Illuminate opens at Guildford Castle on 14 November, children £9.95, and RHS Glow lights up Wisley from 20 November to 3 January. Both are pre-booked only.

The two big Christmas light trails within easy reach of Farnham are Illuminate at Guildford Castle, which opens on Saturday 14 November 2026, and RHS Glow at RHS Garden Wisley, on selected evenings from Friday 20 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. Both are sold in advance only, with no tickets on the door, and neither organiser expects the popular evenings to last. Every detail below was read from the organisers’ own pages on 11 November 2026.

The quick answer

  • Illuminate Guildford: Guildford Castle, Castle Street, GU1 3SX, from Saturday 14 November. A 30 to 40 minute outdoor trail on a new route this year. Children aged 3 to 18 £9.95, under 2s free. Pre-book only.
  • RHS Glow, Wisley: selected dates 20 November to 3 January, including Christmas Eve. Entry slots every 15 minutes from 4pm to 7.30pm. Pre-book only; RHS members pay less.
  • Not yet published: Illuminate’s closing date and adult price, and Glow’s prices, which appear only once you pick a date in each booking system.

Illuminate, Guildford Castle

Illuminate is a winter light trail around the castle grounds in the middle of Guildford, run by the company behind similar trails in Reading, Ipswich and the Isle of Wight. This is its third year at the castle, and the organisers say “this year’s route will be different to 2024 and 2025”, along with the light installations (Illuminate Guildford).
Opens Saturday 14 November 2026
Where Guildford Castle, Castle Street, Guildford, GU1 3SX
How long About 40 minutes
Children £9.95 for ages 3 to 18; under 2s free
Booking Online only, through FIXR; no walk-in tickets
Dogs Assistance dogs only

What the organisers promise: light installations through the castle grounds, hot chocolate and mulled wine from the bandstand at the start, and marshmallow toasting pits along the trail. The trail is outside, partly under trees and lit at ground level, and it goes ahead in the rain; there are no refunds for bad weather. Pushchairs are fine, and anyone under 18 must come with an adult.

The ticket rules are strict. A booking cannot be changed unless you add a Flexi Ticket at checkout, which lets you move the whole booking up to seven days before the original date. You can add one later, but only up to ten days before your visit. If you miss your slot, the organisers say they will try to fit you into a later one if there is space (Illuminate event details and FAQs).

The organisers had not published the closing date, nightly opening hours or adult price on 11 November.

Getting to Guildford Castle from Farnham

  • By train, the castle is an 11 minute walk from Guildford station, the organisers say. Check the Farnham roadworks and travel page for weekend engineering works before you go.
  • By car, there is no car park at the castle. Use the town centre car parks; the organisers point Blue Badge holders to the Castle multi-storey on Sydenham Road, GU1 3RW, which has 10 disabled bays on levels 3 to 6, and Blue Badge holders park free in Guildford Borough Council car parks.

RHS Glow, RHS Garden Wisley

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Glow lights up Wisley after dark on selected dates from 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, including Christmas Eve. The RHS says this year’s route is “enhanced”, with “extraordinary new light and sound displays set against dramatically lit landscapes”, plus festive food and the garden centre’s Christmas shopping (RHS Glow 2026).
Dates Selected dates, 20 November 2026 to 3 January 2027
Entry slots Every 15 minutes, 4pm to 7.30pm
Booking Pre-booked tickets only
Ticket types Super Off Peak, Off Peak, Standard and a new Premium ticket
Changes £3 a ticket to move date or time

How the slots work. You choose a 15 minute entry slot and can arrive at any point during it. On 11 November the booking calendar for the opening night showed most slots with plenty of space, but the 6pm slot was down to one ticket. Prices include garden admission; RHS members pay less because their membership already covers entry, and members can buy guest tickets within their guest allowance. The new Premium ticket lets you visit on any day at any time (RHS Wisley booking page).

Payment is non-refundable unless the garden closes. The RHS asks for queries on 01483 224234.

Cheapest nights: the RHS has added Super Off Peak tickets on a limited number of dates. They show in a different colour on the booking calendar, so look there first if price matters more than the date.

Daytime alternatives

If the children are too young for a late night out:

  • Winkworth Arboretum’s Great Christmas Gnome Adventure, 14 November to 3 January, 10am to 4pm, normal admission and no booking. Details on our Winkworth page.
  • Christmas at Hatchlands Park: The Christmasaurus, 28 November to 3 January at the National Trust’s Hatchlands Park near Guildford. Decorations in the house and a family trail in the parkland based on Tom Fletcher’s books; the Trust says no booking is needed (National Trust, Hatchlands Park).

Closer to home, Farnham’s own lights go on in Gostrey Meadow at 4.30pm on Saturday 14 November, the same day Illuminate opens: see our switch-on page. The rest of the season is on our What’s On in Farnham page, and Santa visits are on Santa in Farnham. For parking at home, see parking in Farnham.

Still to be confirmed

  • Illuminate: closing date, opening hours and the adult price.
  • RHS Glow: the ticket prices for each tier and the full list of dates.

We will check both booking pages again in early December and update this page.