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A Festive Evening in the Cotswolds at the Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light

 

 

On 1st December I was invited along to Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire to experience their Spectacle of Light event which had a special Peter Pan theme this year. Located in Winchcombe in the Cotswolds, just a 30 minute drive from nearby Cheltenham, Sudeley Castle boasts a history spanning 1000 years and its onsite chapel is the burial site of Queen Catherine Parr, sixth wife to Henry the Eighth, where her marble tomb resides. Sudeley Castle dates back to the 1200s, but the current structure was built in the 15th century, with its ruins and gardens being well looked after and kept to an incredibly high standard. Recognised as a Grade II listed building and an internationally important structure, Sudeley Castle is one of the few castles left in England that is still a residence and is only open to visitors on certain dates throughout the year, with the family’s private quarters totally closed to the public.

 

The lights  on the Castle

 

The Peter Pan laser display

 

The Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light is now in its fourth year and it seems to be getting bigger and better with each year that passes. The Peter Pan theme this year was really well put together, with character appearances from Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and Pan himself, as well as a light/laser display in the main courtyard. The beautiful castle and its ruins are lit up in the night sky, whilst the stunning gardens are adorned with dazzling lights, water fountains and sparkly props designed to make them look extra special.

 

The Castle ruins all lit up

 

The sparkly fountains

 

Wonderful music from Peter Pan fills the air, and you can follow the illuminated trail the whole way around the castle. I particularly loved the way the Castle was lit up with different colours, the way the fountains were glistening with sparkly lights, and the positioning of the big illuminated star that made it a great place for taking those all important Insta shots! We really loved the illuminated lights trail and the Peter Pan theme, but I do think that there was a distinct lack of Christmas music which would have made it feel more festive. Having said that, I think the music that was present did add to the Peter Pan theme and perhaps Sudeley are aiming for the event to be more about the storybook feel rather than just churning out the Christmassy sounds of Shakin Stevens on repeat!

 

More illuminations with the Castle in the background

 

Enjoying a mulled wine on the terrace

 

Every evening the Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light has six entry time slots from 4:45pm onwards. A typical visit to the Spectacle lasts around an hour to an hour and a half, but you can spend as little or as much time onsite as you wish! I went with my parents and my sister and we spent around an hour there in total as we stopped to enjoy a mulled wine on the terrace, bought some little presents from the gift shop and were taking lots of photos as we wandered round.

The Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light runs on selected evenings until 30th December 2019, so be sure to book your tickets promptly as slots for the final days are filling up fast with Christmas just around the corner now! It is best to book your tickets in advance, as they are a little more expensive on the gate. Advance adult tickets cost £16.50 whilst child tickets are £9.90 with under 3’s going free of charge. Make sure you turn up at the correct entry time as stated on your ticket though as tickets are only valid for that time and are not transferable.

 

Sparkling lights in the Castle gardens

Sparkling lights in the Castle gardens

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had a wonderful evening at the Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light and it certainly got my December off to a festive start! I’m so lucky that living in the Cotswolds means places like this are right on my doorstep, and I definitely need to make more of an effort to visit them throughout the year, rather than just at Christmas! Have you been to the Spectacle before? I would love to know what you thought of it!

NB. My tickets for the Sudeley Castle Spectacle of Light were gifted to me and my family for the purpose of this review but, as always, all words and photos are of course my own.

 

The star of the show!