A Yorkshire Christmas 2021

(For the lover of the last minute…)

(And the Outdoors!)

Bolton Abbey: Christmas 2019….. Those Pre-Pandemic times……

‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year…..’

Said some dude who didn’t have to organise the absolute HELL outta all things Christmas! I mean, Christmas shopping aside, bloody elves who really love shelves (don’t get me started on THAT epic yuletide regret), festive prep, parties, food, wrapping, mysterious disappearing sellotape…. maintaining a sense of FESTIVE CHEER!!!!

*deep breath …. pass the Mulled Wine…

And THEN! And THEN! You have the crushing expectation that there must be 7,000 wonderful Christmas Events to attend, to create those wonderful life-lasting memories….

* deep breath turns into hyper-ventilation…..

JEEEEEZ!

I do seriously love Christmas, down to my very core. I mean, if you cut me in December I bleed a combination of glitter and mulled wine.

BUT.

This Christmas booking frenzy has gone crazy this year. And the PRESSURE. The absolute PRESSURE of getting it right, the feeling that if you haven’t got Christmas organised down to a tee means you are a failure of a parent.

Well that just ain’t Christmas is it?! (I say that in a Jim Carrey Grinch voice, do you?! Nope. It’s just me isn’t it….)

Well. My blog is kinda about outdoors stuff to do with kids. (Might have noticed that!)

My blog is also about real life.

So enter………..

The Lover of the Last Minute (and definitely not disorganised) List of Christmas Stuff To Do That’s Outdoors in North Yorkshire that isn’t completely sold out already!

I KNOW! I’m entering it into the best title awards!

So here we go …

Fountains Abbey - Admittedly not at Christmas…..

Christmas at Fountains Abbey

📍 Outside Ripon, North Yorkshire

🧒 Suitable for all ages.

🎟 No pre-booking required. Carol concerts are ticketed on a first come first serve basis on arrival.

💰 Standard Admissions apply: Adults: £17 (£18.70 inc. Gift Aid) Child: £8.50 (£9.40 inc. Gift Aid) Family: £42.50 (£46.80 inc Gift Aid) 1 adult 2 children £25.50 (£28.10 with Gift Aid) - Free for National Trust Members.

This was by far my favourite find… why? Because it’s NO-BOOK. And who doesn’t love a no-book Christmas thang?! Admittedly, Storytime with Santa has been cancelled this year, but the Abbey is lit up, it has carols playing, and it has some live services and Christmassy musical wonderfulness along with a Percy the Park Keeper Festive trail, hot chocolate, mince pies and more!

Here are the dates:

📆 Abbey Lights: Every day after dusk between the 20/12/2021 - 4/1/2022 (Closed 24/25 December) The abbey will be lit up in rainbow lights.

📆 Percy the Park Keeper Festive Trail is running 4/12/2021 - 3/1/2022 (Closed 24/25 December) - The trail sheet costs £2.

📆 Carols by Candlelight: Amongst all the other Christmassy live music, there will be two live services held at 3pm. Numbers are limited so are on a first come first served basis.

AND FINALLY!

Here’s the link to the National Trust Website, where you can find out more!

Brimham Rocks

📍 Summerbridge, outside Harrogate, Nidderdale

📆 18/19/20 December (various times throughout the day)

🎟 Pre-Booking required

💰 £10/ child (inc. 1 accompanying adult) plus car parking charges (£6 for 4 hours, £9 for the day, free for NT members)

🧒 This activity is recommended for children over 5.

We love Brimham Rocks and this event is a rare festive change from a Santa visit. If you have older kids, who ask a LOT of questions, then you’ll know what I mean!

Described as being a ‘wonderful, winter storytelling experience that will take you on a mythical and enchanting journey’ around Brimham Rocks, this event will have you taking part in an interactive new story based on the nature you’ll experience all around you.

And for that. I LOVE THE SOUND OF THIS!!

According to the website, it lasts around 40 minutes and it’s for pre-booked tickets only. BUT. There are LOADS still available. Because I checked.

Today.

And the other day. And another day before that… (takes a while to write a Christmas Round Up!)

