Winter at Sizergh

Multicoloured lights projected along a stone wall, with a projection of a stag at its centre. There are two people standing off to the right, admiring the lights. — Admiring the lights and projections at Sizergh | © Steven Barber

There’s winter wonder for the whole family at the gateway to the Lake District this year. From 22 November - 24 December, make memories with loved ones as you follow immersive light and sound installations, discover a story of Christmas past in the House, and get creative with festive crafts in the Great Barn. Whatever it is you get stuck into, there are sure to be magical moments as you immerse yourself in Winter at Sizergh.

Book your tickets

Lights and sounds

Wander through a nature-themed light and sound experience around the Knoll, designed by local artists and inspired by Sizergh’s estate, and get closer to our winter wildlife...

A stroll through the Knoll will see thousands of specks of light dance across trees and paths - an immersive, fun and magical reimagining of a woodland path for people of all ages. Six suspended half mirrorballs reflect patterns of slowly moving points of light across the ground and surrounding trees, creating a magical environment.
Along the avenue, twelve LED globes on Victorian-style lamp posts represent Sizergh’s creatures and plants – see if you can spot any you recognise. Each globe contains a different artist-designed cutout of a woodland creature or plants. As you walk under the globes, you'll be immersed in the relaxing soundscape and movement of light as it responds to the audio.
Aeolian Flutes - large bamboo flutes - will be making music in response to the wind. There'll also be freestanding mythophones, which look like giant gramophones.
Marvel at the circo tree - it's like being in an open air cirus tent, with thousands of pixel mapped points of light which create colour, movement and patterns in response to a soundscape.
See magical animations of deer appear on the ivy-covered wall in front of the house.
Plus harmonic portals, illuminated lilies floating on the pond, woodland creatures and a giant white willow stag.

Family of four - mum, dad and two small boys - on the wooded Knoll, looking up at light installations. There are coloured globes and the trees are uplit in blue and pink. — A stroll on the Knoll through light installations | © Steven Barber

A stroll through the Knoll

Thousands of specks of light will dance across the wooded Knoll.

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In the house

For the first time, the house will open its doors to visitors during the winter.

Picture the scene: you arrive at Sizergh's grand doors. It’s Christmas Eve, and you're clutching a festive invitation from the Strickland family in your hands. Greeted with the hustle and bustle of preparations, there’s still much for the servants to do. Deliveries of festive goodies arrive by the crateload; a freshly felled Norway Spruce lays horizontal surrounded by boxes of handmade decorations waiting to adorn it; and somewhere in the house there’s an exotic feathered beast, set to cause havoc in the kitchen.

Moments from Christmas Eves past will transport the guests through the house, arriving back into the present day. From elaborate feasting, cosy fireside games, and the scientific analysis of some mysterious bones found in Exeter – there’s only one question on everybody’s lips: how DID the turkey get here?! The atmosphere and themes of different rooms in the house will be brought to life with soundscapes.

Get crafting

Get into the festive spirit with crafts for all in the Great Barn. Take home something Christmassy, whether it's a handmade paper decoration for your tree or a string of winter bunting inspired by Sizergh's winter wildlife.

Eating and shopping

After you’ve explored the trail and the House, don’t forget to grab a bite to eat and have a browse in the shop. The café will be serving warming seasonal food and drinks to enjoy, as well as the chance to take a break, connect with loved ones, and savour a moment of calm amidst the holiday hustle.

Our collaboration with Pieminister will bring hearty, comfort food to Sizergh with a selection of mouth-watering pies. You can choose from hearty steak and ale, creamy chicken and ham, or vegan jackfruit 'steak' and ale; the pies are also made without gluten-containing ingredients.
Scone of the Month - grab a squash, cheese and pumpkin scone in November or a Christmas pudding scone in December.
Mint hot chocolate, mulled wine and hot spiced apple juice.

Find the perfect gift for your loved ones with a range of beautiful, locally-sourced homewares, books and stocking fillers in the shop. Every penny you spend goes back into looking after this special place.

There will be space outside the Visitor Centre to sit and spend time together if you’d like to bring your own food and drink.

A community effort

Community is at the heart of Winter at Sizergh, and the trail and willow stags have been lovingly designed and brought to life by local artists and school groups.

We want it to be a place you can escape to – whether you’re frazzled by the festive season or just seeking a moment of magic away from the hustle and bustle.

Shuttle buses

We’re pleased to announce that there will be a free shuttle bus, operated by Mountain Goat, running from Kendal to Sizergh each weekend during Winter at Sizergh. The buses will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Stops include Blackhall Road, Lound Road (Shell side) and Oxenholme Station, and you can find out more on the timetable.

So, there’s no need to think about parking or designated drivers and, if they want to, adults can enjoy a festive tipple!

