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A magical lantern trail is returning to Gulliver’s World theme park this winter

And you can get a steal with early-bird tickets

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 31st August 2024

One of the most glittering events in the North West is returning this winter, when Gulliver’s World is filled with beautiful lanterns. 

The hugely popular Land of Lights will this year feature all-new lanterns, each one inspired by the wonders of nature. 

With a WonderWild theme, the light trail will have a unique blend of ‘animal-inspired artistry with a fantastical twist’.

The breathtaking spectacle will lead visitors around a twinkling wonderland filled with light and colour. 

The one-mile trail will showcase a huge array of lanterns and displays, creating a wonderous, wild, and magical atmosphere suitable for all ages.

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It debuted at Gulliver’s World in Warrington last year and drew in thousands of excited people throughout winter. 

This year's lantern trail at Gulliver's World Land of Lights will have a WonderWild theme. Credit: Supplied
This year’s lantern trail at Gulliver’s World Land of Lights will have a WonderWild theme. Credit: Supplied

And now it’s back, between 9 November and 4 January, and there’s a chance to save big on your tickets if you act quickly. 

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Super early bird tickets will start from just £10 per person when they go on sale this Sunday.

Ross Partridge, festival manager, said: “We’re excited to invite guests to experience WonderWild, our most ambitious Land of Lights festival yet.

“This year, we’re taking visitors on a journey through various enchanting realms, including the Jungle of Colour, Frozen Kingdom, and Winged Wonders. It’s an opportunity to see plants, animals, and nature in a whole new light.”

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£10 tickets for Gulliver’s World’s Land of Lights are on sale from 10am on Sunday 1 September – you can grab yours here. 

Read more: Manchester’s most legendary Irish pub Mulligans reveals major makeover

Featured image: The Manc Group

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Dunham Massey – The corner of Greater Manchester with unbeatable autumn landscapes and one of nature’s great spectacles

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Dunham Massey in Autumn. Credit: James Beck

Dunham Massey is one of the North West’s proudest gems, a National Trust site that’s home to both a magnificent Georgian manor house and a beautiful deer park.

But there’s something to be said for the way it comes into its own as autumn rolls around, when the grounds are blanketed in red and orange leaves and a mist lies low over the lawns.

This is a perfect spot to escape into autumn properly, with a perfect mix of heritage, fresh air and scenery (as well as a pumpkin spice latte in the cafe afterwards).

As we creep further into the autumn months, autumnal bulbs will begin to bloom in the Winter Garden, leaves will rustle underfoot, and bright colours will transform the landscape.

When we hear ‘Dunham Massey’, most of us will think of the resident herd of fallow deer who still graze on the grounds of the former medieval deer park.

Those who explore the park on foot this autumn may catch a glimpse of breeding or ‘rutting’ season, one of nature’s great spectacles, where the bucks fight for their pick of the does.

Expect these amazing beasts to be roaring and bellowing at each other and showing off their fully grown antlers, with the bucks parallel walking and sizing each other up – and potentially clashing over the nearby females.

The best time to see the deer rutting at Dumham Massey is early in the mornings, when the park is quiet.

Also honouring the deer is the Stags in Bradgate Park sculpture, a silver masterpiece dating back to 1855, which was previously believed to have been lost forever and melted down.

Deer resting on the lawn at Dunham Massey. Credit: Arnhel de Serra
Deer resting on the lawn at Dunham Massey. Credit: Arnhel de Serra

Now back on display at Dunham Massey and reunited with the silver collection, it portrays two rutting red deer stags and was commissioned by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford in an act of love and rebellion.

It was a symbol of locking horns with the Cheshire society that shunned him over his marriage to Catherine Cox – a woman who was considered beneath him by Victorian high society.

The silver centrepiece was crafted by royal goldsmiths and was seen as a masterpiece at the time, going on to be exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862 and the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867.

Elsewhere at Dunham Massey this autumn you’ll find the unique ORIGIN deep listening art installation, which connects visitors to the mansion and gardens through sonic landscapes and visual artistry.

Designed to soothe and rejuvenate, ORIGIN explores the powerful themes of life’s cycle and the human connection to nature.

Dunham Massey is accessible by public transport, with regular buses running from Altrincham and Warrington.

And you can claim 10% off in the ice cream parlour, cafe and restaurant when you show a valid bus ticket.

Find out more about Dunham Massey and what’s on offer this winter HERE.

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Featured image: James Beck

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Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank

A Halloween trail is set to return to Quarry Bank Mill this autumn for one of the region’s most hauntingly beautiful seasonal events. 

The National Trust site is a former working mill and one of the country’s finest industrial buildings – but as night falls and the shadows lengthen, a haunting will begin… 

This year’s Halloween at Quarry Bank will again feature spooky light installations, a mesmerising laser garden, and a thrilling fire show, as well as live performances and seasonal food and drink. 

Returning for a second year, Halloween at Quarry Bank will be an unforgettable experience for all ages. 

Fog will swirl through the paths around the grounds, as glowing demon eyes watch over passers-by and giant skeletons loom over twisted trees. 

If you’re brave enough, the trail then heads inside the mill itself, where creaking and clanking sounds of its industrial past hint at something a little more haunted. 

Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank
Credit: Andrew Ogilvy Photography
Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank
Credit: Supplied
Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank
Credit: Supplied

As you wander the trail, you’ll pass installations like glowing fire spheres and catacombs echoing with whispers from the past, plus plenty more surprises waiting in the shadows. 

Then you can refuel with ‘bewitched burgers and freaky fries’, plus hot toddys and decadent hot chocolates. 

You can even toast a marshmallow over an open fire. 

Halloween at Quarry Bank is designed for families, couples, and groups of friends alike, and attracts visitors from all over Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire. 

Entry to the trail is on a timed slot system – tickets are on sale now HERE.

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Featured image: Supplied

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