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Castle Park – Colchester 2024

6th December 2024 to 24th December 2024

Event Information

Dates: 6th to 24th December 2024

Times: First Entry is 17:00h and then slots every 15 minutes

Pre-booking Required: Yes

Ticket Types Available: Adult (16 and over), Child (3-15), Infant (Under 3)

Ticket Bands Available: Off Peak and Peak Tickets Available. Tickets available from £11.00 per adult and from £8 per child. Infants are free.

Location: Colchester Castle Park, Colchester, Essex, C01 1TJ – Entrance is located by the war memorial on the High Street only. There is no access to Enlightened from any other castle park entrance.

Enquiries: The event is organised by Enlightened Moments and all enquiries should be made via the contact details on this website. The event is not managed by Colchester Castle and the castle team will be unable to assist you with your enquiries.

Refund Policy: Tickets can only be cancelled and refunded during the 24 hour cooling off period from the time of booking, after which tickets are strictly non-refundable unless the event is cancelled by Enlightened Moments. Bookings can be cancelled and exchanged for a credit up to 14 days before the day of the event. Credits are valid for 24 months from date of issue.

Flexible upgrade: Bookings can be upgraded at the time of booking using the flexible upgrade option; allowing bookings to be cancelled and exchanged for a rebooking voucher up to 24 hours before the event instead of the standard 14 days.

Full terms and conditions are available: here

Please select a date and time slot to find available tickets

Good availability
Limited availability
Sold out
Event closed
Peak Day

17:00
17:15
17:30
17:45
18:00
18:15
18:30
18:45
19:00
19:15
19:30
19:45
20:00

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Entry into Enlightened is by pre-booked ticket only. Tickets are strictly limited for each time slot and date and must be booked in advance. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please ensure you have selected the correct date and time for Enlightened before completing your booking. As soon as you’ve completed the purchase of your tickets you will be shown your order number (please make a note of this) as well as a link to download your tickets immediately. You can also use your order number and email address to access your tickets via the “My Tickets” section of our website.

What People Say About ENLIGHTENED Trails

Emily Mudie

We’d not been before but knew it would be amazing from the videos on social media. It really was spectacular and I would highly recommend to everyone, not just families.

Hannah Usher

Fantastic hour spent. Enjoying a well orchestrated, imaginative and a true Christmas experience. The interactive side makes this stand out from so many other walks. The fairies make the whole thing just so magical ..... go and see for yourselves ...

Dawn Scrafield-Griffiths

It was an amazing experience. So well organised. Lovely guides along the way who were fun and added to the event.

Jaime Parker

First time to Enlightened at Hylands Park. Well worth the money for an lovely fun magical experience. Nice interactive parts for kids and adults. Really well done, would return again!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & EVENT INFORMATION

Do I need to pre-book?

Yes, tickets are limited for each time slot so must be pre-booked to guarantee entry and avoid disappointment.

How will my tickets arrive?

As soon as you’ve completed the purchase of your tickets you will be shown your order number (please make a note of this) as well as a link to download your tickets immediately. You can also use your order number and email address to access your tickets via the “My Tickets” section of our website.

Do children need to pay?

All children must book a ticket. Children under the age of 3 are free of charge but must still book a ticket. There is a charge for children age 3-15 years. Children 16 and over pay the adult price.

Can my tickets be changed or cancelled?

Your booking can not be changed or amended, however your booking can be cancelled and exchanged for a rebooking voucher up to 14 days before the day of the event. If you have paid for the flexible upgrade you can cancel and request a rebooking voucher up to 24 hours before the day of the event. Vouchers are valid for 24 months from date of issue and can be redeemed at any Enlightened Moments Trail.

Your booking can only cancelled during the 24 hour cooling off period from time of booking where a full refund or credit can be issued.

What happens if I cannot attend?

Unfortunately, due to the high demand for tickets, they are strictly non-refundable, however your booking can be cancelled and exchanged for a rebooking voucher up to 14 days before the day of the event. Credits are valid for 24 months from date of issue and can be redeemed at any Enlightened Moments Trail.

Are their different ticket prices for different days?

Yes, there are different ticket prices depending upon which day you wish to attend. We offer Off-Peak and Peak tickets for Enlightened. Ticket pricing for each day can be found on the booking page for each event. Remember – we offer Early Bird Discount tickets if booked by 31st March 2023.

Will refunds be offered if the event is cancelled due to poor weather conditions?

If Enlightened has to cancel the event before the advertised start time then full refunds will be offered or you can rebook for another date, subject to availability.

Will there be free parking?

