to support its initiatives.
A very worthwhile cause indeed. Tickets to the light trail are £10 for adults and children 2+ if you book online in advance.
Visitors to Hatton Light Trail throughout December can also choose to add a donation to the charity when purchasing tickets online at www.hattonworld.com