Review: Christmas at Gibside
Gibside has once again been transformed into an illuminated wonderland, and we followed the trail armed with mulled wine and a camera
As the sun set, we left Living North HQ and joined the Friday evening traffic to 720 acres of woodland. On our arrival, we were met with the seasonal smell of decadent hot chocolate and spiced mulled wine – and we couldn’t resist getting both. Not only delicious, they kept our hands warm too.
The trail led us through sparkling tunnels, around giant sculptures and beneath trees with lights that danced to match the music. Giant snowflakes offered the perfect photo opportunity but Mission Impossible-esque lasers left us a little discombobulated.
The real star of the show wasn’t actually a star. It was the tunnel of light where a queue formed as visitors took their photo opportunity. As Santa continued to greet guests from his grotto, we reached the end of the trail, where fire was used to create silhouettes. We were almost tempted by the sweet treats on offer but were drawn into the National Trust shop to browse the books on offer before we headed home.
Christmas at Gibside is the perfect event for all the family to get into the festive spirit (just remember to wrap up in your winter woolies).
