Children parenting and family life

KATE Ferdinand has shown off her toned abs in Christmas PJs, while opening the doors to her stunning Dubai mansion. 

The 34-year-old revealed earlier this year that she and Rio had officially moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from Bromley, South East London.

At the time of the summer move, the star captioned an Instagram post: “A new chapter, a fresh start — because if we don’t try, we’ll never know.”

Now, sharing a peek inside their lives there, the stunning star posted some fabulous festive snaps in her matching Christmas pyjamas. 

“The Christmas celebrations have begun with our babies,” Kate penned, while posing with pals at her Dubai abode. 

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Kate displayed her toned abs and wore her highlighted locks down for the festive photoshoot. 

She flashed a look inside her and Rio’s huge Dubai mansion, with marble floors, as she wandered to the door with her kids to let her friends in. 

Kate and the girls then posed with Santa and The Grinch for a playful photo outside the front of the home. 

And the fitness fanatic also gave a glimpse of her Christmas dining table, equipped with goody bags for the kids. 

Fans rushed to the comments to rave about Kate’s look, as one penned: “Girls your pjs are so nice, where are they from please, you look beautiful.” 

A second person added: “awesome smile and beautiful figure honey,” while a third penned: “Wow, Kate, how amazing do you look.” 

Kate and Rio’s move

Last month, Kate posted a photo dump captioned “recently,” where she shared a string of interior shots. 

The home boasts a huge bedroom with a fluffy beige rug and large bed, with brown wardrobes running alongside one of the walls.

Marble staircases can also be spotted inside the stylish abode, with the entrance hall looking very bright and airy. 

A large black and white family photo can be spotted in the backdrop of one of Kate’s snaps in the home.

Kate flashed another look at the stunning marble entrance as she clutched a huge bouquet of red roses. 

In the lounge, the family have opted for a huge wraparound white sofa with patterned scatter cushions and a white table with a bouquet of roses in the middle. 

The famous family also appear to have an outdoor swimming pool at their residence, which Kate shared a peek at.

The married couple are parents to son Cree, four, and daughter Shae, two.

Rio also has three children from a previous marriage, Lorenz, Tate, 16, and Tia, 13. 

The move to Dubai is full circle for the footballer and former TOWIE star, who met there in 2016 after being introduced out there by mutual friends.

Rio proposed to Kate in Abu Dhabi two years later and the couple tied the knot one year on.

A source said of the couple: “It holds a special place in their hearts as that’s where they met and both could easily travel back and forth for their work commitments in the UK.

“As well as his sporting success Rio has a huge business portfolio now and there is lots of potential in the Middle East.”

VANESSA Hudgens has given birth to her second child!

The High School Musical star, 36, is now a mom of two after going into labor and welcoming her second bundle of joy into the world.

She said it was a “wild ride labor” and also detailed how the labor caused blood vessels in her eyes to pop as she shared a graphic photo.

Taking to her Instagram, Vanessa shared a photo of her on a hospital bed.

She could be seen laying on her side in a black T-shirt while holding her husband Cole Tucker’s hand tightly.

“Well…. I did it. Had another baby!!! What a wild ride labor is.

WAIT A SEC…

Vanessa Hudgens’ fans think she subtly announced she gave birth to 2nd child

“Big shout out to all the moms.

“It’s truly incredible what our bodies can do,” she penned.

Fans and friends flocked to the comments to congratulate Vanessa and Cole on their new arrival.

“That is a very beautiful picture and a wonderful amazing woman she is going to be a great mother,” penned one person.

“Congratulations gorgeous mama bear. Well done. It’s truly a miracle,” said a second.

A third person wrote, “Congratulation’s Vanessa and Cole! So Happy for you both. Enjoy your new beautiful bundle of joy.”

Vanessa is yet to share a photo of the baby, or reveal it’s gender or date of birth.

Vanessa’s fans were left convinced that the star had previously welcomed the baby during the week when she shared a post on Instagram.

The actress shared a stunning photo of herself on the beach on Friday (November 28) saying she was “very grateful”- but fans noticed something was missing.

Vanessa‘s baby bump appeared to be gone as she wore a white dress.

Vanessa’s followers responded with confusion over her missing baby bump.

“Did Vanessa already give birth to baby number 2?” one fan asked.

Another noted a clue in her caption.

“In her last 2 posts she has said how tried she is – so I’m thinking she has had baby,” they said. “2 under 2 years would be hard!”

Vanessa and her husband Cole welcomed a son in July 2024.

The couple did not announce their baby boy’s name name, but she did hint that it started with the letter T.

The actress then announced her pregnancy with her second child one year later, posting “round two!” as she showed off her bare baby bump.

LIVE the alpine dream in a national park, says writer Siobhan Ludlow.

The Yorkshire Dales is the perfect destination for great views and tranquility.

THE PAD

Can’t make it to the Alps this season?

Soak up views of the Yorkshire Dales National Park from the cosy Swiss Ski Station Pod at Catgill Farm instead.

This beaut is decked out with cute alpine touches and comes complete with a ski-lift gondola to sip tipples and snuggle up in, a wood-fired hot tub and a three-in-one fire pit/barbecue/pizza oven.

Lap up more lush countryside vistas from the master bed, while kids will love the bunks.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

From spring, Cat’s Kitchen serves up frothy cappuccinos, £3.50, and bacon butties, £5, alongside giant Jenga and Connect 4, and there are walks aplenty from the doorstep.

Don’t forget to pop by to pat the farm’s friendly alpacas, too.

EXPLORE

You’re only a 15-minute walk from the Bolton Abbey estate and majestic Priory ruins, which date back to the 12th century.

If you’re brave enough, take on the stepping stones across the River Wharfe, then follow the fun “welly walk” with its obstacles and balance beams.

Travel back in time (which your tummies will thank you for) with a full English aboard a vintage steam train on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.

Tickets cost from £25 for adults, £20 for kids (Embsay boltonabbeyrailway.org.uk).

Later, get your history fix exploring Skipton Castle and its pretty castle woods.

Entry costs £10.70 for adults, £6.90 for over-fives (Skiptoncastle.co.uk).

Meanwhile, a five-minute walk from Catgill, Hesketh Farm Park is brilliant for little ones, with its giant sandpit, tractor rides and plenty of animals to pet and feed.

Tickets cost £8 for everyone over two and it reopens in spring (Heskethfarmpark.co.uk).

REFUEL

Reward yourselves for hikes with a mouth-watering côte de boeuf with triple-cooked chips, seasonal greens and red wine jus, £95 for two people, at The Devonshire Arms, just 15 minutes’ walk away (Thedevonshirearms.co.uk).

Meanwhile, Tea On The Green in Bolton Abbey village offers great coffee and traybakes, but the soup with a home-made cheese scone, £9, is an absolute winner (Teaonthegreen.org).

And don’t leave Yorkshire until you’ve been transported to ’50s America at nearby Billy Bob’s Parlour.

Kids will have a riot in the brilliant playgrounds, and you’ll all love its Round The Campfire fluffy pancakes, £10.25, topped with rocky road and Kansas toffee-crunch ice cream, toasted marshmallows, mallow fluff and shards of cinder toffee.

Oh, and not forgetting the dollop of hot fudge sauce, too (Billybobsparlour.com).

BOOK IT

Stays in the Swiss Ski Station Pod at Catgill Farm cost from £189.99 per night (Catgillfarm.co.uk).

FAMILY on the sofa, food coma setting in, the annual arguments are raging. 

But there’s one thing we can all agree on: the best Christmas films are the ones we already know the words to.

Forget the streaming giants’ flops; Google’s latest trends data proves we are still watching the same five classics we’ve seen a hundred times.

According to Google search rankings for December 2024, the only movies that matter are: Home Alone (1990), Love Actually (2003), Elf (2003), Die Hard (1988), and The Holiday (2006). 

These aren’t just films – they’re Christmas crackers that rule the roost for the entire season.

Baby, it’s cold online

Let’s face facts, the last proper Christmas film breakthrough was Will Ferrell’s hilarious Elf. Why?

Back then, films became classics because they were hammered on to terrestrial TV every Christmas Eve, year after year. It was a shared moment.

Now? Streaming channels pump out festive films that disappear quicker than the cranberry sauce. Remember 2021’s Love Hard, anyone?

There’s no big, shared night; just another cheap, made-for-TV sequel you’ll forget by Boxing Day. 

At Christmas, we don’t want novelty, we want nostalgia! We crave the familiar faces, the iconic soundtracks and the quotes we grew up with.

Top of the tree

Home Alone is the undisputed king of Christmas, topping the search list again. 

Macaulay Culkin is still the only star guaranteed to keep the kids quiet, have the parents chuckling and give millennials that lovely warm feeling of childhood. 

Coming in second, Love Actually – the ultimate festive romcom. 

Of course it charts high, adults are the ones doing the searching! Packed with A-list talent like Hugh Grant and Keira Knightley, it’s a love letter to London that we feel we own. 

Elf, meanwhile, sits happily in the “children’s films that adults secretly love” category. Good clean fun.

The debate that never dies

Every year, social media repeats the same classic film debates: should the Home Alone parents be arrested for gross negligence? Is the Grinch high-key relatable? 

But the one argument that will forever cause a family meltdown: is Die Hard a Christmas film?

Is it an action movie set at Christmas, or is John McClane a festive hero? We’ll never get a definitive answer, but the search numbers prove we’ll keep watching the chaos.

Bruce Willis bounces back into the charts partly because some people rewatch it purely to win the family argument!

The newest addition to the charts is The Holiday, featuring Cameron Diaz and the ridiculously handsome Jude Law. 

It has surpassed How the Grinch Stole Christmas for the first time. Why the sudden love? Algorithm-driven Christmas escapism. Cosy cottage-core and 2006 Jude Law at his best – it was a hit waiting to happen.

Maybe one day, a new festive favourite will break into the hallowed list and earn a permanent place. 

But until then, the classics will keep topping Google searches – because at Christmas, above all, we love a familiar story.

A STAR from Boy Meets World has revealed he has welcomed a baby girl.

Ben Savage has shared the joyous news that he has become a dad at 45.

The actor, who played the lead role of Cory Matthews on the ABC sitcom Boy Meets World and its Disney Channel sequel Girl Meets World, has shared the first snaps of his baby girl on Instagram.

Ben is married to Tessa Angermeier, whom he wed in March 2023.

And now the pair have welcomed their first child together.

Taking to the platform on Thanksgiving, Ben shared a selection of sweet photos to reveal the birth of their bundle of joy.

Alongside a carousel, Ben wrote simply: “Welcome little one.”

Fans flocked to the comments section to congratulate the actor and his partner on their arrival.

