Christmas at the Castle - Powderham

Opening Times

Season (29 Nov 2026 - 30 Dec 2026)

Christmas at the Castle returns to Powderham Castle for 2026

Build your own festive evening beneath the lights - Sunday 29th November to Wednesday 30th December, 4.30pm to 8.30pm

Christmas at the Castle returns to Powderham Castle from Sunday 29th November to Wednesday 30th December 2026, open every evening from 4.30pm to 8.30pm (last entry 7.30pm). The event is closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and 31st December.

This year, the festive experience is more personal than ever. At the heart of the event is the Christmas Light Walk, a lit route through the grounds, along the lakeside and past the illuminated castle facade, with food, drink and entertainment throughout.

From there, visitors can build their evening exactly as they wish. The Castle Experience opens the doors of one of the oldest family homes in the country, its halls and staircases decorated for Christmas with trees lit and fires laid. In the Great Barn, The Grotto invites children to a proper visit with Father Christmas and his elves, complete with a photograph to remember this special moment!

New for 2026 is the Festive Marquee, offering undercover seating with clear panels looking out over the castle, alongside a line-up of local food and drink traders. Elsewhere in the grounds, visitors can take a turn on the Ferris wheel for the best view of the lit-up castle and glowing grounds below, warm up at the Hot Chocolate Hut, toast their own marshmallows, or enjoy mulled wine from the bar by the outdoor seating.

Presale tickets open on Friday 4th September, with visitors encouraged to sign up now for first access ahead of general sale.

Powderham Castle

Christmas at the Castle is held at Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8JQ. The ancestral seat of the Earls of Devon, home to the same family for over 700 years.

How to find us: christmasatpowderham.co.uk/travel

Visit Website

Facilities

Accessibility

Accessible
Assistance Dogs
Easy access from main roads/good public transport links
Facilities for Disabled Visitors
Guide Dogs Permitted
Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
Toilets for Disabled Visitors

Event Facilities

Booking Advised

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Map & Directions

Map Link

View Map

Road Directions

Use EX6 8JQ for the Powderham entrance and follow the event signs, not the sat-nav, for the last stretch. Parking

A car parking pass costs £5.50 per car. There are no separate parking slots: arrive at your booked admission time. Book it with your tickets; your pass is checked in the car park before you enter. Parking is limited: on the busiest dates it sells out, so if you intend to drive, book it when you book your tickets. If it has sold out for your date, come by public transport rather than chancing it. From the car park it is roughly 300 metres to the entrance.

Blue Badge

Accessible parking is close to the entrance. Choose the Accessible / Blue Badge option when you add parking to your booking, so the team know how many spaces to prepare. Blue Badge holders still need a parking pass.

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Public Transport Directions

By Bus

Stagecoach No.2, to the gate

Route

The Stagecoach No.2 (Exeter–Newton Abbot) runs from Exeter Bus Station through Exminster to the Castle Gates stop, right outside the Powderham entrance, with no walk at all. From the south it picks up in Dawlish, Teignmouth and Newton Abbot.

By train

GWR to Starcross

Station

Starcross, on the GWR Riviera Line. Pick up at Exeter Central or Exeter St Davids heading south, or at Dawlish heading north. The stopping service runs roughly hourly.

From the Station

Starcross station is a 20-minute walk from the Powderham entrance. You can also continue your journey from Starcross by bus: the Stagecoach No.2 stops there before the Castle Gates stop at our gates.

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