Get into the festive spirit
From wreath-making workshops and carol concerts to winter illuminations, find Christmas days out near you.
Christmas at Woodchester Park
The Christmas and winter season at Woodchester Park is the perfect time to visit to see the changing seasons, offering offer peaceful walks, festive cheer at Tinkley Gate and a deep connection to nature.
As winter draws in across the Cotswold landscape, Woodchester Park takes on a special kind of magic. The quiet valleys, frost-fringed lakes and woodland areas combine to offer peaceful walks, festive cheer at Tinkley Gate and deep connection to nature. In this article, we’ll look at what to expect this winter, from events to seasonal sights, to help you plan a visit full of wonder.
Wreath Making
26 November and 3 December, 11am-1pm
Join a workshop led by Jean Lawton and create your own eco-friendly, locally-foraged wreath in time for Christmas. £35 per person, including a hot drink from the cafe. More info and booking
Beltie Bauble Felting craft
8 and 10 December, 11am - 12.30pm
Do you love the fluffy Belted Galloway cows that can be found grazing National Trust sites across the Cotswolds? Here is a chance to needle-felt your own Belted Galloway Bauble to decorate your Christmas tree! £15 per person, including a hot drink from the cafe. More info and booking
Live Music: Christmas with the Bakelite Boys
11 December, 1pm - 3pm
The Bakelite Boys will be getting into the festive spirit inside Tinkley Gate's cosy cafe for an afternoon of fun, nostalgia and a hint of sophistication whilst they play a set of everyone's favourite classic Christmas songs. Free to attend, no need to book.
Trust10 Trail Run
22 November and 27 December, from 09:30am
A 10km trail run around the historic parkland. Enjoy crisp winter air and countryside views across the Woodchester Park landscape. More info.
Walk With Us guided walks
5 and 26 November, 17 December. From 10am
Looking to get active in nature, explore more of the landscape, or meet new people? Join a free, guided group-walk as part of the 'Walk With Us' series at Woodchester Park. No need to book, just turn up. More info
Nature in Winter
One of the joys of Woodchester Park is how rich the winter months can be for wildlife and natural beauty. We are also hard at work during the winter; it’s when a lot of our larger-scale woodland management takes place, which encourages a more diverse and richer ecosystem.
After dry summer months, the wetter autumn and winter weather mean that mushrooms and fungal bodies appear across the landscape. Fallen leaves carpet the ground, and our woodland management means that fallen bark is left to become deadwood habitats for a wide range of species including important invertebrates. You’ll also see plenty of moss and lichen, which is thriving at this time of year. Walks under the trees here feel entirely different from summer, with a different sensory experience. On frosty or dewy mornings, spider webs are visible like silver threads, mist hangs over the lakes and plenty of wildlife is active finding food and making habitats for the winter. Under soft skies, the quiet woodland areas offer a serenity that’s unmatched during other times of the year.
Facilities & Tinkley Gate Café
From Monday 2 November 2026, Woodchester Park will move to its autumn and winter opening times: Tinkley Gate will be open 09:00-16:00 daily; the café open 10:00-15:30. From Monday to Thursday during this period, the caféwill be serving cakes, soup, sandwiches and a range of hot and cold drinks. Pizzas will be served on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during the winter period.
Embracing Christmas at Woodchester Park
Woodchester Park is open from dawn til' dusk every day. Tinkley Gate car park and cafe are open every day with the exception of Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Please check our app or the website before visiting.
Winter is the perfect time to enjoy quiet walks followed by hot drinks and food in the café, and with wreath-making, exploratory trails, Christmas decoration making and other events through the winter period, there’s plenty to do.
We look forward to welcoming you this winter. For more information, visit the Woodchester Park homepage here: Woodchester Park | Gloucestershire | National Trust