One person penned, “Girl meets world (for real).”

“Dad meets girl, congrats,” said a second.

“Awe congratulations!!! Boy meets baby. Much love to you and your sweet family,” penned a third.

A fourth then added, “Boy met his girl in this world!! Congrats!!”

“Awe how cute, so tiny. Girl meets world. Congratulations to you both,” said a fifth.

While a sixth person wrote, “Congrats man and happy Thanksgiving with the new baby.”

And a seventh added, “Congratulations! Enjoy every moment. Hope Mamma is doing well!”

Prior to Ben and Tessa’s wedding in 2023, the couple had been together for over four years.

Tessa made her first appearance on Ben’s Instagram in August 2018.

Ben’s wife is an Indiana native and currently works as a senior graphic designer.

She works for the company Ben Soleimani, a luxury furniture store in West Hollywood.

She is also the graphic designer, merchandise manager and tour manager for the band The Growlers.

THE countdown to Christmas is well and truly on.

With the holiday fast approaching, the calendar is stacked with fun shows guaranteed to spread festive cheer.

The Sun has handpicked an exciting range of productions across the country that are aimed specially at a younger audience.

And with everything from enchanting puppet shows to cheeky pantos on offer across England‘s major cities, families planning their next trip to the theatre are spoilt for choice.

London

Elf The Musical

Based on the hit holiday film, this musical adaptation brings the tale of main character Buddy – a human raised by elves – to the West End.

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Follow Buddy as he journeys from the North Pole to New York City, and enjoy a soundtrack that has seen it crowned the “ultimate Christmas show”.

Aldwych Theatre: October 28, 2025 – January 3, 2026 (ages 4+)

Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas

CBeebies star Maddie Moate has earned an Olivier Award nomination for Best Family Show with this science-y performance.

Maddie – along with elves Tinker and Goggles – makes a bit of a mess of Santa’s workshop with her fun experiments, so can the audience help her fix it up?

Garrick Theatre: December 12, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (ages 4+)

The Nutcracker: English National Ballet

It doesn’t get much more Christmassy than getting lost in the world of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

English National Ballet returns with a truly magical production of over 100 dancers that will amaze child audiences and leave them dreaming of tutus and the Land of Sweets.

London Coliseum: December 11, 2025 – January 11, 2026 (ages 5+)

Cinderella (Panto)

Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters and her Fairy Godmother are back on stage for the ultimate seasonal pantomime.

From outlandish costumes to show tunes and plenty of audience participation, get ready for a theatre extravaganza that all the family can enjoy.

Hackney Empire: November 22 – December 31, 2025 (all ages)

The Snowflake

This feel-good show tells the story of a little girl, her Pappie and a snowflake who are all searching for something.

Benji Davies’ picture book is transformed into an imaginative production complete with puppetry that will leave little ones charmed.

Polka Theatre: November 29, 2025 – January 25, 2026 (all ages)

The Snowman

Back for its 28th year, it’s safe to say that this dance-filled spectacle has become a winter favourite.

Hear the orchestra play the famous song Walking in the Air while The Snowman and his friends whisk you off to a dreamy wonderland.

Peacock Theatre: November 22, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (all ages)

Jack and the Beanstalk

Join Jack on his climb up the beanstalk for an evening of slapstick humour and catchy numbers.

Reimagined as a milkman, Jack prepares to confront the giant with a can of squirty cream.

King’s Head Theatre: November 23, 2025 – January 6, 2026 (all ages)

Manchester

The Muppet Christmas Carol In Concert

Watching the Muppet version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a holiday staple for many families.

You can turn the magic up a notch at this concert and film viewing, where a live orchestra accompanies Kermit, Gonzo, Rizzo and Scrooge on the big screen.

The Bridgewater Hall: November 22, 2025

Robin Hood: The Magical Panto Adventure

The Merry Men live up to their name in this action-packed panto starring Jason Manford.

Expect mischief as the timeless story takes on a festive, musical theatre twist.

Opera House Manchester: December 6, 2025 – January 4, 2026

Rumpelstiltskin

This fairytale is brought to life by an all-local Mancunian cast.

Grumpy Rumpelstiltskin fills the theatre with holiday cheer and all the trimmings of a great pantomime, getting five-star reviews.

Contact Theatre: December 11 – 31, 2025 (all ages)

Birmingham

The Owl Who Came for Christmas

When Rosie the Owl finds herself in a family’s Christmas tree, her new hosts must help her find her way back home.

The audience can get involved in this charming production as performers and puppeteers tell Rosie’s story.

Midlands Arts Centre: December 1 – 28, 2025 (ages 3+)

The Nutcracker: Birmingham Royal Ballet

You don’t need to go to London to see world-class ballerinas, and Birmingham Royal Ballet’s “wow-factor” Christmas production boasts everything from snowfall to swordfights.

Audio described, signed and relaxed performances are available, meaning children with additional needs can also be enchanted in a way that’s comfortable for them.

Birmingham Hippodrome: November 21 – December 13, 2025

No Such Thing As Wolves

Hettie Hedgehog and Sydney Squirrel take centre stage in the latest show by My First Musical – then wolves step on the scene.

Spend an evening howling with laughter while Hettie and Sydney try to make new friends on their wintry adventure.

Birmingham Hippodrome: December 6, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (ages 3+)

Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas

London’s most iconic detective does some seasonal sleuthing in this comedy whodunnit with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

It’s best for those aged 10 and upwards, but kids as young as five are welcome.

Birmingham Rep: November 14, 2025 – January 18, 2026 (ages 10+)

Liverpool

Little Bear with the Christmas Lights

Despite her Christmas prep almost being complete, Little Bear is missing the perfect twinkly lights.

Little ones can accompany her on an interactive, sensory adventure to find the perfect lights – but watch out for snowballs!

Shakespeare North Playhouse: December 18, 2025 – December 24, 2025

Horrible Histories: Horrible Christmas

One brave boy is on a mission to save Christmas from Santa himself, and he’ll be encountering Victorian villains and Medieval monks along the way.

There are only two performances of this show, so secure a ticket while you can.

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall: December 18, 2025 (ages 4+)

Cinderella

If you prefer a play to a panto, this new production brings the spellbinding fairytale to life in a new way.

Adapted with a local twist, Prince Flarf must search the Kingdom of Prescotisia to find the owner of the glass slipper.

Shakespeare North Playhouse: November 21, 2025 – January 10, 2026 (all ages)

Leeds

Stick Man

Stick Man gets into a bit of a pickle when he goes out for a morning jog in the snow.

Freckle Productions’ award-winning show features music, dancing and puppetry by its trio of actors as Stick Man tries to get back to his family tree.

Leeds Playhouse: December 6, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (ages 3+)

Aladdin: The Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto

Celebrated as “the pinnacle of panto”, this festive production sees Aladdin return on his flying carpet.

Plus, all its rock ‘n’ roll numbers are performed live on stage by a cast of multi-talented actor-musicians.

City Varieties Music Hall: November 28, 2025 – January 11, 2026 (ages 4+)

The Elves and the Storyteller

The Storyteller once held so much magic, but now, they seem to have lost their sparkle – can two little elves complete a mission from Father Christmas to help them get it back?

This show has a ‘Pay What You Can’ pricing system, so it can even be enjoyed on a tight budget.

Leeds Central Library: December 6 – 31, 2025 (ages 4+)

Christopher’s Christmas

Written specially for younger kids, this chaotic Christmassy tale is all about Christopher Nibble the guinea pig.

Father Christmas gets lost after his Santa Nav breaks, and it’s all up to Christopher and his family to try and save the holiday.

Carriageworks Theatre: December 14 – 31, 2025 (ages 2+)

Newcastle

The Big Family Christmas Show!

A family comedy show that’s appropriate but funny for all ages is back by popular demand, complete with sketches, songs and stand-up.

There’s only one performance of this “must-do event”, so grab a ticket early to avoid disappointment.

The Stand Comedy Club: December 21, 2025 (ages 5+)

Rockin’ Reindeer

Nestled within Newcastle’s Christmas Village but with sheltered seating, the Rockin’ Reindeer stage is where you’ll find a range of mini shows bringing iconic Christmas characters to life.

Pick between The Grinch, Santa’s Superstars, The Ice Kingdom and Tinsel Tots.

Old Eldon Square: November 15 – December 24, 2025

Where Do All The Kittiwakes Go At Christmas?

Without any fish ‘n’ chips to steal on the winter beaches, a couple seaside birds find somewhere else to go.

This alternative production is performed with a two-person cast and has been created using ideas from local schoolchildren.

Live Theatre: December 9 – 21, 2025 (all ages)

Bristol

A Christmas Carol

Prepare to spend a ghostly evening with Ebenezer Scrooge.

Dickens’ classic tale will take you on a journey from “Bah, humbug!” to yuletide warmth using humour – and just a little bit of haunting.

Redgrave Theatre: November 24 – 29, 2025 (ages 8+)

Rapunzel: A Hairy Tale

Original music, playful plot twists and plenty of hair are at the heart of this mischievous adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairytale.

You can also enjoy BSL interpreted performances as well as captioned shows on selected dates.

Factory Theatre: November 27, 2025 – January 17, 2026 (ages 7+)

Antarctica

In the space of “a magical 50 minutes”, Antarctica transports the audience to the snowy South Pole to join penguins and explorers.

For an extra cosy evening, book a pyjama night performance and watch the story unfold while wearing your comfies and sipping on a hot chocolate topped with marshmallows.

The Weston Studio: December 5, 2025 – January 10, 2026 (all ages)

All Wrapped Up

Performers of all ages star in this showstopping, foot-tapping treat.

The venue also offers pre-show pizzas, so you can fill your tummy before the belly-aching laughter begins.

Hen & Chicken Studio: December 15 – 17, 2025

The Snowman in Concert: Music, Story & Performance

Spellbinding narrators, aerial performers and a live musicians come together in a theatrical triple-whammy.

Feel the magic of well-known story as this enchanting production melts your heart.

Spiegeltent: December 13, 2025 (all ages)

ZOOTROPOLIS 2 star Ginnifer Goodwin says her kids would mock her for saying she voiced the main character, rabbit Judy Hopps, and refused to believe it was really her.

The actress, who attended the London premiere of the Disney animated adventure yesterday, previously spoke to Bizarre’s Jack at Walt Disney World in Florida, while she was at the launch of the park’s new Zootopia attraction – the film’s name in the US.

Ginnifer, who is married to Josh Dallas, her co- star in TV fantasy series Once Upon A Time, said: “My kids still don’t feel comfortable with watching me on screen.

“Even though they are obsessed with Disney, they have never seen more than the pilot of Once Upon A Time, which they did love but they said it was weird for them – even though Mummy and Daddy are together in the show.

