Review: Christmas at Dunham Massey 2023*

[Ad-gifted] Christmas at Dunham Massey has returned for its seventh year and will be running until the end of December at the iconic National Trust property in Altrincham, Cheshire.

As our children turn into tweens, we try to find different activities for us to do as a family to get into the festive spirit, as they no longer want to head out on Santa Trains or on Magical Woodland Adventures.

We have always wanted to visit Christmas at Dunham Massey in the past but never had the opportunity due to our busy schedule, hence we were super excited to head over on press night to experience the lights for ourselves and share with our readers.

In a nutshell, I would say, expect magical light extravaganza displays and music to get you feeling all festive. The Trail is brought to you by Sony Music and created by Culture Creative and they have done a stellar job. We were told it took them almost a month to set all the light installations and what an amazing job they have done!

So keep on reading to discover more about our visit and what we did.

What did we think of the trail?

If you have never been to Dunham Massey to see their Christmas lights trail then you just must! As there is something so magical about the whole experience from the laser displays, music to their light installations.

Everything was beautifully organised from the moment we arrived, from parking our car, to walking through the enchanted gardens.  Our route was set in a one-way system which allowed visitors to take time to admire all the light displays in each section.

We have been to Dunham Massey in the day before but for the woodlands looked so different at night with all the lights.  The trail could easily take two-hours to complete and is located outdoors, so come dressed in appropriate attire such as coats, hats and gloves to keep you warm. Most areas of the trail have been covered with rubber grass mats, but I would recommend wearing wellies if it has been raining as  it could get muddy.

The first thing that caught our eye as we walked in was the two ginormous reindeers that greeted us at the entrance. What a stunning sight it was, and as soon we passed it, we came to the food stop area where street food vendors were selling hot food, drinks and kids could play in the funfair fairground rides such as the Merry-go-Round. This was the start and end of the trail.

It is best to stop here to grab a bite before you start the trail if you have had nothing to eat but do take note that prices for the food can be a bit expensive. You can of course opt to take in a packed lunch and hot drinks to snack in the car before starting the trail. We had our dinner hence just decided to walk in and then stop for some hot chocolate and toast giant marshmallows which are priced at £2 per stick, on their open pits.

Soon as we started our walk, we felt festive as we heard the Christmas music being played in sync with the jaw-dropping light illuminations. 

If you have been to Dunham Massey in the past, you would notice some new features this year such as the Herbum, a large-scale sculpture that evokes a tuft of wild glowing grass with its red and green strands and vibrant blue tips flaring up like a volcanic eruption and Mycelium.

The path has been set as one-way system, so even on busy days, the crowd will be moving and you will get enough opportunity to stop and admire the stunning displays.

There are signs to explain each area and one which caught our attention was the huge silver star, Nova, as if just fallen from the sky; and Aether and Hemera’s Voyage, a flotilla of hundreds of colour-changing, floating origami folded boats.  The other displays included the Pixel Banners, Star Arch Walk and Pixel Tree. 

As you can see, there are lots of photo opportunities if you are looking to capture some stunning festive photos for your yearly Christmas card or calendar. You would of course, just need to patiently wait for the crowd to space, especially if it is a busy day.

We also spotted Father Christmas on our way out who was happy to greet us and chat about our visit. Do head to our youtube and tik tok channel to watch our Dunham Massey video.

It was also wonderful to see the 400 year old National Trust property lit up with laser displays and snowflakes projections. The inside of the house was not open at night but it is definitely worth a visit in the day if you have not been inside for a tour.

Heading to the Christmas Lights at Dunham Massey is such a great idea especially if your children like ours, have grown out of Santa sleepovers or Santa experience.

There is something so magical about heading to an immersive light display with stunning colourful exhibits such as this to get the whole family into the spirit of Christmas no matter how old you are.

When is the trail?

Christmas at Dunham Massey 2023 will run until 31 December (closed on 20, 21, 27, 28 Nov; 4, 11, 25 Dec). Tickets are allocated by staggered trail start times and digital or printed tickets are accepted.

The trail is approximately one mile long and we’d recommend allowing 1 to 2 hours for your visit.  It is open from 4.30pm, last entry at 8.30pm (excluding 24, 26, 31 Dec). Please be aware that the event closes 1.5 hours after the last allocated entry time.

