I went to Christmas at Dunham Massey - it was magical, but they've taken away the best bit

Set in acres of woodland at the National Trust site near Altrincham, it attracts thousands of families every year from across the North West to it’s light and music show.

We heard about it from a friend and went for the first time in December 2021. So bowled over, we vowed to return. And that we did - last weekend - having secured our tickets months ago.

Cost

Talking of tickets, it cost £27.50 per adult and £19.20 for a child to attend at peak times (we went on a Sunday evening), plus £8.50 for parking and we spent £12 on ride tickets. Together with a small fee for cancellation insurance, it cost around £90 for a family of three. And that’s without any food or drink, so it’s not a cheap do.

Get there early

We got there an hour early so that we could have some food, and so that our son could go on some fairground rides. Whereas three years ago we walked to a walled courtyard for this, this time it was in a dedicated area to the left of the entrance, and there was a much wider range of food trucks and stalls, as well as a covered area to sit and eat. Don’t be expecting too much with the rides though - it’s all very old-fashioned fun, and after one trip on the carousel and the helter skelter, my seven-year-old was done.

When we got on the trail, I realised that everything was in reverse from last time, and with neon lights twinkling in the distance, was excited for what was to come. I wasn’t disappointed - well apart from with one thing - but we’ll come onto that later.

Immediately, you’re immersed in music and what looks to be dry ice, and are travelling on a path lit in incredible colours and uplit trees. The first jaw-dropping bit is walking through a tunnel of ever-moving, colour-changing stars, which leads out onto a backdrop of Dunham Massey’s hall itself.

They certainly do things properly here. It’s all really slick, professional, and clearly has has a lot of time and money spent on it. Next was a fire section, and then into the Rose Garden.

The Rose Garden

I had BIG expectations for this, it was my favourite part from our 2021 visit. It was an ethereal experience of delicate lit-up roses and music, where the flowers seemed to sway and you could walk amongst them. But no, there were great big, unlit, barren areas either side of a path and just two light-up arches to walk through. I know they have to keep things fresh, but this felt like something had either gone wrong, or the rose garden needed to be protected from visitors.

There were other, new, installations, including dozens of pillars that appeared to move to music, trees where light ran up the trunk, moving hot air balloons, a ginger bread and candy cane section, and all around, beautiful trees lit in every colour. It’s a cliche to say it was a feast for the senses, but it really was.

At the end, as there was three years ago, was a huge cathedral of white lights. Simple, but so effective, and very Instagrammable. Beyond there, the front of the hall used as the backdrop for a very effective light and music display, and then onto lights and spheres in the lake, passed Father Christmas’ grotto.

It was wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone. It took us about 35 minutes to walk around, without stopping. But you can pick up food and drink half way round. There’s no dogs allowed though, so bear that in mind.

Also, watch out for the appalling road conditions in and around the area, and the roadworks over the bridge.