Leonardslee Illuminated 2023: A Magical Winter Experience at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens

This winter, visitors to Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Horsham, West Sussex, can enjoy a captivating after-dark light trail as the gardens come alive with colour and sound during this year’s Leonardslee Illuminated event.  

Open between 4pm and 10pm, with light trails running from 4.15pm to 8.15pm, the event will take place on various dates from 24th November to 21st December: please visit the Leonardslee website for details of ticket prices and free and discounted offers for Leonardslee members. 

Now in its fifth year, Leonardslee Illuminated at the historic 240-acre Grade I Listed estate will transport visitors into a magical world as the gardens are transformed with illuminations, large-scale installations, and atmospheric soundscapes. Upon arrival, guests are welcomed with a Victorian funfair, a small Christmas market, a selection of seasonal food and drink, and other entertainment before entering the mile-long trail. 

"Visitors can explore the lit trails and walk down through the valley, decked with fairy lights and lanterns, giant flowers and mythical animals. There will be displays of massive stars and planets suspended over the seven lakes, reflecting the sparkling lights and the towering lakeside trees," says Adam Streeter, general manager. 

“We’ve worked hard to make the event even more affordable this year, given the rising cost of living: there is a price reduction from last year, and Leonardslee members will get free entry on selected days, and 50% off at other times. 

"There are fairground attractions, mulled wine and other food and drink to enjoy either before or after the trail, which is around 60 to 90 minutes long. The market features arts and crafts and other gifts for sale from local artisans, and our shops will be open, with wines from our sister estate’s vineyards at Benguela Cove in South Africa". 

Streeter says that the illuminations and other events are vital to maintaining the estate, helping to fund the major programme of works needed to preserve the woodland gardens, which were originally created by the great Victorian plant collector, Sir Edmund Loder. The estate is now a protected ecosystem for fauna and flora that are threatened elsewhere in the UK and beyond, including several rare ‘champion’ trees.  

Tickets are available online, at a reduced price this year, from £16 for adults and £9 per child, down from £18 and £10 last year, and with special free and discounted ticket offers for Leonardslee members. Annual membership at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens starts from £60.

Visit https://www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/all-events 

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Editors notes

In addition to the Leonardslee Illuminated event, the estate boasts a range of attractions and experiences for visitors to enjoy. The Grade I Listed gardens, set in a steep-sided valley, feature seven interlaced lakes, woodlands, parkland, a Pulham rock garden, a deer park, and a colony of wallabies. 

Visitors can also explore the cafes, gift shop, garden nursery, and the enchanting Beyond the Doll's House Exhibition, which showcases the Edwardian-era estate and neighbouring villages at a 1:12 scale in a magical world of miniature. 

For a fine dining experience, the Grade II Listed Italianate mansion house offers a multi-course tasting menu crafted by Michelin Star chef Jean Delport. After dining at the Restaurant Interlude, guests can stay overnight in the luxury vineyard hotel, which underwent extensive restoration in 2021. 

The enchanting accommodation features ten charming en-suite bedrooms, each individually designed by top British designers for an unforgettable stay. 

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens also hosts an extensive programme of year-round entertainment, including festivals, exhibitions, live music events, demonstrations, fairs, children's events, adventure trails, and wellbeing activities. 

Wine enthusiasts can look forward to the estate's Sussex Wine vineyard, with the first release of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier sparkling wine expected in 2024. 

Owned by the Streeter family, Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens reopened in April 2019 after two years of intensive restoration led by Penny Streeter OBE. 

Vineyards –

Leonardslee Estate: Acquired 2018 - 3.1 Acres - 2018 First vines planted - 4,000 Estimated bottles Experimental planting of Pinotage - 2022 First estate Pinotage

Mannings Estate: Acquired 2017 - 34 Acres - 2017 First vines planted - 70,000 Estimated bottles Sparkling wine cultivars 60% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier - 2024 First release of wine