Blenheim's light trail and Great Skate ice rink run 13 November to 3 January; the trail shuts 16 and 17 Nov and Christmas Day. Dog nights, parking, skate rules.

Christmas at Blenheim Palace runs from Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is the biggest Christmas light trail within easy reach of Abingdon, at Woodstock, north of Oxford up the A34 and the A44. This year it has four parts: the Illuminated Trail, a covered ice rink called The Great Skate, a Christmas market, and Cinderella staged inside the palace.

Entry to the trail and the palace is by timed ticket, and the palace warns that early evening and weekend slots sell out fast. Everything below is from Blenheim’s own Christmas page and the official ticketing FAQ, read on 11 October 2026.

The quick answer

  • Trail dates: 13 to 15 November, 18 November to 24 December, and 26 December to 3 January. It is closed on 16 and 17 November and on Christmas Day.
  • Ice rink: The Great Skate, 13 November to 3 January, 30-minute sessions from 10.40am. You do not need a trail ticket to skate.
  • Christmas market: 13 November to 20 December, free to enter, but parking is charged after 10am.
  • Parking: charged for everyone and must be booked in advance with your tickets.
  • Prices: not printed on any page we could read. They are on the ticket site, with a £1 booking fee per ticket and a higher price on the door.

When the trail is open

Blenheim’s ticketing FAQ gives these dates for 2026:

Part Open Closed
Illuminated Trail Fri 13 to Sun 15 Nov; Wed 18 Nov to Thu 24 Dec; Sat 26 Dec to Sun 3 Jan Mon 16 and Tue 17 Nov, Fri 25 Dec
Cinderella in the Palace Fri 13 Nov to Thu 24 Dec; Sat 26 Dec to Sun 3 Jan Fri 25 Dec
The Great Skate Fri 13 Nov to Sun 3 Jan See the session grid
Christmas Market Fri 13 Nov to Sun 20 Dec From 21 Dec

Timings vary by day. The last entry to the trail is 15 minutes after the last timeslot, and the FAQ says late arrivals get no refund, so aim to arrive 15 minutes before your slot. The palace page lists the overall event hours as 10am to 8pm.

The trail is about 2.98km on natural paths and uneven ground, outdoors and uncovered. Blenheim asks for warm, waterproof clothes and sturdy shoes, and suggests bringing a torch for emergencies only. There are toilets at the start and halfway round. Father Christmas is on the trail but does not meet children one by one.

The Great Skate ice rink

The rink is covered and sits in the Great Court, outside the palace. The FAQ gives these rules:

  • Dates: Friday 13 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
  • Sessions: 30 minutes on the ice, from the time on your ticket. They run from 10.40am to 8pm on peak days and 10.40am to 7.20pm off peak.
  • Ages: skaters must be at least 3. Every child under 13 must have an adult aged 16 or over on the ice with them.
  • No lessons, but child skate aids are available and marshals are on the ice every session.
  • Carers: one carer per skater with a disability goes free and must stay on the ice with them.
  • Weather: if a session is cancelled for weather you can reschedule or take a refund. The rink stays open in light rain.
  • No trail ticket needed, though parking is still charged.

The FAQ suggests gloves and a spare pair of socks, because surface water can soak through skates.

Dogs, buggies and access

Dogs are allowed on the trail on eleven nights only: Wednesday 18, Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 November; Tuesday 1, Wednesday 2, Tuesday 8, Wednesday 9, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16, Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 December. A normal trail ticket covers them, up to two dogs a person, on a short lead with no retractable leads. They are never allowed inside the palace. Assistance dogs are welcome on any date.

Pushchairs are fine on the trail and in the palace. Wheelchairs can be hired from the palace, subject to availability, through customerservice@blenheimpalace.com, but mobility scooters cannot be hired during the trail. Inside the palace the State Rooms are on one level, with a ramp and a lift. Blue Badge parking is at Hensington and is booked alongside your tickets.

The FAQ says the light sequences include flashing, but not strobe, and are held below five flashes a second. It also warns that some lighting inside the palace may not be safe for people with epilepsy.

Tickets and parking

Blenheim’s page and the ticketing FAQ set out how it works, but not the prices:

  • Every ticket has a £1 booking fee, and each Cinderella ticket carries a £1 donation to Oxfordshire Youth.
  • A combined ticket covers the trail and Cinderella in the Palace, each at its own time slot. Anytime tickets let you arrive at any point on your date, but there are no anytime family tickets.
  • Tickets bought on the day cost more than tickets bought in advance.
  • Tickets are non-refundable. Exchanges are possible in the Ticketek UK app, subject to availability, up to 24 hours before.
  • Parking is charged for every visitor and must be pre-booked, including for anytime tickets.
  • Fairground ride tokens are £12 for four.
  • No Blenheim discounts apply, and gift certificates cannot be used over the festive period. Annual pass holders get £1 off trail tickets, but their free palace entry does not apply on 5, 6, 12, 13 and 19 December.

You cannot leave and come back in, though you can walk into Woodstock between a palace slot and a trail slot. Blenheim publishes a residents’ line for neighbours only, on 0151 453 9500.

Closer to home

If Woodstock is too far for a weeknight, Abingdon’s own Christmas starts on Saturday 28 November with the Christmas Extravaganza and the lights switch-on at 6pm: see our Christmas lights page. Markets in town, at Millets and in Oxford are on our Christmas markets page, and grottos and Santa trains are on our Father Christmas page.

For the drive out of town, check our roadworks and travel page for A34 closures first. If you are heading into the centre of Abingdon instead, car park tariffs are on our parking page.

Sources