(which means this information is accurate as of the 10/11/2021)

I think we’ll check this one out. What about you?

Booking link is right here! Sticks, Stones & Christmas Tones - Interactive Storytelling with Richard Kay | National Trust

A festive Rudolph child in the Great Outdoors! See, getting more Christmassy now….

Stockeld Park: Ice Skating

📍 Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, North Yorkshire

📆 20/11/2021 - 4/1/2022

🎟 Pre-booking required.

💰 Skate Only Tickets: From £11 (including skate hire)

🧒 Ages 4 upwards. Ages 4-8 must be accompanied on the ice, ages 8-16 do not required supervision on the ice, but do require a parent at the side.

Now don’t get too excited. The Santa experience is sold out, and there is only EXTREMELY limited availability for the Winter Illuminations, but when I checked today, there was loads of availability for the Ice Skating. Like right up to Christmas!

Again, a great alternative for kids who aren’t really into that Santa thing anymore, and it can be booked separately from any of the other Stockeld Activities.

And as a consolation, if you don’t manage to get into the Winter Illuminations, you can see them from the 630 square metre ice rink.

Find out more about Stockeld Park Ice Skating here!

Santa’s Grotto at Ingleborough Cave

📍 Clapham, Yorkshire Dales

📆 All weekends in December until Christmas.

🧒 All ages!

🎟 Pre-Booking required.

💰 Adults: £10.50, Child: £13.50 (inc gift) Infants: 0-18 months: £5 (inc gift) Senior Citizen: £9.50

Long time followers from over on Instagram or Facebook will know how much we BLOODY LOVE A CAVE!

And a cave with Santa in it? Well, what could be better?!

Now this one IS a Santa Experience (hooray!) and we are told by Ingleborough cave that they do still have good availability (Double HOORAY!)

Quite frankly, the caves are stunning here. We visited in the Summer and it was one of my favourite caves to visit! Be prepared to walk for this one, access to the Grotto and Cave is via the Estate Nature Trail (cost of entry is included in the ticket price) although for very young or elderly visitors, they have put on a mini-bus. Check out our Gaping Gill walk from earlier this year to find out more about what’s involved in the walk bit, you could even replicate the walk we did to make a full day of it!

Booking information for Santa’s Grotto at Ingleborough Cave is here!

Whitby Winter Festival

📍 Whitby, North Yorkshire

📆 26/11/2021 - 2/1/2022 (except Christmas Day)

🎟 Pre-booking required. Good availability at weekends and school holidays (woo hoo!)

🧒 All ages from 4 upwards

💰 Adults 16+: £9.99 Child 4-15 £7.99 Family Skate: (4) £32.99 Wheelchair Users: £9.99 (includes carers ticket who must skate) Discounts are available for Whitby residents.

We were extremely grateful to be contacted by the Whitby Winter Festival team with details of their brilliant winter event! A full sized real ice rink is being installed in Whitby for the festive season for the FIRST TIME EVER!

And if you attend on the opening night, there will be an ice-skating display at 6pm too!

Find all the booking information for the Whitby Winter Festival here!

A Festive Harewood (And some children, posing for a ‘NICE Christmassy picture….’ *sigh…..

Mother Shipton’s Cave

📍 Knaresborough, North Yorkshire

📆 20/12/2021 - 24/12/2021

🧒 All ages. From our own experience, older children (school age +) get the best enjoyment from the experience of Mother Shipton’s Cave.

🎟 Pre-booked tickets only.

💰 Arrival by Car (5 people) £31

We are headed here this Christmas, and are EXCITED!! We have only ever visited Mother Shipton during the Summer and it was ace, so we hope Christmas will be magical!

The woodland around the cave is being transformed into a winter wonderland, with an enchanted Christmas village, and displays. The chief elf will meet you and take you to go and see Santa Claus! (Toys are not included in the ticket price, but can be added on when purchasing the ticket).

Find out all the booking information for Mother Shipton’s Christmas here!

Maybe see you there?!

Harrogate Christmas Fayre

📍 Cambridge Street and Market Place Harrogate, North Yorkshire

📆 3/12/2021 - 12/12/2021

🧒 All ages

🎟 No booking required

💰 Free

I LOVE a Christmas Fair! And with the one in Leeds cancelled this year, I was so happy to see this one was still on! Having not been before, I am working off the website, but what I have seen looks GOOD!