“A few years after, I showed them Zootropolis.

“Someone said to them, ‘That’s your mum’, and they were like, ‘That is a rabbit and it’s not our mum’.

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“My eldest replied, ‘I know Mum thinks she sounds like that rabbit but she doesn’t’.”

And Ginnifer said of the sequel to the 2016 original, which opens in cinemas on Friday: “I was ecstatic to grow with the character and it may be a bit weird to say about your own product, but I do think it’s outrage-ously good.”

I’M a Travel Editor who also happens to be a London mum of a six-year -old – and while we spend plenty of time travelling the world, one of my favourite places to explore is my home city.

Because London is one of the best cities in the world for families, with stacks of free attractions, great parks, child-friendly restaurants and pubs.

In fact, I have spent whole days out with my son in London at museums, galleries and theatre shows, without spending more than £50.

So if you’re planning a family trip to London, here are some of my favourite places to go with kids in the city.

Free attractions

There are so many free attractions in London that you could fill a week’s worth of activities without spending a penny on tickets.

Of course, three of the biggest are always worth a visit – the British Museum, Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

I’d say the earliest your child is like to be interested in the British Museum, near Russell Square, is around six years old.

The exhibits are better suited to older children and adults, but they have gone to great lengths to make things interesting to young children too, like museum explorer trail guides and the Gallery backpacks.

Inside the bags are a number of items and activities, including hieroglyphs, toy animals, amulets and even fancy dress.

Be sure not to miss the mummies in the Ancient Egyptian section, hugely popular with anyone aged 6 to 96. Although it does get very busy.

The Science Museum in South Kensington is perfect for kids of all ages, I’ve been taking my child there since he was a one-year-old, as the interactive ‘Garden’ in the basement is perfect for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

There are plenty of excellent free exhibitions around the museum – one of our favourites being the Space section – but the most popular (and deservedly so) is the Wonderlab, an interactive gallery featuring numerous experiments that will fascinate children aged 3-14. Tickets cost from £15 for this area.

The neighbouring Natural History Museum is another one with some excellent paying exhibits, but the dinosaur gallery is free and perfect for kids, as is the creepy crawlies gallery and the Earth Hall.

For more of an arty trip, try the Tate Modern – my son loves the Pop Art and the huge installations in the Turbine Hall.

But his favourite is Tate Draw, where kids can make their own creations on a bank of screens, an activity that kept him busy for over an hour.

Further down the South Bank is the Southbank centre, which offers some of my favourite free activities on weekends and in school holidays.

My son has been to Lego-building, screen printing and even helped to build a Moomin House with real saws, wood and hammers at the venue, all completely free.

It’s worth checking if you need to book in advance though, as tickets for the free events go very fast.

For an event they’re sure to remember forever – I still have a hazy recollection of my first Changing Of The Guard at Buckingham Palace when I was just seven years old, and my son went last year and loved it too.

The ceremony takes place at 11am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and it’s worth getting there early for a good spot.

For something considerably more modern, try the Outernet – the huge multi-screened space on Tottenham Court Road that claims to be the most visited cultural attraction in the UK.

The space shows a series of artist-made short films, some of which invite audience participation, and it’s so entertaining that my son and I are happy to sit there for an hour.

Pubs And Restaurants

Taking a child to a pub or restaurant can strike fear into the heart of any parent – will they sit still? Will they eat? It’s a culinary minefield.

Here are some of my favourite places that welcome children.

Brewdog Waterloo is easily my favourite pub in London for families.

It has an indoor slide, a duckpin bowling alley, scavenger hunts and face painting during school holidays, an ice cream van, ping pong tables and an extensive kids’ menu.

It gets quite busy after 5pm with post-work drinkers, but any time before that and you feel like it’s perfectly acceptable that your kid is doing their 20th lap of the pub to reach the two-storey slide.

Much like Brewdog, Sixes cricket bars have excellent activities for kids – their high-tech batting cages mean children can burn off some serious energy while you sip on a pint

They also have tasty food to suit everyone – my personal favourite is the flaming candy floss pudding in the giant martini glass.

As a Travel Editor who has taken my child to many restaurants over the years, I’ve recently hit upon a surprising winner – ramen.

Introduce a child to chopsticks and noodles in a bowl, and they’ll stay entertained for at least half an hour.

Tonkotsu has a chain of ramen restaurants across London, with both bento boxes for kids and non-spicy ramen bowls.

Particularly adventurous child who doesn’t mind a queue? Try Borough Market on a Monday or Tuesday, when it’s less crowded.

They’ll love the bowls of free bite-sized food the traders leave out to tempt you and the hot stations round the back really do have something for everyone.

You can indulge your love of Thai or Indian, while they chow down on pizza or fish and chips.

Then you can share some of those ludicrous strawberries in chocolate or a giant brownie for afters.

If you’re looking for a fancy restaurant, I can’t speak highly enough of the Rosewood Hotel’s Holborn Dining Room.

They have the most beautiful Rosewood-themed activity books for kids to fill in and the huge bowl of sausage and mash went down a treat, as did the chance to pet the very cute Labradors who stand on duty at the entrance.

Parks

London’s parks are second to none – I’ve never been to a city in the world that has so many, with such a variation.

Perfect if you’re paying a visit to Battersea Power Station, Battersea Park playground is excellent for many reasons.

Firstly, it has a Go Ape next door, so you can easily kill at least four hours in a 100-metre radius.

Secondly, the playground itself is excellent with two different areas for older and younger kids that feature huge slides, trapezes, massive climbing frames and plenty more.

It is particularly great for parents because the park cafe serves beer and pizzas, and you can grab a table with a perfect view of the playground – great for keeping an eye on your kid AND people watching, as I’ve never visited this playground without spotting a celebrity.

One of my favourite parks if you’re in the centre of town is Coram’s Fields, a seven-acre walled playground in the heart of Bloomsbury.

It feels particularly safe in the centre of busy London because they have a rule that ‘no adult can enter without a child.’

If you’re exploring the many attractions the South Bank has to offer, then it’s well worth stopping by the Jubilee Gardens playground, next to the London Eye.

Smaller than the others I’ve mentioned, it’s very well designed and perfect for those kids who need to run off some steam in between organised fun.

A little bit further out, Greenwich Park playground is possibly my favourite in London (while the Princess Diana Memorial Playground is closed for renovations).

It has all the usual suspects, as well as an excellent sand and water play area – so remember to bring some plastic cups and spades.

Plus afterwards, you can walk to the top of the hill in the park, for great views of the capital.

Paid for attractions

OK, there are many that I could have shared here, but these are some of the paid-for attractions that have been the biggest hits with my child from the ages of 3-6.

As every parent knows, attractions with lots of ‘look don’t touch’ rules are a nightmare for those with inquisitive kids which is why HMS Belfast is such a winner (adult tickets £26.35 and kids £13.15).

Built to last at sea in wartime, this Royal Navy ship moored on the Thames near London Bridge is not in the least bothered about curious little hands.

They have audioguides for older kids and activity packs for younger children.

My son spent three hours exploring every level of this battle ship and would easily have stayed for a further three.

Speaking of ships, the Golden Hinde further along the South Bank near the Globe Theatre is another hit.

A seaworthy reconstruction of the ship captained by Francis Drake when he sailed around the world in the 16th century, the attraction has particularly great value activities on during school holidays.

For just £8, my son took part in a 1.5-hour session onboard where they went on a scavenger hunt, learnt how to fire cannons, had a tour of the ship and practised (foam) sword fighting.

When it comes to the pricier attractions, one of our most memorable days out has been a ride on the Thames Rockets – the speedboat tours of the River Thames.

We went on their new 26-seater boat The Rocket Rebel, for a hair-raising trip accompanied by some of London’s best pop and rock music.

Then on the way back, the hilarious tour guide filled us in on some very interesting titbits about the capital as we passed the many famous landmarks.

With adults from £59.95 and kids from £49.95 it’s not cheap, but it is an absolutely brilliant way to sight see the city that guarantees the kids won’t moan about being bored.

Theatre Shows and Culture

This is a tricky one, because if you’re aiming for theatre that young kids will love then shows tend to be limited to school holidays.

But of the big budget ones that I’ve seen which will not disappoint – The Lion King and Starlight Express are perfect for all ages from 6 to 96.

Other than that, take a gamble by signing up to discount ticket websites like Show Film First and The Audience Club several weeks ahead of your visit.

They operate as seatfiller sites and I have found Band A and B tickets for £15 to huge shows on both websites.

Also, check out what the Southbank Centre has on offer. They have so many free cultural events aimed at families, from art to dancing, building and live music.

Plus, in the summertime your kid can play in the Jeppe Hein Appearing Rooms fountains, with views of the Thames.

SHE was known for late-night partying with showbiz pals during her ladette days and Sara Cox admits that behind doors she was full of energy too.

The DJ says “no surface was safe” when she was at home with her advertising executive husband Ben Cyzer, who she has been with for two decades.

But flash forward to today and the 50-year-old mum of three says that “every surface is safe” and they often sleep in separate rooms because she can’t stand his snoring.

Sara said: “When I sometimes get on my little stool in the kitchen to reach for some Tupperware, I do think, ‘Oh, look, my fun area is really parallel with his face right at the moment’.

“But as the kids get older, you just can’t be doing that — they’d never get past it.

“I mean, when you’re in your early 30s and stuff, no surface is safe in the kitchen or the bathroom, is it? But now pretty much everywhere is safe.”

Sara, who has just completed the equivalent of five marathons in five days to raise an astonishing £10million for Children In Need, opened up about their sleeping habits at home in North London.

Just days before the epic fundraiser, she told The Teen Commandments Podcast: “This is my issue that I’ve got with Ben in the night.

“Just general breathing — just him breathing is annoying. Not during the day, I have to point that out. I just mean any slight noises.

“You know on a wildlife documentary where they have a shot of an animal that’s on high alert for a predator? I think I’ve got that kind of feeling in the middle of the night.

“Like, if I just hear the tiniest sound, it’s so magnified in the middle of the night — I think there’s a bit of anxiety in there.

“Because I remember in my 20s, if I woke up at 1.30am — well, I probably wouldn’t be in bed at half one — but if I woke in the middle of the night and it was like 3am in my 20s, I’d be, like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got loads of time to sleep, amazing’.

“And now I’m 50, I just go, ‘F**k, it’s three, I’m not going to sleep’. I nudge him and he’s really patient — he’s great about it. But we keep sleeping in ­separate rooms, which is a bit depressing.”

Bolton-born Sara doubtless needs plenty of rest after running a total of 135 miles from Kielder Forest in Northumberland to ­Pudsey in Leeds earlier this month — carrying the annual Beeb telethon’s mascot ­Pudsey Bear on her back.

