Spectacle of Light 2019

by stoppingattwo · December 1, 2019

Since our visit to Sudeley Castle’s Spectacle of Light in 2017, the event has become our favourite festive trail. The light show makes the most of the buildings and gardens to create something that can best be described as magical.

This year, the theme of the trail was J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Along the route there were characters to meet, and the flittering light of Tickerbell and the silhouette of Peter and Wendy appeared on the castle buildings.

There was also a fairy grove, with a “real fairy” queen and lots of fairies playing amongst the trees.

The trail takes you through the grounds of the castle. This year was the first year I have been to the Spectacle of Light having seen the castle during the day time. I enjoyed being able to now contrast the differences in the features that I had seen during daylight, and if anything it made me appreciate all the work that must go into the production of this event each year. The castle and gardens are beautiful anyway, the Spectacle of Light highlights and hides features, showing Sudeley in a completely different light, literally. You feel like you are discovering it again for the first time.

What I really love about the Spectacle of Light at Sudeley Castle is that every year the trail is significantly different. The route and theme are different enough that you don’t feel like you are seeing (and paying for) the same thing year on year. I didn’t think that anything could beat the stunning moon reflected on the carp lake waters last year, but blooming lillies on the water definitely equalled it.

Despite the differences on the trail this year, there were familiar fixtures – lights hanging in trees, lanterns along pathways and archways surrounded by fairylights.

I love the use of lighting on the buildings and trees. The colours and contrasts create such a stunning sight. In fact, depending on which route you take to Winchcombe in order to get to Sudeley Castle, you may see the rainbow glow of the Spectacle of Light in the distance, adding to the anticipation of the event.

There are also lots of other surprises on the trail to discover – if you go into the hedge that surrounds the Queen’s Garden, you will find the Lost Boys’ Den. Here you can find the beds and the other Lost Boys’ belongings.

The outside of the Chapel of St Mary, which is the final resting place for Katherine Parr, last wife of Henry VIII and once Queen of England is lit up in blue and pink. The inside is not lit in coloured lights. Instead, its beauty comes from simple white lighting and plants decorating the ends of the pews.

This year on the lake by the Tithe Barn were dancing illuminated fountains. With the backdrop of the ever-changing colours on the castle, it made a wonderful finale to the trail.

I can’t rate the Spectacle of Light at Sudeley highly enough. We had such a magical evening, and definitely want to return again next year. If you intend to go, I would definitely recommend you book in advance – not do you save 15% by buying online here, it is becoming a such a popular event that you may not guarantee getting tickets on the gate. And honestly, you really wouldn’t want to miss out.