The answer to this question varies depending upon which of our Enlightened trails you are attending:

For Enlightened at HYLANDS:

Parking is included when attending the event, please follow the signs for Hylands Park (not Hylands House) off Greenbury Way (A414). Please note there is NO ENTRY to the event via the London Road entrance, this gate will be locked at 5pm.

 For Enlightened at COLCHESTER:

There is no parking available at the event but there are lots of car parks available only a few minutes walk from the start of the trail.

For Enlightened at STAUNTON FARM:

Free parking is available.

For Enlightened at LEICESTER ABBEY PARK:

Parking is not provided. There are plenty of car parks within a short walk

For Enlightened at MARKSHALL:

Free parking is available.

How far is the walk around the Enlightened trail?

The Enchanted trail is approximately 1 mile in length. We estimate that the trail will take you around 1 hour to complete depending upon how long guests dwell at the installations.

Is site re-entry allowed?

Re-entry is not permitted.

Is it wheelchair/pushchair friendly?

For Enlightened at HYLANDS:

Our trail makes use of the paths around the properties, however these may be gravel in places and have a slight incline/decline at times. It is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but will get muddy!

For Enlightened at COLCHESTER:

Our trail at Castle Park, Colchester has a number of steps towards the start of the trail and may be unsuitable for wheelchair users. However, we do have a bypass route which is suitable for wheelchair users but does involve an incline.

For Enlightened at STAUNTON FARM:

Our trail makes use of the paths around the properties, however these may be gravel in places and have a slight incline/decline at times. It is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but will get muddy!

For Enlightened at BARLEYLANDS:

Our trail makes use of the paths around the properties, however these may be gravel in places and have a slight incline/decline at times. It is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but will get muddy!

For Enlightened at LEICESTER ABBEY PARK:

Our trail makes use of the paths around the properties, however these may be gravel in places and have a slight incline/decline at times. It is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but will get muddy!

For Enlightened at MARKSHALL:

Our trail makes use of the paths around the properties, however these may be gravel in places and have a slight incline/decline at times. It is accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, but will get muddy!

Will there be strobe or flashing lights?

There will be pulsating and flashing light effects across all sections of our light trails (with additional haze/smoke effects at various points). Customers with motion sensitivity are also advised there are sections of the trail with slow motion lighting effect.

Is there a discount for Carers?

Yes, one free carer ticket can be provided for each paying disabled visitor. Please select a free carer ticket at the time of booking. Please note, you may be asked to show one of the following to use your free carer ticket:

  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Attendance Allowance (AA)
  • Blind Persons Registration
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)
  • CredAbility’s Access Card with +1 symbol
  • CEA Card 
Are dogs allowed into the event?

Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted to attend many of trails, except at Hylands Estate and Markshall Estate where well behaved dogs are welcome so long as they are kept on a lead.

Our timed ticket is for 5.00pm, can we stay all evening?

We estimate that each party will take up to 1 hour to enjoy the trail.

What happens if it is raining or snowing?

Unless the weather presents a safety issue, the event will go ahead in all conditions (rain or shine!) so please come prepared. We suggest you wrap up warm and wear appropriate footwear for the winter weather.

 In extreme weather conditions where a safety issue is presented, notification of cancellation will be emailed to all ticket holders and also posted on our website and social media channels.

Can we arrive earlier in the day for the event?

No. You will not be admitted before your timed ticket slot, please ensure you arrive no earlier than your allocated slot.

How do the time ticket slots work?

Please arrive at the time you have booked for. Tickets are available every 15 minutes from the event opening time.

What is there to see at Enlightened

This is a night-time outdoor attraction that illuminates a dedicated trail of light around the grounds of the venue. On the trail there are numerous static and interactive light up attractions with an enchanting soundscape. The Enlightened trails have been newly designed for 2023 with event more installations. Refreshments and toilet facilities will be available.

Are refreshments included in the price of the ticket?

No, refreshments are not included in the price of the ticket but the food vendors do accept cash and card payments.

Will Father Christmas be at Enlightened?

No, Father Christmas is very busy at this time of year and is not planning to visit Enlightened

Is the event dark in places?

Please note, due to the type of the event, some areas of the site will have limited lighting. Please keep to the illuminated pathways at all times and keep track of younger visitors. Paths are uneven in places and may be slippery under foot in poor weather, so please wear suitable footwear. We advise visitors to wrap up warm as the event takes place throughout the grounds with no indoor shelter.

Do I need to print my tickets?

No, all you need to do is download your tickets on your mobile device and then show the QR code for each ticket to the stewards upon arrival.

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