One thing that I love about the darker nights is light trails and winter events, and we have so many of those here in the North East. There’s plenty of them coming up over the next couple of months, but one of the newest and most exciting light events is happening at Raby Castle in County Durham!
The Glittering North is a right rumpus that’s taking over the grounds and gardens at Raby to transform it into a never seen before spectacle of live music, dance and captivating puppetry, which all comes alive after dark. It’s all centred around the North East’s Viking and Norse heritage, bringing iconic figures from the legends to life.
I got to go along for a sneak peek before they opened the doors, so keep scrolling to read my thoughts and to find out all the info you need to know.
Where is The Glittering North?
The Glittering North is on at Raby Castle (Staindrop, Darlington, DL2 3AH). The parking on site is free and it’s a short walk across the car park to enter the grounds.
When is The Glittering North on?
The Glittering North is on right now! You can enjoy this event from Saturday 12th October to Sunday 3rd November and tickets are available now on the Raby Castle website.
How much are tickets?
Tickets to this event cost £20 per adult, £13 for children aged between 4 and 15, and there are family tickets (two adults, three children) for £66. Children under 3 can visit for free. As this is a free flow event, you can spend as much time as you like in the grounds. We were there for about 2 hours.
Is this event accessible?
Yes! There are accessible routes around all of the grounds to view all areas and there will be staff around on each evening if you need further advice. As this is a night time event, there is reduced lighting, so this is something to be aware of.
What can I expect at The Glittering North?
If you’re a fan of light trail events or that cosy autumnal feeling, you will love The Glittering North. This event is an adventure into our history through sound, colour, puppetry and light. From the live musicians to the incredible puppets by Wild Rumpus, it completely dazzles. Some of the things you can expect on the night are storytelling with tales of Norse gods and shapeshifting beasts; twirling fire performances; raucous musicians with brass and fiddles; and gorgeous light artwork that will marvel people of all ages.
Some of the puppets include Gullinburstin, a boar with bristles made from gold that light up the sky, Sleipnir, a giant illuminated puppet horse with eight legs, and Odin’s ravens, who carry secrets to him.
You will also be able to enjoy hot food and some late night shopping at The Glittering North! The Vinery will be open to provide mac and cheese or warming stew, as well as delicious hot chocolates to keep your hands toasty. The Coach House will also be open for you to browse the gorgeous selection of autumnal homewares and gifts inside. There are so many beautiful bits and pieces – it’s difficult not to spend a fortune!
My review
We arrived at Raby Castle for 6pm and decided to start our evening in The Vinery. We thought it was a good idea to start the evening as warm as possible and dinner in the cafe was a great shout. We each got a mac and cheese with crispy onions, which did just the job. The longhorn beef stew also looked fantastic! The Vinery itself is such a lovely space, and so light and airy, even at night. Whether you go during the day or during this evening event, it’s a fab spot to eat.
We than headed to the Riding School for The Gathering, which is the storytelling, live music and fire performance segment of The Glittering North. As soon as we walked into the building, there was a helpful schedule on a blackboard that showed when each of the activities was happening. And luckily, they were planned in a way that each thing seamlessly blended into the next, so you could rotate round each one without missing anything.
We started with the live music, which was fantastic! The brass group had so much energy and I couldn’t help but bop along. I loved the way they interacted with the crowd and it really set the tone for the evening. We then moved on to the fire performances, which were so impressive. The duo were juggling and hula hooping with fire, and using fire poi, and the whole thing was stunning. There were plenty of ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ moments, for sure. We dropped in on the storytelling afterwards in the cosy Riding School room and it was the most magical atmosphere. It felt like you could be in front of a crackling fire in a comfy little hut.
The entrance of the Riding School is opposite an entrance to the Coach House, so it was only natural to visit the shop next. It had been done up so gorgeously for autumn with lots of seasonal displays. The homewares and gifts they stock are all so stunning, and I would buy the whole shop if I could! There’s dinnerware, food, soft furnishings, kids toys, the list just goes on. A little birdy tells me that their Christmas range is going to be available soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that!
We left the Coach House and walked back to The Vinery to get a hot chocolate. You can grab a regular, but I recommend giving one of the special ones a try. I had the Bailey’s hot chocolate and it was the perfect thing for the cold night. My sister had a gingerbread hot chocolate and it definitely doesn’t get more autumnal than that!
Then it was time for us to go on the Glittering Trail, the light trail part of the event. This is in the newly redeveloped walled garden and takes you through each section. The handy map shows you the route, but the way is guided by signs, so you won’t miss any of the artwork. We were absolutely amazed by all of the lights, but we especially loved the fish that greeted us as soon as we walked into the gardens – the lights on the trees really added to the underwater feeling. We also loved the golden boar puppet and Odin’s ravens had us in stitches. I won’t spoil it for you all, but it really was a magical trail.
Overall, the event was absolutely fabulous and a really great addition to the North East winter event calendar. It would be a brilliant thing for families to attend to see in the season. We had a great time and it felt like every second was full of magic. It was really different to any other light trails that we have in the area and I really recommend a visit!
Will you be booking tickets to The Glittering North at Raby Castle?
I was invited to The Glittering North in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.