Thoughts are already turning to a winter wonderland of seasonal colour at Lincolnshire’s historic Belton House.
The National Trust property will once again play host to an outdoor festive trail with more than a million twinkling lights, colourful trees and larger than life illuminated installations.
And for 2022, organisers are also promising a few new surprises.
Running between 24 November 2022 and 1 January 2023, visitors will be treated to an after-dark illuminated trail through festive gardens, with the lights choreographed to a soundtrack of seasonal music.
Among treats lined-up for the two-kilometre trail, which takes around 90 minutes to explore, are colour-changing spheres, an immersive triangular tunnel, Luminosi trees and a tunnel of hearts leading to larger-than-life mistletoe.
Street food vendors will also be on hand to add some seasonal food and drink to the mix, while one artisan stall will even offer the chance to toast a marshmallow over an open fire (extra charge applies).
For the duration of the trail, Belton House will close to daytime visitors at 4pm, and the gardens at 3pm, to allow the technical teams time to prepare the installations.
Tickets for Christmas at Belton are now on sale, costing £21.50 adults, £15 children, and £71 family (2 adults & 2 children). There will be limited capacity with timed entry, so early booking is advised.
Surrounded by formal gardens with views across pleasure grounds and an ancient deer-park, Belton is often called the perfect example of an English country-house estate. The house and gardens showcase cutting edge design and innovation, from 17th century sash windows to a cast iron-framed orangery in the Italian Garden, made possible thanks to the Industrial Revolution.
Full details can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house
For more about visiting, and staying in, Lincolnshire, see www.visitlincolnshire.com
Photo: Christmas at Belton House, Photo by Richard Haughton for Sony Music