Amongst your usual arts and crafts and festive grub (and mulled wine, for what is a Christmas market without it?!), there will be children’s entertainment and music, all set amongst the Harrogate Christmas Lights.

I thought it was definitely worth a mention as a freebie!

There are still details to be released according to Harrogate Christmas Fayre website, so keep your eyes peeled!

Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm

📍 Brimham Rocks, North Yorkshire

🧒 Best suited to preschool/ younger children

💰 Adult 16+ £9.95 Children 18 months - 15 years £23.95 Under 18 months £10

📆 20 November 2021 - 24 December 2021

🎟 Pre-Booking essential

There is still good availability for this Christmas adventure! Brimham Rocks say that the elves will take you for a magical walk through the tunnels to meet Father Chrismas in his grotto before entering his Christmas Village, filled with Christmas cheer!

Help him to decorate gingerbread, listen to a Christmas tale with Mrs Claus, and meet the reindeer in Santa’s forest!

Gingerbread? Stories and SANTA?! What’s not to love?!

Find the booking details on the Brimham Rocks Activity Farm website.

Super Festive Lights! Harewood Christmas 2020.

And what about the availability for all the other classic outdoors based Yorkshire Activities?

I have spent my day today trawling these guys’ websites to find out their current availability…. Just shows how much I love you guys….!

Here is our list of ‘if you’re lucky you might squeeze in’ Christmas Outdoor Events!

🎄 Christmas at Harewood House: Weekends on the run up to Christmas are sold out or have extremely limited availability (I tried to book a family of 4 and was unable to for any of the slots available in the run up to Christmas. There is some availability in the week running up to Christmas (i.e. for the first week of the school holidays) but Christmas Eve is sold out. Midweek during December is also available, as is after Christmas. The Harewood Christmas details are here.

🎄 Bolton Abbey: Sold Out for all weekends and for the week running up to Christmas. Only mid week early December is available. Lucky enough to still be able to make it? Find the Bolton Abbey Christmas Experience here.

🎄 Lotherton Hall’s Christmas Experience: Santa Experience: Sold Out! Santa’s Cabin Tickets are available, but this event only runs Monday - Friday between the 29/11/2021 - 17/12/2021 and is suitable for very young children. There is still some limited availability for the Festive Woodland Walk. Find the Lotherton Hall Christmas Experience here.

🎄 Stockeld Park: Santa’s Panto and Meet and Greet is Sold Out! Winter Illuminations tickets have limited weekend and week approaching Christmas availability. There is some midweek availability during term time. Ice Skating has good availability. Book a Stockeld Park Christmas Experience here.

🎄 Thorp Perrow Christmas: Sold Out. Sorry, no squeezing in here, but always worth checking back to see if further tickets are released!

🎄 Castle Howard: An Audience with Father Christmas has sold out. BUT tickets were just released for the Courtyard Grotto on MONDAY! There is also some limited availability for the Christmas in Narnia Event. Book for Castle Howard here!

🎄 Thornton Hall Country Park: VIP Santa Experience is sold out. Toddler Christmas Experience runs midweek from 6/12/2021 - 16/12/2021. Some times are sold out, others with limited availability. The Christmas Adventure runs at weekends from the end of Nov. Most times are sold out, but there is some limited availability at the weekends, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon slots. Check out the Thornton Hall Website for more information.

🎄 Stump Cross Caverns: Rocking Santa! This experience will take you down into the spectacular cave system, and give you the chance to meet ROCKING SANTA! He definitely rocks! A lot is Sold Out, but there is some availability in the week running up to Christmas and on Sunday 5th December. Check out the Stump Cross Caverns webpage for more!

A very happy, stress free, Christmas run-up (that now begins in September apparently) to you from the Reluctant Explorers.

So there you have it!

Our kinda last minute, but I swear it was never last minute two years ago, November (yes NOVEMBER) list of things that are still good to book for Christmas!

And some that you might squeeze in, if you’re lucky!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS (in November….)