Booking online will guarantee entry and your preferred time slot. The best way to book your tickets is online, using our event booking link. If you’re unable to book online, call our Central Box Office on 0344 249 1895.
Once bought, tickets are non-refundable.

Tickets cannot be switched to a different slot. I
Yes - you can show us your booking confirmation on your phone or bring printed confirmation.
Winter at Sizergh will run every day, 12-8pm, from 22 November – 24 December.
The site will close at 8pm each night.
Winter at Sizergh is suitable for all ages - there's something for everyone.
Tickets are £3 pp. Admission prices apply to non-members, and will be included in the ticket price upon booking. Under 5s go free.

Tickets are allocated by staggered trail start times. Timed entry slots available every hour from 12-6pm. Please don’t arrive more than 15 minutes before your slot.

Digital or printed tickets will be accepted.
Tickets are £3 pp. Under 5s go free.

Members must bring their membership cards to be scanned on arrival.

Tickets are allocated by staggered trail start times. Timed entry slots available every hour from 12-6pm. Please don’t arrive more than 15 minutes before your slot.

Digital or printed tickets will be accepted.

If you have a carer coming with you, they won't need to book a ticket.
Carers accompanying NT members will not need to buy a ticket.
Members will not pay for parking or admission.

Winter at Sizergh is held outside of Sizergh’s normal opening hours, and charging for a ticket reflects the high quality nature of the experience, as well as helping it to run smoothly.
From 10am — 12pm every day, you can visit Sizergh as usual — visit the garden, café, shop and estate before Winter at Sizergh begins at midday.
Walking the trail will take about 45 minutes.

We anticipate that a full visit, including the House, Great Barn, shop and café, should take about 2 hours.

There's always the option to tailor your visits, and just do the parts that suit you.
We’re expecting large numbers of visitors, so there might be some queuing time when you arrive. We anticipate that the last slot (6-8pm) will be particularly busy.
We will reserve a small number of tickets for walk-ups, but booking tickets is the best way to guarantee your place.

We recommend that you book early to avoid disappointment.

Each timed entry has limited capacity, and the early evening and weekend slots
are likely to sell out.
The woodland knoll will be accessible for wheelchairs, Trampers and pushchairs.

Wheelchairs are available from reception and in the house upon arrival.

Trampers will be able to booked through Outdoor Mobility — there is a small charge (a donation to Outdoor Mobility) to use the Tramper and Trampers can be booked online ahead of your visit or on the day via the Welcome Team (advanced booking is encouraged to guarantee availability).

Trampers can also access the gardens as well as the path through Holeslack Wood.

We have a range of items to use or borrow to help make your visit more comfortable — from fidget spinners to wellies. These are free to use and do not require booking.

There are 12 designated disabled parking bays in the carpark - find out more about access at Sizergh.
The trail is well-lit throughout.
Baby changing facilities and accessible toilets are available in the Visitor Centre.
Our standard policy applies to dogs during Winter at Sizergh - they are more than welcome on leads in the Visitor Centre, on the wider estate and throughout the wooded Knoll and barn.

Access to the gardens and house is restricted to assistance dogs only.
During the day, the lights may not be seen as bright, however it is still dark in the winter, meaning the lights will still stand out most of the time.

There are several other elements to the offer; the house will be open for the first time during winter, it will be decked out for Christmas and telling a winter story with the Strickland family at its core.

Festive crafts are running throughout, for all to join in with. You can take the finished product home as a memento of your time at Sizergh.

During the day, the garden will also be open to explore.

We wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to visit us and experience our winter offer - some visitors may prefer earlier time slots, and this allows them that opportunity. Sizergh has a full offer this winter, so whether you visit during the day or the evening, we believe you'll still have a wonderful time.
Pay and display charges will apply to everyone visiting the site as usual, with free parking for NT members.

There will be two tariffs for parking during the event - visitors can pay £4 for 2 hours, or £5 for an all day ticket.

Another option, if you're local or staying in the area, is the free shuttle bus.
The gardens will close to ensure the safety of our visitors. The gardens are not lit, which would make some of the paths dangerous during the evening.
Yes, the café will be open until 7pm, with last orders at 6:30pm. After that, the kiosk will be open until 8pm.
The shop and café are open 10-7, with last orders at 6:30pm, and no ticket is necessary for shop and café access only.
There's space to sit and enjoy a picnic under cover, outside the Visitor Centre, if you'd like to bring your own food and drink.
The cafe will close at 7pm. After this, the kiosk will be open and serving hot drinks until 8pm.

Aerial view of Sizergh, its gardens and estate. The house is a grey stone building, and its set amongst green parkland and gardens. At the front of the house is a large pond.

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