During her Great Northern Marathon Challenge, the star was sent a message of encouragement by Prince William, who said: “Keep going — you’ve done fantastically well and the nation’s so proud of you.”

Sara says she was inspired to raise money for vulnerable kids after recalling the bullying she suffered at school from “two girls who made my life hell”.

This week she revealed she battled through the challenge by listening to tracks by rapper Stormzy and said it was a lot tougher than she ever expected.

Behind-the-scenes footage shown on Sara Cox: Every Step Of The Way For Children In Need, on BBC One on Wednesday, revealed the heartbreaking reason she decided to take on the challenge.

And now I’m 50, I just go, ‘F**k, it’s three, I’m not going to sleep’

Sara said: “My brother David died suddenly in 2019 and it completely destroyed the family — like, it came out of nowhere and he was a real athlete who ran countless Ironman competitions.

“I don’t think he’d believe I’m doing this, I think he’d be super-proud. I’m hoping that I’ve just got a bit of strength from him today.”

Sara’s children are now nearly the age she was when she found fame. Her eldest, Lola — from her first marriage — is 21, while Isaac and Renee are 17 and 15 respectively.

Sara had been working as a model when, at the age of 22 she landed her first TV job hosting The Girlie Show on Channel 4.

Two years later she became a presenter on The Big Breakfast and a year on, in 1999, it was announced she would take over the Radio 1 Breakfast show.

Known as “Coxy” back then, she worked — and partied — hard. Her pals included fellow broadcaster Zoe Ball, model Gail Porter, actress Donna Air and TV host Jayne ­Middlemiss.

They became notorious for their wild nights and were dubbed ladettes — a term Sara has always hated, saying it suggested they were “just trying to be like the boys . . . and we were never trying to be like the boys”.

Her lifestyle changed dramatically when she became mum to Lola in 2004, a year before she separated from her first husband DJ Jon Carter, who she had married in 2001.

Sara began dating Ben, now 50, in 2005 and they married in 2013 a year after she signalled another shift by quitting BBC Radio 1 to host the breakfast show on its more mature sister ­station, Radio 2. ‘Mind-boggling behaviour’.

She has admitted: “Yes, I used to drink loads. I thought nothing of ­having wine with lunch then going to the pub later, but they were ­different times. It all stops when you have children, to be replaced with other things that are just as pleasurable.

“The first ten years of my career I was out a lot more and the second decade I was explaining my ­behaviour in the first decade and apologising for it.”

And she said she never felt pressure to bring back her “Coxy” alter ego, because she had “buried her with some vodka and Marlboro Lights”.

The first ten years of my career I was out a lot more and the second decade I was explaining my ­behaviour in the first decade and apologising for it

Now her work has changed too. The BBC Radio 2 presenter has been hosting the station’s Drivetime show since January 2019 and next up is a new BBC One series, starting on December 1, about professional model-makers, called The Marvellous ­Miniatures Workshop.

When she’s not on the TV or the radio, Sara is busy hosting The Teen Commandments podcast with her best friend Clare Hamilton, who she has known since they were ­children.

The pair launched the podcast in January, having raised five teenagers between them.

The show casts light on the “mind-boggling behaviour” of their ­youngsters and how they tackled it with “wisdom that only comes from being rule-breakers themselves”.

On this week’s episode, Sara reveal­ed she has been trying to break her family’s addiction to mobile phones.

She confided: “I just feel like a st mum because I am not stopping it, and I feel completely powerless.

My brother David died suddenly in 2019. He was a real athlete. I don’t think he’d believe I’m doing this, I think
he’d be super proud

“I did suggest something, but it was immediately . . .  I mean, the faces I was met with . . .

“I should have really got Ben more on side because what can happen sometimes is that I will suggest something for us to do as a family, and Ben will immediately side with the teenagers and undermine me.

“I told him that I wanted to do something where we start having more time together as a family and we put the phones away.

“So over dinner, I was like, ‘Right, this weekend, can we do it where we just have four hours without our phones or our laptops or anything?’

“Immediately, Ben piped up, ‘That’s too long’. I’m giving him daggers when the youngest pipes up that she’s got to revise. She needs her phone. Fair enough.

“But I’m really worried that we’re not living our lives together as a family, where we look at each other and where we chat and where we do things and hang out.

“So I’m just, like, ‘Whether we go out on a big dog walk or we just do something as a family, let’s put the phones away for four hours’.”

Sara is unlikely to be popping out for a stroll any time soon as she complains she cannot walk following her fundraising efforts.

But she still feels like she is in the best shape of her life, explaining on her podcast: “It’s good on this side of 50, I’ve got to say.

“I think — especially when you’re a woman — it’s always like, ‘How do you feel about turning 50? What are you going to do?’ But this age seems better than the alternative, babe.”

WITH the UK’s weather’s getting wet and windy, I’ve found the perfect indoor attraction to go for all ages, right in the middle of the country. 

As your kids get older, the normal soft play options just don’t hit the spot anymore – but thankfully some have had a glow up especially for teens.

So we visited Flip Out Coventry, which opened last Christmas, to see if it would get the thumbs up from my teen, tween and tiny. 

Based in a former department store in a city centre shopping mall, you enter through a hall of mirrors and an arcade before exploring 13 attractions set over two floors of fun.

With a ninja warrior course, laser tag, bumper cars and drift trikes, I hardly saw the older two while we were there.

You know you’re onto a winner when the bank of PS5s loaded with games like Minecraft and Fifa don’t even get a look in, because your youngsters are too busy running from attraction to attraction.

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I think the dark space and graffiti vibe of the upper floor really appealed to my 11-year-old and 13-year-old, feeling a bit more grown-up than the bright lights and primary colours of soft plays aimed at younger children. 

But there was still lots to love for primary aged children here too.

My six-year-old enjoyed the inflatables, roller rink and football zone.

He was just tall enough to drive a dodgem by himself, so he spent a while whizzing around to his heart’s content.

The roller rink was a good chance for him to try out skating, with plenty of boots in all sizes.

And the drop slide to get from one storey to the other was a fun alternative to taking the stairs.

For little ones, there’s a dedicated toddler soft play next to the cafe area, so they can play in safety while tired parents have a rest nearby, hot drink in hand.

Family tickets for two hours are normally £65 for four people or £80 for five.

But we bagged an absolute bargain on a discount days out website, buying a half price family pass for £32 – £8 per person for two hours of unlimited activities.

My spectator ticket meant I couldn’t take part in the activities, but you can redeem your £3 entry back against refreshments from the on-site diner.

It’s handy if you’ve got kids who are old enough to play by themselves but you want to stay close by to supervise.

Looking at similar attractions elsewhere, you’d be paying around £8 to £10 per activity per person on a UK holiday park, so it’s great that you’ve got so much included in the price here and all under one roof.

If you’re not sure how your little ones will take to roller skating or if they will enjoy laser tag, you can let them have a quick go here and you won’t have wasted your money if it’s not their cup of tea, because they can move on to another activity.

The only downside to visiting the Coventry location is that it doesn’t have any trampolines, unlike a lot of its 35 sister sites across the UK.

A new Flip Out has only just opened in Leeds and there’s two more on the way in Wales and Scotland, so this could be a great indoor option, wherever you are in the country.

If you are heading to Coventry, Flip Out is just around the corner from The Wave, one of the UK’s largest indoor water parks.

While you’re in the area, I would recommend checking out Coventry’s Charterhouse, which was taken on by the National Trust earlier this year.

It’s a small but fascinating medieval monastic house, with a public playground just on the doorstep.

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Also on my Coventry to-do list is adventure playground Hermit’s Hollow at Coombe Abbey Park, which has just become free to enter. 

With family fun to be had at new attractions like Flip Out and Hermit’s Hollow, plus a refresh for established sites like Charterhouse and the Herbert, being sent to Coventry is a pleasure and not a punishment nowadays.

THERE’S a county in England that’s been my secret holiday hotspot since I was a child – and now it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.

I love a trip to Lincolnshire, which has something for everyone, whether you love castles, coastline, charming cobbled streets or grand country houses.

So it came as no surprise when Lincoln Castle was given gold for its overall visitor experience by VisitEngland, while Lincoln Guildhall won acclamation in the best told story and tour categories.

My first visit to Lincoln was when my grandma took me to the famous Christmas market in the 1990s.

It was lovely wandering the cobbles near the cathedral, browsing the stalls.

More recently, the market became a victim of its own success and hasn’t run for a couple of years now, because the city became overwhelmed by the number of visitors thronging its historic streets.

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But there’s still loads to do in the county town over the festive season, with carol concerts galore at the cathedral, an illuminated light trail at the castle and hand-carved ice sculptures throughout the city centre on the first weekend in December.

Thirty miles away, on the border between Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, is Belvoir Castle, near Grantham, which was recognised by VisitEngland in the best told story category.

And Mrs Smith’s Cottage in Navenby, halfway between Lincoln and Grantham, was named a hidden gem.

It must have been quite difficult to single out just a few attractions for recognition, as Lincolnshire has a lot to offer when it comes to affordable days out and holidays.

It’s always been a popular destination for Midlands folk heading to the coast, but seems to have slipped below the radar for much of the rest of the country.

I’ve been visiting Sutton on Sea, Mablethorpe and Skegness for as long as I can remember and I love to head back to that stretch of coast with my family, as it feels like a little slice of childhood nostalgia.

We used to stay in a chalet owned by a family friend, with a path down to the nearby beach.

Nowadays, we’re more likely to be found at Butlin’s in Skegness or Haven Golden Sands near Mablethorpe as we love the pools and family entertainment at both.

And more recently, I’ve discovered lots of great days out further inland.

If you want to give Lincolnshire a look, the area around Grantham is easily accessible and has lots to do.

Belton House has one of the biggest outdoor adventure playgrounds in the National Trust.

We often visit in the summer, when the gardens have extra family activities and the miniature train is usually running.

But lots of visitors head there in the winter for its award-winning light trail.

If you prefer smaller sites, I loved Woolsthorpe Manor, the birthplace of Isaac Newton where he is reputed to have discovered gravity when he watched an apple falling from a tree in the garden.

There’s a small hands-on science centre if you’ve got little ones who are keen to follow in Newton’s footsteps.

If you’re after somewhere to stay to explore everything the county has to offer, I really rate Away Resorts Tattershall Lakes, which is about 45 minutes from the coast, Lincoln and Grantham.

It’s a great base for days out, no matter which direction you drive.

It has lovely hot tub lodges, an indoor splash pad for little ones with a view out over the lake, a lakeside lido for summer swimming and an atmospheric spiegeltent for shows, which really comes into its own at Christmas time.

