Light Fantastic

When planning our trip to the CC site at Longleat I got a feeling of déjà vu as it seemed that it was the second time of planning. We planned to go last year but the NHS got in the way and any plans relating to motorhoming had to be shelved as Margaret was about to have major heart surgery. So in 2015 we picked up the threads of those plans and booked the site to arrive on Monday 14^th December. I am not sure that booking midweek was actually necessary as there were ten units max each day during our stay. That was surprising given the treat we were about to experience. 

We have been to the likes of Chatsworth at this time of year and had to be careful on the site roads because of ice! In winter 2015 the weather seems to have been turned on its head with temperatures in the mid-teens and hardly dropping below 10 degrees at night. The downside is that with these warmer climes we have had a lot of rain.  By the time we reached the site and negotiated the final two miles from the main road the motorhome was filthy. Given that we had to go back the way we came it seemed pointless to try and remove the muck on site. 

On the Tuesday we set off in the morning to see the lie of the land. First stop was customers services to convert my online booking into real tickets which was pretty straightforward. Booking online via the Club’s website gets some good discounts, particularly we found the two day ticket the best for us. Whilst on the Club website check to see if there are any offers which give discounts off refreshments and gift shop purchases. We downloaded vouchers for both and saved a few pounds.

Longleat is famous for two things, the Safari Park and the colourful 7^th Marquess of Bath!!! We saw neither during our visit although there are pictures a plenty of him in the House. Speaking of the Big House it’s not as big as some of our other stately homes. However we did get the opportunity to walk through part of the house. It was decked out for Christmas with setting from Christmas stories and nursery rhymes with staff members dressed in costume.  We spied a handy café in the cellars under the house where a restorative coffee was consumed. 

Back out in the murk of a dull day we could see the displays that would be illuminated as soon as it got dark. I think Longleat at normal times of the year is a paradis for children of all ages. There are adventure style playgrounds, a maze and of course the ability to get up front and personal with animals, well at least those that won’t eat you!!!  The advantage of the CC site at Longleat is that it is a very short walk from the main entrance so it’s easy enough to nip back to the van for lunch or a rest. 

As it was getting dark we put our waterproofs back on and venture back to the park. This is what we had come for, the annual Festival of Lights and associated entertainment. This took the form of a shortish Chinese themed show consisting of juggling and acrobatics. The most interesting part was a dance where the entertainer was able to change his face mask without anyone seeing how he did it. Perhaps a bit frightening for smaller children?  

We were not disappointed with the Festival of Lights and there was a lot to see. Most of the exhibits are based on a Chinese theme but there are other themes like flowers and animals, the latter hardly surprising given the Safari Park! As we were walking around it was raining a bit and I had to be careful not to get the camera wet. If anyone is looking for an event to attend before Christmas I would suggest you put Longleat on the list. It could be done with just an overnight stay but two night would be better. We stayed for three and this allowed us to return on our final day and explore the grounds a bit more.