For the past couple of years now myself and my family have taken a little outing during the cold winter months to walk around the Enlightened light trial, our first year we went we visited Colchester castle and it was beautiful and peaceful, we liked it so much that the next winter we got tickets to a closer event at Hyland Park and stuck with it for a second year running.
After the first year going around Hyland Park for the Enlightened event, what we expected or at least what I hoped for was for another peaceful walk around some pretty lights and sparkly enchanted scenery, I picked and booked tickets for a day I believed wouldn’t be as manic as a weekend date but I was very very wrong! We joined a very long queue to get into the estate but no matter, ten minutes late for when we were meant to go we managed to park, scan the tickets and get into the trail itself.
ENLIGHTENED
The Enlightened light trail itself was beautiful, we all have our favorites throughout it, Amelia liked the ‘make a wish’ section, Robin loved the glowing stepping stones and my personal favourite was of course the sparkly mirror balls! While they had removed a few of the interactive segments that was there last year, possibly due to breaking from use, there was some things you could play with; spotlights dancing around the sky and a band set which when you play shone different lights onto the trees it was in front of.
Last year the group favorite was the lake that you can walk around, with lights and a water display and it was just as enjoyable this time and even the toilets and refreshments area had lights all around to prevent you from being taken ‘away’ from the immersive nature.
There is just something so magical about fairy lights, and while Kai, my 15 year old, spent a lot of it on his phone, I did catch him enjoying it on the odd occasion, I feel however that it was a little bit beyond him and probably would’ve preferred being elsewhere, I think if I had a smaller child or a baby they would be fascinated by the lights and sounds, and during a time when technology is so overly used, getting Robin my 9 year old to help me try and find fairies and frogs in the little fountains sparked her imagination a little, they did have their phones with them but the only time I think I saw them was when they took photos and share them to their friends. It was nice to have them out and about in the fresh air and walking.
Getting out and about with my children is always something I treasure as we often don’t get to do things with school getting in the way or if they’re in their other parents care and they, or at least Robin definitely enjoyed it all.
The biggest downfall for it all was simply just the people, there are various photo spots throughout the trail itself where you can take family photos however there was of course a big queue to get there which is the bane of the influencer, I get being a blogger I don’t really have much of a say to moan about people who influence others but I try and be a self aware person and understand that having to stop every ten minutes to someone in front of you can snap photos in an area that is the only walkway.. is a bit annoying.
We also didn’t have time to get some of the delicious smelling snacks that was for sale just due to the fact there was so many people crowded around the stalls.
Much like everything else these days it’s all designed for over consumption and sadly gone are the days of doing something peacefully without hundreds of other people being there. Perhaps we went at the wrong time and date, looking at our tickets the years prior we went earlier in the month and as we went a week from the big C, a lot of schools already broken up and people switching off from work.. I may have sparked my own annoyance.
Despite my complains, we had a lovely time, being able to do something festive with my family is what this time of year is all about.
Hyland park in itself is a stunning place and we have visited it a few times just to visit the play park there and do plan on going back there in the spring and summer months to walk around the gardens and perhaps next year I will book us to an earlier time for a much calmer, anxiety friendly experience.
Have you ever visited any local light trails?
Sarah
To read more of our adventures follow here
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