There’s nothing quite as magical as Christmas, especially if you have little ones to delight in the festivities with.
With so many yuletide events taking place in and around the city, families are spoiled for choice when it comes to planning a fun-filled day - or night - this Christmas season.
One of the events taking place is BeWILDerwood Presents Christmas - A Sparkly Light & Panto Trail, which offers a beautiful trip into the twinkling woodland in a totally immersive sensory experience.
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The wonderfully wonky world of BeWILDerwood, situated in Bickley Moss, Cheshire, is based entirely on the enchanting children’s books of the same name by brilliant author Tom Blofeld.
Since opening in April 2021, the Cheshire site has become a hit with families, and whilst its wooden structures, wobbly wires and slippery slopes - among its other beloved attractions - are closed to make way for the Christmas festivities, it’s easy to appreciate why guests of all ages have developed such an affection for BeWILDerwood and all it has to offer.
On what felt like the coldest night of the year, I set off into the whimsical woodland with my son, aged three, and daughter, aged 10 months, all bundled up and ready to brave the freezing conditions.
I chose to carry my daughter in her sling to save her pram from getting caked in mud - and whilst the trail is pushchair friendly, the ground had frozen over, and I really felt I’d have struggled to push a pram across the bumpy ground in such frosty conditions. This is worth noting if you’re planning to visit with little ones - and wellies with very grippy soles along with hats, scarves and gloves are a must.
We were greeted on arrival by a lovely team of Boggles and Twiggles - the affectionate terms attributed to living beings at BeWILDerwood.
They waved us off on our journey down the light trail, which began with a series of jolly gingerbread men on candy cane lane, followed by a dark path lit entirely by disco balls.
This truly brought the forest to life in full sparkle, and my son really enjoyed chasing the twinkles along the forest floor. It was a lovely sensory experience for my little girl, too.
Then, we discovered a trail of snowmen staged in a series of funny festive scenes, which my little ones found highly amusing. We were especially fond of the snowmen having a snowball fight, and the couple fishing in their little wooden boat. Along the trail, a calming festive instrumental played out from hidden speakers, which beautifully sound-tracked the festive displays.
Halfway along the trail, we arrived at the Storytelling Stage where Boggles, Twiggles, reindeer and one rabbit in a total identity crisis put on a delightful little pantomime in the heart of the woods, under the moonlight. It was absolutely freezing, and I was incredibly glad I’d wrapped us all up so tightly, but it felt so magical.
The show lasted for roughly 10 minutes, with the small but captivating cast really encouraging the audience to participate - and it was delightful when they did.
The performance brought the magic of Christmas to life, with the short story of how Father Christmas had found himself stranded at BeWILDerwood - and how, with the help of Mildred the Crocklebog - one of BeWILDerwood's best-loved characters, the Boggles and the Twiggles, the reindeer helped to save Christmas.
My children were each given a lovely little DIY Christmas tree decoration to create at home - a gorgeous touch which will serve as a fond reminder of our magical night in the moonlit woods for years to come.
After the show, we continued along the beautifully-lit trail to discover the biggest Christmas pudding we’d ever seen, and a trail of the most beautiful snowflakes which had completely taken over the forest - whilst a snow machine hidden in the canopy of trees transformed the dark forest into a winter wonderland.
Along the path, we met Hazel the Wood Witch, who politely asked for our help to create a festive potion. My little boy said this was magical, and felt very honoured to have been asked for help. He was also delighted with the Boggle telling festive jokes in the treetops further down the trail, which culminated the silly, whimsical magic which makes BeWILDerwood such a special place for little ones to run wild and explore.
As we neared the end of the trail, we were delighted to spot Father Christmas on his sleigh. Whilst meet-and-greets with the man himself are not an option at BeWILDerwood this Christmas, we were more than happy with a quick ‘hello’ and a ‘ho, ho, ho,’ from across the frozen lake - we knew Father Christmas was in a rush to get back to the North Pole, with little more than a week left to prepare for Christmas Day.
Despite the cold, the warmth of those who work to make BeWILDerwood such a magical place for families made the experience a worthwhile visit - and we’d highly recommend it to other Boggles and Twiggles looking for the perfect night of magical, festive fun.
Taking place daily from now until December 23, tickets are £15.50 per person and include two Christmas gifts to take home (for all children). Limited tickets remaining.
To find out more about the Sparkly Light & Panto Trail and to book, visit the BeWILDerwood Cheshire website here.
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