And just nearby is the Kinema in the Woods, which has been running in a converted sports pavilion for more than a century, making it one of the oldest cinemas in the country.

This quirky little spot is just one local that reflects the laid-back Lincolnshire way of life.

It’s lovely to see this much-loved Midlands mecca finally getting a bit of the limelight.

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For more recommended spots by VisitEngland, here are the 20 most-visited attractions in England that are completely free to enter.

Plus, Britain’s best hidden gems have been named from free museums to brewery tours.

AS the nights draw in and the festive season gets closer, many of us are looking forward hanging up some Christmas lights.

But it’s not just the halls that get decked.

Many gardens and unique spaces across the country transform into glimmering wonderlands – the perfect places to get in the festive spirit.

Here are 12 of the most magical light shows that are set to illuminate England with holiday cheer this winter.

Kew Gardens, London

Dates: November 14, 2025 – January 4, 2026 (selected dates)
Tickets: Adults £27.50, children £18, under 4s free

Year on year, the light trail at Kew Gardens is firm favourite of the seasonal calendar.

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Christmas at Kew is a true spectacle, illuminating the UNESCO World Heritage site with sustainable LED lights and installations by leading artists.

Visitors can enjoy projections and music dotted all around the natural space, including at iconic spots like the Palm House fountain.

The three kilometre trail has a range of entertainment beyond lighting too.

Spot Father Christmas on your walk and enjoy delicious treats from food stalls along the route.

Last entry is between 7-8pm and tickets are limited, so book while you can.

Longleat, Wiltshire

Dates: November 8, 2025 – January 11, 2026
Tickets: Adults £34.95, children £26.20, under 3s free

Longleat is usually famous for its drive-through safari park, but come Christmastime it is its light show that really shines.

The trail displays thousands of imaginative lanterns, this year celebrating the theme of British Icons.

Look out for Wallace & Gromit, various British singers and authors, and landmarks like Tower Bridge and Stonehenge all aglow.

A Twilight ticket will give you access to this Festival of Light plus the Enchanted Christmas Tree Show, but you can also upgrade to a Day ticket to include the safari or book a ride on the Santa Train as an add-on.

Dunham Massey, Cheshire

Dates: November 14, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Tickets: Adults £19, children £12.50, under 3s free

Just outside Manchester lie the stunning grounds of Dunham Massey, a Grade I listed building and National Trust property.

Its light show is an after-dark experience complete with sparkling trees and colourful, 5m-tall stars.

Expect an immersive evening of sights and sounds created by award-winning producers, and the option to enjoy the fairground for an extra charge.

Entry is timed, so securing a slot is advised.

Winter Glow, Worcestershire

Dates: November 21 – December 31, 2025
Tickets: Adults £12.50, children £6.50, under 3s free

Local craftspeople and lighting designers are behind the show at Winter Glow in the Worcestershire countryside.

The trail is transformed into a winter dreamland with twinkling bulbs and fairytale structures.

It’s a super accessible experience, with sensory-friendly trails available on selected dates, dog friendly sessions on offer and full wheelchair access.

Northern Lights, Newcastle

Dates: November 27 – December 31, 2025
Tickets: Adults £15, children £5, under 3s free

Winding along the mile-long path at Leazes Park in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is fun for all the family.

Take in its 15 different illumination zones from Lantern Lane to the Butterfly Blizzard, and even a marshmallow roasting station.

More winter warmers are available from the park’s Christmas Village, access to which is included in the ticket price.

Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

Dates: November 14, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Tickets: Adults £24, children £18, under 3s free

This year, the illuminated trail at Blenheim Palace promises to be “bigger, better and brighter than ever before”.

The light show has already earned a place as one of the UK’s most popular trails.

Visitors can buy a combined ticket to access both the light trail and the palace or a ticket for the illuminations only.

Allow around an hour to explore the route, with extra time factored in to meet Father Christmas along the way or to stop at the chalet-style huts for tasty food and drink.

Helmingham Hall, Suffolk

Dates: November 14 – December 19, 2025
Tickets: Adults £20, children £10, under 2s free

Helmingham Hall’s gardens and parkland attract visitors all year round.

Where its flowers bloom in spring, lights glint in winter along the illuminated garden trail.

The mesmerising experience takes place after dusk, when you’ll cross a historic drawbridge and weave through shining walkways.

If that isn’t enough reason to go, grown-ups can enjoy a complimentary mulled wine with their ticket while kids can toast snacks at the firepits along the route.

And if you have a pooch, you can can bring them too.

Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool

Dates: November 28 – December 6, 2025
Tickets: Adults £9.50, children £7.50, under 3s free

The Light Before Christmas comes to Liverpool Cathedral for a fourth year running, and attending the show has become a yuletide tradition in the city.

As they journey through the building, ticket-holders will find enchanting scenes ranging from the nativity to Santa’s reindeer, plus candlelit areas.

There are even bean bags to lie on to take in the acoustics of Britain’s biggest cathedral and marvel at the projections on the ceiling.

A visitor last year said: “It’s the perfect thing to get you in the mood for Christmas”, while another commented: “I come every year and it’s always beautiful.”

Kids are also big fans of the event, with one saying: “It was really Christmassy and magical.”

Hever Castle, Kent

Dates: November 21, 2025 – January 2, 2026
Tickets: Adults £24.50, children £16, under 5s free

Follow the yellow brick road to Hever Castle for a themed light extravaganza.

This year the castle will be decked out in all things Wizard of Oz.

From spotting the flying monkeys in the Christmas tree forest to arriving at the Emerald City as the castle glows bright green, it promises to be an other-worldly visit.

Hever has traditional Christmas offerings too, with log fires burning inside the beautifully decorated rooms of the castle and fairy lights glittering in the grounds.

And don’t worry – despite being in Oz and not Lapland, little ones will still be able to pay a visit Father Christmas’ grotto.

Fairground ride tickets are just £2 each and can be purchased on the day.

Stockeld Park, Yorkshire

Dates: November 22, 2025 – January 5, 2026
Tickets: Adults & children £17.50, under 2s free

The Enchanted Forest at Stockeld Park transforms for the Christmas season.

Its woodland boasts interactive adventure playgrounds as well as an enormous snowflake-shaped maze made from 2,000 trees and lined with glistening lights.

After getting lost in the maze – which is included in the ticket – you can stop by cosy cabins in the woods for a hot chocolate and explore animations and soundscapes further along the trail.

Light Up Trails, Hampshire

Dates: November 27, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Tickets: Adults £20, children £12.50, under 2s free

Nestled among the greenery between Winchester and Southampton you will find a dazzling light display with all the trimmings.

The trail is divided into eight zones, each one offering a different feast for the eyes.

Catch the fibre-optic flowers in the Bloom and Glow zone, golden lanterns at Step into the Magic and a laser show at The Rhythm of Light.

Halfway along the trail you can warm up at its ski-themed Christmas Village and indulge in food from bratwurst to crepes.

Ashridge House, Hertfordshire

Dates: November 27, 2025 – January 1, 2026
Tickets: Adults £23.50, children £14.40, under 4s free

Ashridge House was once a royal residence of King Henry III, and its grounds are referred to to by insiders as the ‘Garden of Gardens’.

The stately home puts on a proper show at Christmas, where gentle gleaming lights meet impressive pyrotechnics and festive music.

A 115ft Ferris wheel gives you sweeping views of the 190 acres of garden below – book this at the online checkout.

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On the ground, showstoppers include the star-shaped tunnel and giant bauble field.

Dog-friendly nights are on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

PETER Andre has dropped a huge hint about doing a new TV series with wife Emily.

It comes just weeks after The Sun revealed the couple had pulled out of filming the second series of his daughter’s Princess’ reality show amid a feud with her mum Katie Price.

Peter, 52, has now teased that Emily, 36, and him have got a new TV project in the works.

The couple, who have been married since 2015, are well known faces on TV, and now it looks like they are set to get a new show.

Teasing this, Peter wrote in his Planet Peter column for this week’s New magazine: “Although I have some major solo projects launching in 2026, Emily and I are having exciting meetings about working together.

“We’ve got something very special lined up and we’ll let you know more soon.

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“The end of the year has come around very quickly – and there’s so much happening next year, I’m like, ‘Woah!’.

“But we’re going to have lots of fun, so watch this space.”

PULLING OUT OF FILMING

It comes after The Sun revealed how Peter and Emily wouldn’t be filming the second series of The Princess Diaries.

When the series catapulted onto TV screens over the summer, Princess‘ mum Katie – and Peter’s ex-wife – vented about the show.

The Sun revealed her secret heartache about being cut out of her TV series – and her vow to boycott it.

The former glamour model said she would not watch her daughter’s reality show after feeling left out of such an important thing in Princess’ life.

This then led to a huge public slanging match between Katie and her ex Peter, who did feature in the show.

In the latest turn of events, Peter and wife Emily have pulled out of starring in the second season of her show.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, a source revealed: “Basically Princess’s big moment was overshadowed by her rowing parents.

“It definitely took the shine off her.

“ITV wanted to see if they could come to an agreement where neither party would be involved.

“Pete was aggrieved but naturally said he would do what is best for Princess.”

The source continued: “She loves both her parents so much and never wants them to row.

“By just keeping her in the frame and neither of them on screen, it stops any unnecessary bickering in the public eye.

“Both Katie and Peter are continuing to support Princess in the background.”

FALL OUT

Back when the first series of Princess Andre’s reality show came out, Katie spoke about her ex-husband in her podcast.

“There’s no reason why both parents just can’t be there to support her. Now this isn’t about me. I have to clarify this,” Katie said in August.

“I don’t care that I’m not in Princess’ show.

“I don’t need to raise my profile by being on Princess’s show, I do enough stuff.

“All what I want to do, is just whatever my daughter does, and it’s the same with Junior, I don’t care if I’m in the background, but I want to watch her do her photo shoots, I wanna watch her do her signings, because that’s what I did.

“And my mom and you and Nan used to come along and support, and I’m proud of her.

“And I just wanna be there with her because I now I feel that I’ve missed out on so much.”

PETER HITS BACK

The Mysterious Girl singer then released a bombshell statement on the same day where he claimed that the two young adults were placed in his care when they were teens “for their safety”.

Taking to Instagram, Peter spoke out just hours after Katie said she had made contact with him after their fallout over daughter Princess amid her show.

In the statement shared on his social media page, Peter penned: “For sixteen years I have stayed silent in the face of repeated lies from my ex-wife and her family, out of respect for my children and loved ones.

“But staying silent has been incredibly frustrating. That ends today.”

He continued: “The latest comments about my children’s welfare and living arrangements compel me to set the record straight.

