I don’t know who was more excited as we walked from the dark car park through a fairy lit tunnel to the entrance of Heligan Night Gardens, me and my husband, or our two boys aged eight and ten.

I love The Lost Gardens of Heligan in the daytime, it’s beautiful and wild but at nighttime, lit up with lanterns and light instillations, it is even more magical.

Heligan Night gardens have once again partnered with The Lantern Company to celebrate our stunning British wildlife. Giant lanterns of animals including kingfishers, foxes andinsects as well as a stunning crescent moon adorn the trail.

There are also some new instillations that combine light and sound which were truly breathtaking to stumble acrossincluding one that made us feel like we’d stepped into the world of Avatar. (This year Heligan Night Garden alsopartnered with Squid Soup and JHAV productions to create a vivid, sensory experience for visitors.)

There were so many delights to explore from multicoloured umbrellas floating in a tree to graphic projections lighting up a bare brick wall and of course there were copious amounts of fairy lights throughout the trail.

My children loved seeing the animals in the barn and were also thrilled to discover that it was ‘snowing’ in the kitchen gardens.

They were also very excited when we reached the fire where visitors can toast marshmallows if they’d like. All visitors get a complimentary marshmallow and they have a vegan option too.

For anyone looking for something more substantial to eat, a range of food and drinks including hot dogs, cakes, mulled wine and ice cream is available from different outlets along the route include Garden Bites Takeaway, Horsebox, BBQ Hut and Steward’s House along the route.

This year the Heligan Night Garden is supporting First Light, a charity for anyone who has experienced or is experiencing domestic violence.

It was a dry night when we visited, but Heligan Night Garden goes ahead regardless of the weather so do make sure you dress appropriately if the forecast predicts rain.

The trail is a mile long and takes approximately an hour and a quarter to walk around. There is an accessible route available and plenty of friendly staff along the route if you have any questions. There’s also a brilliant gift shop at the end which is well worth a look.

We took our dog with us and kept him on a short lead throughout the trail although it does say on the website that bringing dogs isn’t recommended due to the crowds and bright lights so if your dog has a nervous disposition I suggest leaving them at home. 

Toilets are available at the entrance and at the Steward’s House halfway along the route.

The trail is open from November to January and opens daily between 4.30pm and 9pm. Tickets can be prebooked here.

Going to Heligan Night Gardens is always magical and this year was no exception. I highly recommend visiting with your family this winter for an unforgettable experience.