GLIMMERS of light are much needed in gloomy January.
But to feel brighter in the bleakest months, the Lanterns Of The Wild light trail at Twycross Zoo, in Leicestershire, will bring a little sparkle to your day
Dazzling until February 22, more than 2,000 lanterns have been strung along a mile-long walking trail.
Keen to check out this slice of winter magic, I visited with my husband Simon and sons Wilf, eight, and Jasper, six.
We were blown away by the epic-scale of the attraction, where every step is a jolt of joy.
As someone who has dragged their little ones to illuminations around the country: this is the best.
You start at a gathering of cosy food and drink stalls, stocked with churros, mulled wine and chips with jumbo pigs in blankets.
Beginning the walk, through a canopy of trees lit with sparkling lights, we were instantly surrounded by jewel hued lantern animals and fauna.
The scope of the attraction is no mean feat, as there are over 500 species of animals and plants depicted.
Rounding the corner we are in the first of ten zones: The Gruffalo Wood and see lanterns inspired by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s beloved book.
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Seeing the wonder on the boys’ faces was up there as one of my top parenting moments.
The lanterns are a work of art, they took 99,000 hours to create and use 25,000 bulbs.
They were crafted on site and hand-painted by more than 30 Chinese craftsmen from Zigong, the lantern capital of China.
My husband wasn’t convinced walking around “some lights” on a night where the thermometer didn’t hit 5C was a great idea.
But he was a quick convert to the magic, especially a field of Van Gogh-inspired sunflowers crafted from lanterns.
From here we head into The North American Wilds followed by Polar Realms zones, filled with lit-up installations of wolves, bears and a gigantic Mount Rushmore installation.
We warmed back up with hot drinks at the festive warmers tent half way through the walk then continued to more themed zones, which were increasingly spectacular.
We all agreed the best was the Tropical Reef, where the path wound round mesmerising jellyfish suspended in boughs of trees and a stunning shoal of fish, seemingly hovering in thin air while turtles and their babies flank you on all sides.
As we crossed the last zone, African Savannah – teeming with lit up crocs and other beasts, my hard-to-impress eight-year-old turned to me with eyes shining and proclaimed the evening had been a ten out of ten.
If you’re looking for a beacon of happiness in the coldest months, Lanterns Of The Wild is the place to get yourself illuminated.
GO: LANTERNS OF THE WILD
Runs until 22 February, and is open from 4:30pm until 9:30pm on selected evenings.
There are also a number of dedicated SEN-Friendly evenings designed with families of children and adults with special educational needs and disabilities in mind.
Tickets from £13.75pp. See twycrosszoo.org/lanterns-of-the-wild.