“For well-documented reasons, and for their safety, Junior and Princess came into my care in 2018 and remained with me until they reached adulthood.

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“In 2019, the family courts issued a legally binding order to enforce this arrangement.

“I have never made this public before out of respect for my children.”

SITTING in her car outside the hospital, Talia Oatway looks exhausted – her son Oakley is once again being treated, and this time the news is more terrifying than ever before.

The single mum-of-four and ex-partner of Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers may be drained, but as she tells The Sun all about her three-year-old’s diagnosis, she appears determined and ready to fight for his life.

Little Oakley was born with Apert syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes fusion of the skull, hands, and feet bones. At just three years old, he’s already been put under general anaesthetics 19 times, and last week, devastated Talia, 31, was told there is yet another issue he has to contend with – and this time it’s life-threatening hydrocephalus. 

Last year, Oakley ended up in a coma after complications during a planned operation on his skull. While initially, Talia expected him to be in hospital for five days, she ended up uprooting her life for seven weeks to be by his side.

Oakley has been living with just half his skull since then, after surgeons deemed it too dangerous to try to replace it.

Once they finally returned home, Talia soon realised something wasn’t right, but she wasn’t prepared for just how hard everything was about to become.

You don’t understand the pressure I’m under. At home, even when he’s well, you’re still looking for signs, thinking, ‘Is something going to happen?’

Talia on being a medical mum

She explains: “Since that admission, we’ve been back and forth with hospitals and coming to A&E because he kept vomiting non-stop to the point where he was getting too dehydrated and needed a drip. 

“Then he got diagnosed with something called CVS – cyclic vomiting syndrome. He gets migraines, then he starts projectile vomiting. And that was because he got meningitis last year. It triggered a neurological condition.”

Oakley was given medication, but wasn’t responding – concerned doctors rushed him in for a CT scan, where they discovered he had a condition called hydrocephalus, which is a build-up of fluid on the brain. 

Talia tells The Sun: “The CT scan also showed that he had a bit of brain damage at the front of the brain from the meningitis last year.

“It also showed that his forehead they’d rebuilt was absorbing a percentage of the bone.

“So he’s actually got less bone from last year when they removed part of it because his body was absorbing part of it because of the fluid.”

Doctors have now fitted a shunt in Oakley’s brain to drain the fluid, and he is being monitored in hospital to see how his body will react.

Fighting back tears, Talia says: “There’s a lot of stress around being vigilant with Oakley’s care, acting on instinct, acting on signs that he shows.

“But Oakley’s non-verbal. So it’s not as if he can say, ‘I’ve got a headache and I’m about to be sick’, or, ‘I feel dizzy’.

“The two conditions he’s got are exactly the same symptoms. However, one of them can be life-threatening if it’s not treated when it needs to be treated.”

Talia, who has made a name for herself online as a ‘medical mum’ influencer, has taken a step back from social media as she comes to terms with the latest development.

‘I don’t like to air dirty laundry’

She first became known when she started dating Geordie Shore star Aaron in 2017.

The pair had a whirlwind romance and welcomed three children in quick succession –  Romeo, five, Maddox, four, and Oakley.

Speaking about the start of their relationship, she reveals:  “We always wanted a big family. This sounds really cringe, but I love being a mum.

“I love being pregnant. I loved having the babies and the routine and the whole mum thing. I absolutely loved that. And I still love it.”

During her pregnancy with Oakley, doctors flagged that there could be an issue – she had two MRIs but was discharged from foetal medicine and was told everything was fine.

She says: “So when Oakley was born, obviously it was a shock.”

Asked when the true extent of his issues dawned on her, Talia says: “I don’t think it truly hit me until Oakley was about three months old when he was bouncing in and out of hospital.”

The pressure became too much, and Aaron made the decision that the relationship was over.

Asked about their split, she says: “I think the pressures of what comes with being a medical family, your priorities change. And the pressures that come with it are a lot. Speaking with other medical families, it takes a very, very strong couple to survive a relationship.

“Trauma, as in what your child goes through, the constant hospital stays, all of that sort of stuff… that’s just the way it went.”

Since their split, Aaron has hit out at Talia on a number of occasions, but she has mostly kept a dignified silence.

Last week, though, things reached boiling point, with the struggling mum admitting: “I do solo parent two of my children. Oakley’s here every single night, he has been for over a year, and the fact that this person can just go online and start talking about his medical care when he doesn’t attend any appointments, doesn’t attend hospital, is mind-blowing.” 

But having time to calm down, she adds: “I don’t like to air dirty laundry. I think my kids will grow up, and once things are on the internet, they will stay on the internet, and I’ve always been mindful of that.”

‘I got dealt these cards’

Asked how she is coping with it all, Talia explains: “I’ve had no option but to just put my big girl pants on and learn for my son.

“I got dealt these cards and I’ve got to deal with it and make sure my son’s always being cared for, always safe.

“I’m his advocate because he doesn’t speak. I say all the time, you don’t understand the pressure I’m under. At home, even when he’s well, you’re still looking for signs, thinking, ‘Is something going to happen?’, you’re waiting for the next thing.”

Oakley sleeps with the help of ventilation at home and uses oxygen when he’s unwell – he has a tube in his nose, which is seven centimetres long, to keep his airway open. Talia explains: “If that tube comes out, you’ve got to straightaway put that back in because that’s his breathing support.”

Talia is full of praise for the NHS, as well as Oakley’s lead respiratory consultant, who she describes as “amazing”.

She’s also seeing a psychologist once a week to help her process what is going on.

Talia won’t let herself think about a worst-case scenario.

Looking to the future, the mum is cautious and tells me: “I just want things to calm down for him. Have some time at home without hospital admissions, and enjoy being a child.

“I feel like he’s not really had that time to have that, because it has been quite a lot of hospital admissions – whether that’s an operation, a CT scan, lumbar drains, he’s had a lot of things done to him.”

In the meantime, Talia is enjoying the special little moments with her boy – and despite him being non-verbal, he has developed his own form of communication.

She says: “Affection is not very much at the moment because he’s also got a global developmental delay as well. But like I can say, ‘OK, can I have a kiss? Can I have a kiss?’

“Because he wears hearing aids, too, he still can hear a little bit. And he will give me a kiss, or I say, I’ll cuddle, and then I’ll pick him up, and he knows.

“It makes me appreciate things a lot more when he does do it, because it isn’t often.”

As the interview comes to an end, Talia heads back inside the hospital, and it’s clear that behind the social media persona is an incredibly strong, brave and caring woman doing it all on her own.

WITH rain and snow battering the UK, trying to keep the kids busy can be tricky.

Thankfully there are some amazing indoor play attractions to go to – including one that claims to be one of the biggest in Europe.

The Playhive is found at Stockeld Park in North Yorkshire, which is one of the biggest indoor playgrounds.

Having opened in 2022 after a multi-million pound project, it has since won a number of awards including being named the best in the country.

Earlier this year it has won an Association of Indoor Play award for the second year running.

The website states it is a “journey through four interconnected worlds of space, air, the jungle, and sea”.

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Inside is everything from massive spaceships – with rocket walkways, ladders and nets – to planes and submarines.

Jungle-themed climbing walls and under-the-sea play areas are also part of the attraction.

There are even toddler-friendly areas too although parents must leave buggies outside.

The attraction is open from 9:30am to 5:30pm.

Ticket allow a 90-minute session start from £13.50, or pay £23.50 to allow access to the full Adventure Park.

There is also the Playhive Pizzeria for when kids get hungry, serving hot snacks and drinks.

Previous parents have raved about the attraction.

One said: “Playhive is a magical indoor play area, unlike anywhere we have visited before. Not a usual softplay.”

Another said: “The indoor Playhive is out of this world, and truly outstanding. The outdoor areas and the beautiful Enchanted Forest are a really wonderful and magical experience for little ones.”

And there are loads of other exciting Christmas attractions in the rest of Stockeld Park.

This includes ice skating and light trails, both ticketed events.

Or there is the huge The Christmas Adventure, where kids can meet Santa and watch live theatre shows.

There are also onsite food and drink areas, such as the Woodland Cafe and Gretel’s Cabin.

When the weather is better, there are also mazes and huge outdoor playgrounds to explore.

The nearest cities to Stockeld Park are Leeds and York, both around a 40 minute drive.

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In the mean time, here are some other indoor attractions to explore in the UK.

And here is one of the newest indoor attractions in the UK.

THERE have been worrying mutterings in my six-year-old son’s school
playground that Father Christmas isn’t actually the real deal.

But it took a simple sentence from a Lapland UK Santa to make Alex
firmly believe again.

He told him: “I hear you’ve been line leader at school Alex. How fantastic is that!”

His jaw dropped with amazement that the big man knew this – while my
eyes filled up with tears at the magical moment.

We were at Lapland Manchester which opened this year after the success
of its first site Lapland Ascot.

When tickets launched in March, more than 750,000 people joined a virtual queue for tickets ranging from £65 up to £155 per person, depending on the date, with both kids and adults paying the same.

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As we arrived at the grand Capesthorne Hall, near Macclesfield in
Cheshire, excitement was high.

We were guided through the first of many sparkly walkways and
transported into a fairytale magical world where for the next four and
a half hours each and every member of staff constantly remained in
character.

At the woodland check in, porter Buzz wished us a “cheery-hi” and
put his thumb on his nose and wiggled his fingers.

It was the Lapland gesture we were all doing in return by the end of the day!

He gave Alex and my goddaughter Maia an “Elvn Passport” so they could
pass through an enchanted forest to meet Father Christmas and his
elves.

Tickets suggest arriving here 45 minutes before your allotted time –
I would double that so you can get a coffee and exchange your money
for Jingles, the Lapland currency.

We, together with about 200 people, were led to a woodland area where
a theatrical show explained there’s strictly no “grump-a-Lumps”
allowed in Lapland.

Then another walkway led to a performance where we had to wiggle our fingers, squash our noses, blink three times and curl our toes so a huge door could open for the next stage to the Toy Factory.

Alex finally started to understand what was really going on.

After booking your Lapland tickets you receive an invite “from Santa”
explaining he is so busy this year he needs “kind” kids to help him
save Christmas.

Alex was put to task making a soft toy polar bear.

He silently went to work and then put the polar bear on a conveyor belt to Santa.

He was proud as punch with a job well done.

Next was The Lapland Bakery with another show from Mother Christmas but Alex only really cared about decorating a gingerbread house – and eating it.

Then my favourite part of the experience.

The Elven Village – a magical world with a starry ceiling and snow covered trees.

You have 90 minutes there to send a letter to Father Christmas from
the Post Office, visit the library or buy sweets, toys or decorations
in the shops.

