In Pictures: Illuminations show attractions in a different light

Visitors enjoy interactive art installations at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Illuminations and light trails have become increasingly popular in recent years, adding sparkle to the festive season and the dark winter months.

Historical gardens, beauty spots, steam railways and even bird conservation charities are among those in the South of England lighting up this winter.

Blenheim Palace, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, Watercress Line and Windsor Great Park have all been transformed.

Join us on a journey to see these places in a whole new light.

Hampshire-based Light Up Trails has transformed Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

At Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, near Romsey in Hampshire, the illuminations have been designed by Hampshire-based Light Up Trails.

The gardens are lit up with millions of LED lights in a series of art installations, many of them interactive, by light artists and exhibitors from around the world.

A steam train on the Watercress Line has been covered in lights

The Watercress Line illuminations took a short break for Christmas, but the colourful train is back in service from Wednesday with an immersive light show set to music.

The heritage steam railway, which runs from New Alresford to Alton, in Hampshire, is swapping its Christmas music for "pop anthems" for until 6 January.

Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens looks like a technicolour jungle

OT Event Technicians are back at Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens on Dorset's Jurassic Coast creating a surreal atmosphere in the 30 acre gardens.

When the trail ends on 31 December, OT will be gearing up for another Illuminate event at the Blue Pool nature reserve near Wareham, which is now its third year.

A projection of Pegasus is among the installations at Windsor Great Park

The illuminations at Windsor Great Park in Berkshire are also in their third year.

The mythical-themed trail features Pegasus, griffins and dragons in an "enchanted wood".

The Windsor display is the work of a German light show company

Other features include 15-metre "dancing" fountains, "magical swirl pools" and forest of stylised spiral illuminated trees.

The illuminations at Windsor are the work of Christmas Garden, a German enterprise that transforms zoos, parks and gardens into winter landscapes across Europe.

Visitors can follow a 2.7km-long trail at Blenheim Palace

Blenheim's palace and grounds have been transformed with thousands of LED lights and 836 individual light fixtures.

The 2.7km trail includes heart-shaped arches, glowing tunnels filled with stars and an eight-metre sphere filled with more than 20,000 moving lights.

The sphere at Blenheim is filled with 20,000 moving lights

Each night, 200 candles are lit in the "fire garden" 200, along with four fire dancing sculptures by designer and pyrotechnician Maria Hingerty.

These are just a few of the illuminations in the region and more are due to open in January, including the Blue Pool near Wareham, Dorset, and the Winter Woodland at the Hawk Conservancy Trust in Andover, Hampshire.

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