Santa and His Alpaca Helpers Visit Northumbrian Castle

Families hoping to see Santa in the North East this Christmas are in for a real treat, as the magical Langley Castle Hotel, near Hexham, has announced he will be making a special appearance on Saturday December 17, 2022, along with some very loveable friends.

Whilst the elves are busy making and wrapping all the gifts back at the North Pole, and whilst Santa’s reindeer are building up their energy for their long global flight, for one day only, children can meet not just Santa, but some extra-special little helpers that he’s drafted in this year.  These are the Christmas alpacas, who are stamping their hooves, desperate to be taken on a walk in Langley Castle’s stunning grounds.

Between 12pm to 3pm on the day, children can meet Santa and receive a Christmas gift to take home.  Santa will then introduce children to the handlers of their fluffy alpaca friend, before they embark on a festive 20-minute, relaxing and calming stroll.

During this walk, families can take in the spectacular views and wintery landscape of this historical fortressed home, which boast acres of grounds and woodland to explore.  Children can get up close to the friendly alpacas, learn their names and have a great time bonding with their new friend.

This is also a great opportunity for little ones to breathe in 772 years of history, step back into medieval times and learn more about the castle's fascinating place in time.

A visit to www.langleycastle.co.uk helps with all of this, revealing a handy 'Hairy History' guide, which can be downloaded prior to visiting.  This provides an interpretation of the castle's dramatic and turbulent past, in an easy to appreciate way.

Once the alpacas are safely back with Santa, families can step inside the glorious interior of Langley Castle and head to the chandelier-lit Drawing Room, to see this year's Christmas tree set in stunning surroundings.

En route, they may well also spot the iconic Langley Bear and his friend ‘Gilbert the Knight’ in reception.  If they want to know all about this pair, they can listen to a Spotify podcast about the day that Langley Bear and Gilbert found a blanket of snow outside.  They should also watch out for another adventure that Langley Bear has with Gilbert, with a second podcast in the offing, surrounding one starry night at the castle.

Tickets for the Santa and the Alpacas event cost £25 per person, which includes a 20-minute walk with an alpaca and a gift from Santa. To book, call the reception team on 01434 688888 or email events@langleycastle.com

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.