How much does the trail cost and how can I book tickets?

Tickets for kids can start from £12.50 – £17 while adult tickets can cost £19 – £24.50. Family tickets are also available for 1 adult and 2 children or 2 adults and 2 children. Costs for these start from £41 – £80 depending on if it off-peak or peak season.

Infants aged 0-2 years old go free. You can book your tickets here. Remember to also pre-book your parking spaces if you are a National Trust member as it will be free, otherwise it will be £8 per car.

Points to Note:

• Guide dogs and registered disability assistance dogs are allowed on trail, however other dogs are not allowed.
• Food, drink and fairground rides are available onsite. Food and drink can be found at the start/end of the trail, with additional refreshments at around the midway point. Separate charges apply for all food, drink and rides.
• The event takes place entirely outdoors hence appropriate clothing and footwear is essential. We would recommend  layering up and wearing hats, gloves, coats to keep warm as well as wearing wellies on wet days.
• It is estimated around two hours to do the whole trail, we took an hour and a half
• Parking £8, National Trust members can park for free if booked BEFORE the day but remember to bring your National Trust card with you
• Book an earlier slot, so it is not as crowded, hence better photo opportunities
• They do accept printed tickets or downloaded e-tickets which you can scan on entry
• There are toilets at the start/end of the trails

Where is Dunham Massey?

Dunham Massey
Altrincham
WA14 4SJ
0161 941 1025

About Dunham Massey

Nestled between the vibrant city of Manchester and the beginnings of rural Cheshire, Dunham Massey includes a 300-acre deer park, a historic house and buildings and all-season gardens. Outdoors, accessible paths pass roaming fallow deer and ancient trees in the parkland, while the Winter and Rose Gardens reveal the sights and scents of the seasons. Indoors, ornate rooms and servant’s quarters hold a collection that spans the history of the house, while the water-powered mill and other historic buildings add further context that beckons you into the past.

About RGL (Raymond Gubbay Limited – a division of Sony Music)

RGL/Sony Music has been delivering hugely successful illuminated trails for almost ten years. Each trail is carefully designed to showcase the natural and unique environment of its iconic setting. There are currently over 30 trails across the UK, Europe, USA, and Australia within the Christmas, Halloween, IGNITE and Lightscape portfolios.

The chosen partners for national and international heritage and prestigious venues include: Blenheim Palace; The National Trust; Forestry England; Historic Royal Palaces; The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh; Leeds Castle Botanic Gardens, Chicago, USA and Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne, Australia.

About Culture Creative

Culture Creative is a creative project and production management company based in the North East of England. The Company works across a wide range of cultural fields including art, sport, heritage, tourism, festivals and events, developing projects from concept to delivery. Since 2013 Culture Creative has worked closely with Sony Music to create Lightscape and Christmas themed trails in various venues across the UK and overseas. 

About National Trust

The National Trust is a conservation charity founded in 1895 by three people, Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley who saw the importance of the nation’s heritage and open spaces, and wanted to preserve them for everyone to enjoy.

The Trust has committed to achieving carbon net zero emissions by 2030, and establishing 20 million trees to help tackle climate change, creating green corridors for people and nature near towns and cities, running a year-long campaign to connect people with nature and continuing investment in arts and heritage. Ensuring everyone who visits feels welcome, and more people can access its places continues to be another key aspect of the charity’s work.

Entirely independent of Government, the National Trust looks after more than 250,000 hectares of countryside, 780 miles of coastline and hundreds of special places across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The National Trust receives more than 26.9 million visits each year to the places it cares for that have an entry fee, and an estimated 100 million visits to the outdoor places looked after by the charity. Together with 5.9 million members and more than 65,000 volunteers, they help to support the conservation charity in its work to care for nature, beauty, history. For everyone, for ever.

You may also want to read this:

Review: The Nutcracker- A Christmas Fairytale at New Vic Theatre

Family Day Out Review: Christmas @ Victoria Park’s Ice Rink

Review: Alton Towers Festive Family Days Out

Photo copyright: Dunham Massey/Sony Music/Luke Dyson

* We were provided with tickets to attend the event in exchange for a feature. All opinions are our own.