I was gutted we had booked Lapland in the middle of the day because
Alex was starving.

The food was great and he loved the £10 kids meal deal of sourdough pizza, chunky chips and juice.

But it meant we had to rush around – and didn’t have time to wait in the queue for the ice skating rink.

I placated my tearful child with a chocolate coated giant marshmallow
on a stick, and winced at the £6 price tag.

Next came the Reindeer Lodge before entering a grand waiting room to see Santa.

This was organised beautifully.

Staff quietly confirmed details from your booking confirmation that Alex had been “line leader” before an elf took us down a long forest pathway.

Finally we arrived at a little wooden house… and Santa himself.

This was no garden centre Santa.

He was a wide girthed, full bearded jolly version (with a very strong west midland accent!), and a bit of cheeky banter about him, too.

Santa thanked the kids for making the polar bears, made them honorary elves, gave them a soft toy gift and discussed their achievements.

It was perfectly done, we didn’t feel rushed for a second and after
saying goodbye Alex said he now knew Santa was “real”.

When he wakes on Christmas morning that will be confirmed because,
before leaving, I was discreetly handed a replica toy polar bear
together with a thank you note from Santa for December 25.

That is guaranteed to keep his – and my – Christmas dreams alive so we
can return to the magic of Lapland UK next year.

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For other Christmas experiences in the UK, you could also head to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, London.

Or perhaps head on one of these 27 free festive experiences across the UK for families including light trails and Santa’s grotto.

HE may be growing old very, very gracefully, but George Clooney is worried about ageing too fast – and forgetting his lines.

The Hollywood heartthrob, 64, was taken on a surprise walk down memory lane after shooting his latest film Jay Kelly, in which he plays a fictional famous actor.

Unknown to him, director Noah Baumbach had added snippets of George’s previous movies at the end of the Netflix release.

And watching the years roll by on screen was an eye-opener for the silver fox, not least when he was met with milestones he would rather forget.

His dodgy Eighties haircut in sitcom The Facts Of Life was one, as well as just how young he was when he starred in hospital drama ER in the Nineties.

George, whose hits include Ocean’s Eleven and Gravity, says: “It was really fascinating, because you go through all the things we all go through, which is you watch yourself age, which you have to make peace with.

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“You also look at some f***ing horrible mullets. And you have to kind of get through all that.

“And you do get this thing of, ‘God, that was just yesterday, wasn’t it?’. That I was on ER or something. It really does go by fast. And the older you get, the faster it seems to go.”

It is hard to imagine now, but there was a time when George was a struggling actor.

Having dropped out of university, where he was studying journalism, he sold insurance and shoes while also trying his luck as an extra on TV.

Sequels cancelled George recalls: “I came from Augusta, Kentucky, where I was a tobacco farmer. And you go on all these auditions and you go, ‘Well, I took a shot’. And if it doesn’t work out, it’s easy when you get older to go, ‘Yeah, I gave it a shot. It didn’t work out’, which happens.

“But you can’t do it when you’re old and you didn’t try. That’s regret.”

Back when opportunities were thin on the ground, George did take some roles he now recalls ruefully.

That includes the first movie he was cast in, called Grizzly II: Revenge, which suffered financial problems.

Backers pulled out of the 1983 low-budget horror flick, which also featured Charlie Sheen and Laura Dern, so the cast were stuck in Hungary for weeks while the funding was sorted out.

George reveals: “It was funded by these Hungarians. And then they lost the money.

“And so we got stuck there for, like, two months. And it was Laura, Charlie Sheen and me. It was all our first films.

“And we’re stuck there for two months. And we can’t get home. We don’t know what to do.

In Grizzly II, we get eaten by a bear in the first scene. It never comes out, thank Christ. Then some schmuck finds it. Now it’s ‘starring George Clooney’ and I get worst reviews of my life

George Clooney

“And literally, we get eaten by a bear in the first scene and so it never comes out. Thank Christ.”

Although the movie was not completed at the time, it was finally finished and released in 2020, with George given a top billing, even though he only appeared briefly.

He continues: “Some schmuck finds it and he gets a bunch of old footage of s**. And he puts it together.

“And now it’s like, ‘Starring George Clooney’. And it comes out. And after 40 years, I’m getting the worst reviews of my life.”

George’s screen breakthrough came in 1994 when he began playing paediatric doctor Doug Ross in ER, which was a global success.

It led to major movies including From Dusk Till Dawn two years later, and Batman & Robin in 1997.

The star is able to laugh off his much-panned version of the caped crusader, which was such a flop that the sequels were cancelled.

And he jokes that his eight-year-old twins Alexander and Ella will be left traumatised by the Batman outfit he wore.

The actor says: “We know they’re going to be in therapy no matter what, just from Batman & Robin. ‘My dad had rubber f***ing nipples’. Disaster.”

George, who was married to actress Talia Balsam, 66, for four years until 1993, dated a string of beautiful women, including Renee Zellweger and British TV presenter Lisa Snowdon, before settling down with lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

She is the mother of his children and the couple have been married for 11 years.

They have homes near Reading, Berks and in Kentucky, US.

It is clear that George is very content, unlike his latest character.

He says of the fictional Jay Kelly: “He regrets his relationship with his father. He regrets the relationship with his kids. “He regrets the relationship with the women in his life and not spending enough time with people you love. I don’t have much of that. I mean, I have kids that still like me.”

Even so, fans might have some difficulty separating fiction from reality when they see George in his latest role.

He is, after all, playing a Hollywood star who has experienced plenty of ups and downs.

When Noah Baumbach, who is married to Barbie director Greta Gerwig, wrote the script, he thought George was the natural choice for the lead role.

But the actor hopes he did not see any of Kelly’s nasty streak in him.

People will be like, ‘Oh, you’re just playing yourself in this’. And I go, ‘Well, I hope not, because the guy’s a d***’

George Clooney

He jokes: “People will be like, ‘Oh, you’re just playing yourself in this’. And I go, ‘Well, I hope not, because the guy’s a d***’.

‘I was scared’

“But, you know, maybe they’re telling me something. When he said, ‘I wrote this with you in mind,’ I was like, ‘F*** you’.”

This will only be George’s seventh movie in the past ten years. He has not received many scripts that interested him — and some of the roles he did take failed to “challenge” him.

That includes the 2024 Apple+ action comedy Wolfs that he made with Brad Pitt and the romcom Ticket To Paradise with Julia Roberts in 2022.

George says: “For the last ten years or so, for the most part, I was directing because I was more interested in telling stories and I wanted to continue to be a storyteller. But the parts I was getting offered weren’t all that interesting.

“And so I hadn’t really been in a film. I did a couple of movies. I did a movie with Julia Roberts and I did a movie with Brad, which were fun and they’re fun to work with and people that I know. But it’s not challenging yourself.

“We know what the audience wants delivered for those films.”

Neither of those movies were well received by reviewers and George hasn’t had a critically-acclaimed film since 2016’s Hail, Caesar!

Out of the nine movies he has directed, Good Night, And Good Luck was the biggest success, picking up Best Picture and Best Director Oscar nominations at the 2006 awards.

And while 2014’s The Monuments Men was a box-office hit, other offerings such as Leatherheads in 2008 lost money.

George is sanguine about any setbacks he has faced. “I was friends with Gregory Peck and I was friends with Paul Newman. Even those guys, and they were the biggest movie stars in the world, even their careers don’t just go like that,” he explains pointing upwards.

Making a rollercoaster motion, he continues: “Their careers do this, that’s how they ride. And my career has had many of those, many failures and many things that I wish I’d done better.”

I was friends with Gregory Peck and Paul Newman. Even those guys, and they were the biggest movie stars in the world, even their careers don’t just go upwards. My career has had many failures

George has taken risks by getting up on stage on Broadway, recreating Good Night, And Good Luck as a play earlier this year.

It received five Tony nominations, including best actor for the star himself.

Not bad for a man who struggled to remember the script.

He admits: “I hadn’t done a play in 40 years. And so I was nervous. And every night, you know, I was worried because as you get older, it’s hard to remember your lines.

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“And it’s hard to remember s***. And so I was scared. And it’s good to be 64 years old and not sure you can pull it off.”

• Jay Kelly is in cinemas now and will be on Netflix from December 5.

HOLLY Ramsay breaks cover for the first time since her future mother-in-law pleaded to be invited to her wedding with swimming star Adam Peaty.

The bride-to-be, 25, stepped out of a black Land Rover yesterday wearing activewear outside the London mansion owned by her dad Gordon.

It came hours after Adam’s mum Caroline admitted she still wants to attend the ceremony despite being banned from Bath Abbey on December 27.

She told the Daily Mail: “If he changed his mind, I would go.

“I want to go to Bath, to go into the abbey, to watch him get married.

“I love him, he’s still my little boy.”

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Caroline risked deepening the rift between the two families by accusing the Ramsays of “pulling him away from me”, adding: “He’s in Gordon’s clutches.”

The Sun revealed how the escalating feud saw Adam, 30, given a police escort over fears he could be assaulted when he returned from his stag do in Budapest.

We told how his builder brother James, 34, was arrested on Tuesday and quizzed for two days on suspicion of harassment before being bailed.

Caroline, 59, admitted the bitter rift has left her “broken” but told her Olympic gold medallist son Adam: “I hope your marriage is a good one.

“I don’t wish any ill on you and I want you and Holly to have a long and happy marriage, like your dad and me.

“The reason I’m speaking out is I want all this to end.”

MY fearless six-year-old son, Alex, giggled as a large Asian brown owl landed on his gloved arm, just inches away from his face.

Neeka is so used to mingling with guests who visit the birds of prey aviary that she happily sat there for a few seconds, slowly twisting her neck, taking in the view.

And who can blame her, when the view is as stunning as this?

We were staying on the stunning Swinton Estate, set in the Yorkshire Dales within an incredible 20,000 acres of sprawling land made up of villages, farms and moorland.

At the centre of this is the Downton Abbey-style, ivy-clad ancestral stately home of Lord and Lady Masham which has been turned into a luxury hotel with 42 suites and bedrooms.

Despite its grandeur, I discovered it to be one of the most down to earth — and definitely the most child-friendly — places I’ve ever stayed in the UK.

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What’s more, visitors are on the doorstep of explorable market towns, as well as just a 10-minute drive from historic Jervaulx Abbey (one of Yorkshire’s most beautiful historic sites) and 20 minutes from Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park, home to mini rollercoasters, giant swings and a crazy golf course.

That’s if you can find the time to leave the estate.

Swinton has even more activities than overcrowded tourist traps such as Center Parcs — with comparable prices.

During our short stay, we enjoyed treasure hunts, children’s cookery courses, fishing, archery, escape rooms and cycling.

