Helmingham Hall Illuminated Garden Trail

Christmas in Suffolk: Helmingham Hall Illuminated Garden Trail

Just a 10-minute drive from Woodfarm Barns, Helmingham Hall is a grand private residence opening its garden for a magical light display!

Wondering what to do this Christmas? Although events may be a little more limited than usual this year, there’s still plenty on – especially in Suffolk!

From Christmas markets to festive dinners, there’s plenty to do in the county this season. And if you don’t fancy going to an event, you can always take a wonderful winter walk on one of our many beaches, or in the countryside.

The gardens at Helmingham Hall

Located just five miles away from Woodfarm Barns, Helmingham Hall is a 510-year-old private house in Suffolk. It has been owned by the Tollemache family since it was built, and the current members of the family still reside there today. However, even though it’s a family home, the gardens are often open for events – such as the Illuminated Garden Trail!

Helmingham Hall Illuminated Garden Trail

If you manage to get tickets for the highly popular Illuminated Garden Trail, you’ll be in for a real treat! The gardens at Helmingham Hall are absolutely stunning, and perfect for exploring on an enchanting winter’s evening.

Consisting of a moat, rose garden, orchard and more, the gardens are spread over 400 acres, and even encompass a red deer park! 

Red deer at Helmingham Hall

Helmingham Hall Illuminated Garden Trail

Taking place from 2nd to 13th December, the Illuminated Garden Trail at Helmingham Hall is a magnificent event for guests of all ages. Walk around the beautiful gardens and indulge your senses with light displays and sounds – it’s a truly unique experience, especially if this is your first time visiting the hall!

Then, warm up with a complimentary mulled wine in the courtyard, which will be decorated specially for the event. Gather around the fire pits to toast some marshmallows, and browse the handful of independent outlets to find a special gift for a loved one.

This year’s event is designed with social distancing in mind, which means limited numbers on time slots – so get booking in order to secure your place! And the best part of all? Dogs are allowed! So if you’re staying with us at Woodfarm Barns with your pup(s), feel free to bring them along to this event.

Stay nearby to Helmingham Hall

As we mentioned, Helmingham Hall is a very short car journey away from Woodfarm Barns! Our tranquil slice of countryside paradise is 100% dog-friendly, with six cosy Luxury Barns (five with hot tubs) that are perfect for a couples retreat.

We also have two converted static Holiday Barges – one in Snape Maltings and one in Woodbridge (both in Suffolk!). These are also dog-friendly and can accommodate families or groups of friends. 

Wherever you decide to stay, we look forward to welcoming you for a fantastic, festive Christmas!

Reasons to Stay at Woodfarm, Suffolk

We happen to think what we have on offer is pretty bloomin' good. However, we thought you might like a bunch of reasons to stay, other than we think you should!

beach huts
all accommodation

Brilliant beaches! Suffolk has an incredible Heritage Coast, with great beaches, all in easy reach of us.

dog paw print
all accommodation

Dogs stay FREE, and we don't just tolerate them, we welcome them! We've built our reputation on this, and we're proud of it!

fence
at the barns

Pawesome, fully-enclosed two acre Pooch Paddock for your Dogs to go bonkers and make new friends in.

dog biscuit
all accommodation

Free Doggy treats, Dog bowls, and Dog towels. Our furry friends even get Woodfarm branded poop bag holders!

trophy
all accommodation

Visit England Gold Awards coming out of our ears, as well as their coveted ROSE Award for Service Excellence.

thumbs up
all accommodation

Well in excess of 1,000 Five Star Tripadvisor, Facebook & Google Reviews. Over 25% of our guests come back!

hot tubs
all accommodation

Private Hot tubs with seven of our eight Barns and Cottages. The ultimate in relaxation, just because you're worth it.

boots
all accommodation

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Yes, plural. Two AONB's on our doorstep! Suffolk Coast & Heaths, and Dedham Vale.

river walks
on the barges

Stunning river walks directly from your gangplank on either Barge! Wildlife and breathtaking scenery in abundance.

Fetch the latest news!

Using AI for good

Trying out ChatGPT’s mobile version

More and more now artificial intelligence is being used in daily life. As I type this in July 2024 it hasn’t yet taken over the world and I believe that it can be used for …

First repeat booking for Woodfarm Tuscany!

First Repeat Booking for Woodfarm Tuscany

Exciting News from Woodfarm: Our First Repeat Booking in Tuscany! Here’s a video all about it, and the transcript is below it if you wish to go back over anything. This is what I said… …

EV charging at our Barns & Cottages

Charging Your Electric Vehicle at Woodfarm

This blog post introduces you to a video that I shot to answer the common question of “Can we charge our electric vehicle (EV) while staying at our Barns and Cottages?”. It’s part of our …

Join our newsletter for £50 OFF your first break!

Please provide a valid email address.
* indicates required