An award-winning winter lights trail, hailed as the biggest of its kind in Hampshire, is set to make a spectacular return this festive season, offering a magical day out for those travelling from London.
A Trail Transformed for 2025
Light Up Sir Harold Hillier Gardens At Christmas has been entirely reimagined for its 2025 edition. The popular attraction, located at the renowned arboretum in Romsey, will be open from November 27 to January 3. This year, the entire pathway has been redesigned and organised into distinct, immersive thematic areas, promising a fresh experience for returning visitors.
Event co-directors Libby Battaglia and Lucinda Croft stated that the 2025 trail represents their most ambitious project to date. They have collaborated with world-class artists to create a brand-new adventure that unfolds through a series of zones, each telling a unique story using light, sound, and atmospheric effects.
An Immersive Journey of Light and Sound
Guests will be guided by lanterns into a magical world filled with the scent of eucalyptus and colourful fibre optic flowers. A highlight of the journey is The Wish Pond, where the revamped 'Written in the Stars' feature sees floating lights, adorned with stars, symbolising wishes cast into the night sky.
The experience expands with an area awash with stars, lasers, and music, complete with a whimsical fairy disco hidden within the woodland. The trail promises glowing gardens, enchanted hollows, and playful dreamscapes, ensuring new surprises and views for all.
Festive Food and Practical Information
No Christmas event would be complete without festive treats, and this one delivers with an on-site Christmas market. Visitors can indulge in mouth-watering hog roasts, Yorkshire pudding wraps, traditional fish and chips, and Bratwurst sausages. For those with a sweet tooth, there will be doughnuts, fruit crumbles, crepes, and churros.
To wash it all down, a range of drinks will be available, including mulled wine, boozy hot chocolates, and craft beer. The event is a huge draw, having attracted tens of thousands of visitors last year.
For those planning a visit, the gardens are located at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Jermyns Lane, Romsey, SO51 0QA. It runs on selected dates from November 27, 2025, to January 3, 2026, and is open daily from December 15, except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Opening hours are from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.
Ticket prices are set at £20 for off-peak adults and £12.50 for off-peak children, while peak tickets cost £23.50 for adults and £16.50 for children. Parking is available on-site, but dogs are only permitted if they are registered assistance animals. Tickets must be booked in advance.