There are complimentary meditation classes, tea tasting, clay pigeon shooting, history tours, movie nights and a birds of prey show.

Falconer Mandy explained that most of the owls, hawks and falcons on site were hand reared.

They even go on “walks” through the estate, high above your head.

And what a great place for a stroll, it is. Our dog Layla certainly agreed.

Unlike many hotels, Layla wasn’t just tolerated here, she was adored.

She walked alongside us as we explored some of the 63 miles of footpaths as well as the play area, wild swimming lake, shop and the Country Club.

She even plodded into the reception with me while I booked an amazing £50 back, neck and shoulder massage.

Although, I did leave her with the others when it came to enjoying my treatment.

This meant I could take full advantage of the amenities, which include thermal suites, a heavenly relaxation room and two pools, both of which have select adults-only times so the grown-ups can properly de-stress.

OLD-WORLD CHARM

Even those with kids can get their downtime thanks to the on-site babysitting service, available from £15 an hour.

The Estate itself is a charming mix of contemporary design blended with grand antiques and historical paintings of the family that once owned it.

This old-world charm continues into the bedrooms and suites too.

Our room featured high ceilings and large low windows where Alex and Layla sat together watching the deer roam freely in the fields.

Every tiny detail has been considered here.

There were coats and umbrellas to borrow, dog biscuits, a teddy bear on the bed and soft, squishy towels and dressing gowns.

While Alex was grateful for the bowl of apples and pile of shortbread biscuits left on the side, I was more appreciative of the smart coffee machine and the Estate’s home-made sloe whisky.

Whisky is just one of many things that comes from the grounds.

Pretty much everything from vegetables and meat to herbs and fruit does, too.

I am a sucker for a good brekkie and thanks to the outstanding estate sausages, this was undoubtedly my favourite meal of the stay.

A freshly-cooked plate of breakfast goodies also helped to ease my slightly sore head after the excellent mixologists rustled me up one too many spicy margaritas the night before.

You don’t need to be an overnight guest to visit the Estate.

Those popping in during the winter months can experience a new winter light trail which will lead them through a sparkling woodland and around the pretty lakes — tickets are from £7.50 per child, while those under five go free.

If you do fancy checking in for the evening, however, now is the time to book.

On selected dates this winter, you can bag a suite with breakfast and a bottle of house wine for £275 in total.

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I am from Yorkshire originally, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually received such a Yorkshire welcome as I did here.

Even Neeka the owl was happy to see us.

THE LEAD up to Christmas hasn’t fully begun until Winter Wonderland opens, and today that is happening.

Every year one of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets returns to Hyde Park in London.

And this year, there are a number of changes.

I was one of the first to check it out – so here is my full rundown of everything that is worth it, from food and drinks to rides, as well as what you can skip.

The atmosphere

Winter Wonderland 2025 certainly has had a glow up.

The entrances all have exciting new themes and twinkling lights are everywhere.

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It feels a lot like Christmas has thrown up in Hyde Park, in the best way possible.

Throughout, the attention to detail is impressive.

For example, in the alpine-themed bar after you exit Bar Ice, there are disused ski lift pods changed into seating areas and heaters in every corner to ensure it is nice and toasty, despite still being outside.

The rides all glow and the music booms, but not too loud that you can’t hear yourself think.

Rides and existing attractions

For 2025, fan favourites have returned including rollercoasters, drop towers, a giant Ferris Wheel and Bar Ice.

The towering wheel, which is the largest travelling wheel in the world, has been upgraded with pods that close to keep you dry and warm.

For £10 per adult and £8 per child, I was skeptical, but you do get around four full rotations for that and the views are unmatched.

The Bavarian Hall is as big as ever, and offers the ideal spot to have as a base if you’re attending as a group of friends.

Bar Ice has also returned, and though this was the thing I was most skeptical about costing between £15.50 and £18 depending when you visit, for a 20 minute experience, it ended up being my favourite attraction.

The impressive bar made entirely of ice, features fantastical carved creations and has all been made in collaboration with Mixtons cocktails (which you get one included in the entry fee).

The cocktails are then served in a glass made entirely of ice.

In London, cocktails can often set you back upwards of £12, so when you think about it you’re paying around £5 for the experience – which in my opinion was more than worth it.

At the other end of the spectrum is the ice skating rink, which claims to be the UK’s largest open-air ice rink, which I find hard to believe having also visited Somerset House’s ice rink which I feel is bigger.

It costs between £11.50 and £17.50 per adult and £8.50 and £12.50 per child, and rather sneakily you are not allowed to take your bag onto the ice with you and are consequently forced to pay an additional £2 for the cloakroom.

The ice rink also sits at the edge of the attraction, and felt like it had been squeezed in and forgotten about – plus the entrance is super confusing to find.

Of all the attractions I visited, I would say this is the one to definitely miss.

Instead, head to Somerset House which costs from £15 per adult and from £10 per child and is in a stunning setting.

The new features

There are a number of new features at the event this year, including a good number of new attractions for kids.

Conveniently located next to the Red Gate (the recommended entrance if you want to head to more child-friendly activities), you will find the new Jingle Bell Bistro – a food market designed with kids in mind.

There are a number of street food vendors selling different child-friendly options, such as chicken nuggets and burgers.

Adults can also get food from here, but I think the idea is that it isn’t fussy food with all the bells and whistles, it is more core staples and comfort food that pleases everyone – a very good idea in my opinion.

Prices varied, including £8 per child-sized pasta dish, or £12 for an adult portion.

Just steps away from the new food area is Santa’s Grotto and Workshop, which is free to visit once inside Winter Wonderland.

The outside is impressive, looking as if it has just been plucked from the movie Elf – in fact, it made me want to be a kid again.

Visitors can explore the Elves Workshop where they help elves solve puzzles before heading into Santa’s Grotto, which is beautifully decked out with Christmas trees and Santa himself.

There is also the Dr. Archibald VR Experience (Horror Edition) from 5pm each day.

It features special effects and a lot of robotics, and is rather costly per turn at £7 per adult and £5 per child.

Though, maybe this is still designed for kids as throughout the entire ride I didn’t jump until the very end when the ride host came to lift up my safety bar… How ironic.

The Magical Ice Kingdom also has a new theme for this year based around the four elements.

Inside, you will find an abundance of carved ice creations all set in a -10C world, that truly are breathtaking to see.

It costs from £9 per adult and £7 per child to see, which I do think is on the steep side as the experience lasts about 15 minutes.

I would say it is more for families who don’t like the rides.

Another new spot for this year, this time for the adults, is the Après-Ski Themed Village with live DJs.

Sadly, upon our visit it was raining so there was no DJ playing and no one around, but I can imagine this area coming alive when it isn’t wet and windy.

There is also a new Zippos Christmas Circus (between £11.50 and £17 per adult and between £8.50 and £14 per child) show to check out, and a new Cirque Berserk (between £12.50 and £18 per adult and between £9.50 and £15.00 per child) show too.

Food and drink

Now let’s not lie… Every year TikTok and Instagram becomes full of people slating Winter Wonderland for its prices, and this includes food.

Winter Wonderland has loads of different places to grab food, but we headed to the Street Food Village, which is where you will find most of the meals you see go viral on social media.

And of course, we tried those options.

I opted for Stakehaus’ Xmas Sub, which was crowned the best Christmas sandwich in London by Time Out last year.

At £16.50 it certainly was the most expensive Christmas sandwich I have ever had (though I am not sure I can compare M&S Christmas edition sandwiches to this).

Encased in a soft bread bun, was dry-aged roast beef rump with gravy, sage and shallot crumble, parsnip crisps, cavolo Nero, cauliflower cheese with horseradish mayo.

And my word, it was as good as it sounds.

The gravy really helped to not make the whole thing dry, and the different textures made it truly feel like Christmas in a sandwich.

Admittedly, I would have perhaps liked to taste the horseradish a little more or have some cranberry.

The key thing to remember is that a lot of the vendors are in markets across the city, and when I compared prices between Stakehaus’ Winter Wonderland stall and their Camden Market one – I was please to see only 50p difference between their classic steak and fries option.

Fellow travel reporter Alice Penwill said: “The Mac Factory serves gourmet mac and cheese so of course I had to give their new Holy Quackaroni a try.

“It was £12.50 for a very generous portion, inside my pot was hot and creamy macaroni pasta topped with duck, cranberry sauce, crispy onions and two slices of brie – which if you leave long enough will melt on top.

“The cranberry sauce was a bit much for me and very sweet – but all in all it was delicious, and so filling I couldn’t even finish it.

“You’ll struggle with this one if you still you want room for dessert.”

Travel writer Jenna Stevens said: “I went for the Mango Box from fried chicken shack, Only Jerkin’.

“For £14.50 I was served a generous portion of mango and coconut chicken strips, jerk fries, coleslaw, BBQ sauce and a chilli mango aioli.

“I’m so used to paying hefty prices and being disappointed by small portions from street food vendors.

“But I have nothing to complain about here – the flavours were the perfect mixture of sweet and spicy, and the big portion kept me full all night.”

For dessert I opted for the viral London Cheesecake Company – a frozen vanilla cheese cake, dipped in melted chocolate and the covered in a topping of your choice.

Of course I added a trend to the trend by getting Dubai chocolate as my topping.

The dessert came in at £9 – admittedly expensive – and it was extremely decadent.

One can definitely be shared between two or three people.

I reckon for a family of four, for a main meal, dessert and drink each, you would be looking at the £100 mark.

Though, you could definitely skip dessert as the mains are super filling and if there is one thing to not miss, it is Stakehaus’ Xmas Sub.

Elsewhere we also found a pick n’ mix and of course had to grab some for nibbles between rides.

However, when selecting our chosen sweets it was hard to know how much it would cost.

At the specific stall we were at, there were no signs to tell you how much 100g would cost.

So, you can imagine the gut wrenching feeling I got when 425g of sweets (for reference that’s around the same weight as three bags of fruit pastilles) cost me a staggering £16.11.

For that, I got around 35 sweets – so I would say to avoid the sweet stalls like the plague.

When it came to drinks though, I was pleasantly surprised.

Mulled wine was £6.40, and whilst this is 30p more than last year, I don’t think it was ridiculous.

The same went for beer with a pint costing between £6.50 to £7.75, a double shot spirit and mixer came in at £11.50 and cocktails around £12.

Non-alcoholic drinks like Pepsi, 7UP or Tango would set you back £2.90 a can.

And that viral deluxe hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows? Well, it was still cheaper than heading to Starbucks (£4.85), at £4.70.

Prices to enter Winder Wonderland vary from free to over £7.50 during peak hours.

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