Festive trail of a million lights brightens forest

A young teenage girl with long brown hair walks through an illuminated tunnel, made out of strings of fairy lights, at Westonbirt. She is smiling with her arms outstretched and wearing a quilted and belted beige coat, a beige bobble hat, dark leggings, and dark boots. Westonbirt Arboretum

Westonbirt Arboretum said "more than a million twinkling lights" form the trail

Maisie Lillywhite
BBC News, Gloucestershire

A spectacular light trail has been switched on in Gloucestershire as the festive season gets into full swing.

The Christmas trail at Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, opened to the public on 29 November, and will run until 31 December.

Organisers say the installations are "inspired by the natural world and festive themes", designed by Culture Creative and produced in partnership with Sony Music and Forestry England.

They added the trail features more than one million lights.

12 beehive-like structures, with LED string lights wrapped around them, hang from a tree at night.Westonbirt Arboretum

Willow Hives by LuminARTi is one of the installations brightening up the dark nights near Tetbury

Nine lit-up crane-shaped sculptures hang from fir trees at night at WestonbirtWestonbirt Arboretum

Cranes by Studio Vertigo has been described as a "faithful representation of origami cranes"

A "dreamlike universe made of humour and poetry" is one of the installations featured in the after-dark trail.

Also among the displays is a piece by Studio Vertigo’s called Cranes. It features glowing origami-style birds crafted from recycled materials.

Another, called TILT, has lit-up seven metre-tall reeds made by a renowned French artistic studio.

A light installation of tall bright orange and yellow reeds in a forest at Westonbirt at night. It comprises clusters of five reeds of various heightsWestonbirt Arboretum

Ros'O by TILT is inspired by reeds

LED lights wrapped around a pole to look like a Christmas tree along a trail at Westonbirt Arboretum. On either side, there are trees lit up with orange and red lights.

New Year's Eve will be the final day of the light trail

Matthew Findlay, for Sony Music, said: "We are thrilled to be launching Christmas at Westonbirt trail this year with incredible, new artistic innovations.

"We’re determined to make this fantastic new festive trail the ultimate seasonal experience for all the family."

Lit-up star sculptures hang from string from the branch of a tree, which is illuminated purple.

Illuminated displays including neon trees, glowing stars, and a sparkling tunnel of light accompany the artworks along the trail

A Christmas scene at Westonbirt, comprising of a lifesize Father Christmas figure, two nutcracker soldiers, red and white stripy deckchairs, a festive shed, and lit up Christmas-tree shaped lights.

Some traditional decorations, including nutcracker soldiers, have been dotted around the trail

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