Christmas

Christmas Feature

What a year so far, surely this Christmas season will be the perfect opportunity to get out there and celebrate with all our friends, here we give you a sample of some seasonal delights.

Christmas in Exeter

Take your group to Exeter this Christmas for the wonderfully atmospheric Christmas Market on Cathedral Green,browse for unique and artisan gifts from local retailers, and enjoy festive food and mulled wine whilst listening to bands at the foot of the magnificent West Front of Exeter Cathedral.

Other events to look out for are the Exeter Christmas Lights switch-on and Magdalen Road’s Christmas Fair, renowned for its streetfood, live entertainment, music, mulled wine and lots of Christmas jollity! If you’re dreaming of the perfect Christmas, then be sure to visit Exeter. Exeter has everything to offer groups, including a superb shopping experience, the best choice of restaurants, an excellent range of accommodation, convenient coach parking and drop-off and of course a warm festive welcome.

For a full list of what’s happening in Exeter this Christmas, visit www.visitexeter.com/christmas

Arlington Court

This impressive Regency house near Barnstaple in North Devon will be transformed for a traditional Victorian Christmas, with stunning decorations including an 18ft Christmas

tree bedecked with bows and baubles in reds and golds.

Book now for a discovery of

wartime Kent this Christmas

Chartwell and Biin Hill Memorial Museum, Mon 7 - Fri 18 Dec

This winter visit Chartwell, the family home of Winston Churchill and join a guided tour seeing selected rooms dressed for Christmas across the decades. Explore the 1930s and 40s when duty would have kept Churchill away from the family at Christmas, then continue your discovery at Biin Hill Memorial Museum and St George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance. Just 7 miles away, see Britain’s most famous ghter station, explore the personal experiences of those that served there and join a talk exploring Churchill and the defence of the realm. Email chartwell.groupbooking@nationaltrust.org.uk to book.

Photography © National Trust Images/Sarah Haile & ©Bob Ogley collection © National Trust 2020. Registered Charity no. 205846.

Every room in the house will give you an insight into family Christmas traditions throughout the decades.

Normal admission prices apply unless stated otherwise, or become a National Trust member and gain free admission and parking at National Trust properties. Group rates are available for parties of 15 or more.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/arli ngton-court or call on 01271 850296.

Llangollen Wharf

Welsh Canal Holiday Craft Ltd has been operating trips on the Llangollen Canal for

130 years. Today they operate modern boats complying with all the latest safety regulations.

The Motor Boat Thomas Telford operates all year round but in November and December it is available daily for Mulled Wine Special Trips. These 2 hour trips on the centrally heated narrowboat include a full commentary on the history and scenery of the World Heritage Site and include a crossing of the world famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct.

The boat is decorated for the Christmas season, and homemade Mince Pies are available.Trips usually operate at 12.15pm and 2.30 pm but in November and December the times can be varied to suit the requirement of the tour operator.

Couriers go free of charge and there is free coach parking in the centre of Llangollen. Full details of the trips can be found on the website.

For more information, call 01978 860702 email bill@horsedrawnboats.co.uk or go to www.horsedrawnboats.co.uk .

Kew

The Christmas at Kew trail takes a magical new route and includes a host of allnew installations too. Framed by glittering spiral trees, dynamic laser projections will illuminate the iconic Temperate House. A dazzling arch leads to a cascade of glowing silvery shards at the Treetop Walkway. Elsewhere, walk amongst immersive Vines as they surprise with colour changing ribbons of light, while beneath the branches of a sprawling tree the mysterious fairy-fire known as Will-o’the Wisp softly glows. Familiar favourites, including the Tunnel of Light and the flickering Fire Garden, will also make a return.

Christmas at Kew wouldn’t be complete without the Palm House Pond finale as jumping jets of light dance across the water to muchloved Christmas classics.

Have a holly, jolly Christmas and complete a walk under the stars with spiced cider, mulled wine or hot chocolate. Gather around the fire-pit with family and friends to toast marshmallows and end the evening browsing Kew’s gift shops. Why not pick up some treats for the journey home?

www.kew.org