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Hever Castle's Christmas event and Twilight Evenings with Great Ormond Street

08:51, 01 October 2020

updated: 21:03, 04 November 2020

Escape to Neverland this Christmas with a festive Peter Pan-themed trail.

Hever Castle is working with Great Ormond Street (GOSH), owner of the rights to Peter Pan since 1929, on its Christmas trail.

Hever Castle will be lit up this Christmas
Hever Castle will be lit up this Christmas

The castle will be closed during the second lockdown, but the festive experience can continue outside in the grounds.

Visitors can pretend they never grew up as they follow the one-way system around the trail in the grounds, which will be lit up.

Discover where Peter’s friends The Lost Boys live, visit the Mermaid Lagoon, the Native American camp and be wary of the Crocodile with his ticking clock as you tiptoe past to Captain Hook’s pirate ship at the dock. As the trail finishes, you can spot Nana the dog in her kennel.

In front of the castle, there will be the chance to ride the carousel for £1 extra and enjoy vintage fairground stalls including a coconut shy and hoopla. There will also be gifts to buy and festive food.

Hever Castle's library at Christmas
Hever Castle's library at Christmas

The Twilight Christmas experience in the evenings will see the gardens lit up, along with the castle and lake.

Twilight evenings will take place on each evening of the Christmas event for the first time this year.

The castle is due to reopen on Thursday, December 3 when rooms of the castle will also be traditionally decorated with twinkling lights and welcoming log fires. Castle sessions will be limited due to social distancing and tickets must be pre-booked (with gardens admission) and are pre-set to start 30 minutes after arrival times to the gardens.

Hever Castle will be festive inside and out
Hever Castle will be festive inside and out

As Father Christmas has been deemed a `key worker’, castle managers are exploring how they might work with him during this time to ensure his planned grotto can continue.

The magical grotto is due to have extra safety measures, including it being covered but in an open staged setting. Children can follow the paths to meet the Elves and Father Christmas in his toy workshop, with visits which must be pre-booked at £12 each in addition to gardens admission.

Grotto visits are also pre-set to start 30 minutes after arrival times to the gardens.

Visitors will be able to donate to Great Ormond Street as well as purchase a special Peter Pan or Tinkerbell cookie in the restaurants in aid of the charity.

The Christmas events run from Wednesdays to Sundays from November 21 and daily from Wednesday, December 9 to Christmas Eve.

For tickets and to book find out more here.

For more seasonal events across Kent this autumn and winter click here.

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