We went along to the Chester House Estate’s Christmas Winter Wonderland and this is what we thought

Chester House Estate is becoming increasingly known as a pleasant place for families to spend an afternoon, and undoubtedly shines brightest during its seasonal events that coincide with festivals such as Halloween, Easter and Christmas.

The latter of which is fast approaching, and families will soon be searching for a place to top up their reserves of Christmas spirit. In that, Chester House Estate’s new Winter Wonderland achieves what it sets out to do, albeit with some important caveats, and some, potential, drawbacks.

Cllr Helen Howell, North Northamptonshire Council’s deputy leader and executive member for sport, leisure, culture and tourism said: “We have a wonderful array of festive treats for the whole family.

"As well as the fantastic businesses we already have on site, we are also running a series of festive markets - perfect for those unique Christmas gifts for all your loved one.

"We look forward to welcoming you to the estate this Christmas period and don’t forget to pop along to the farmhouse cafe for even more festive treats.”

Chief among the new additions in place until Christmas Eve is the installation of a rink to the front of the house. It’s well laid out with pathways to the house either side, and gives those on the ice a charming view of the property.

However the rink, made of ‘eco-friendly synthetic ice’, is by no means a replacement for a facility like the ones found at Planet Ice in Milton Keynes or Peterborough, and as such those visiting the site specifically with full-scale ice skating in mind will be left disappointed.

Bosses at Chester House say the decision to opt for a synthetic rink is to ‘allow for ice skating and other ice-related activities without the need for refrigeration’, and is the ‘most environmentally friendly option.’

For £13 for a child and £16 for an adult on a weekday morning, it’s more expensive than two hours at Planet Ice in Milton Keynes at £11.55 each. It’s your call if you think the novelty of skating at Chester House it’s worth the price hike.

In truth, the rink is best viewed as one piece of the wider programme, as it can then be seen as a neat inclusion instead of the main event, and children will likely enjoy the atmosphere without the daunting feeling of being on the ice with a large crowd.

The two curling lanes in the estate’s courtyard, also made from ‘high-quality synthetic material’ serve as a simple, but amusing way to kill the time while sipping hot drinks from the nearby bar to a soundtrack of Christmas tunes. It’s not a worthy reason to visit the attraction alone, but is a welcome distraction for those who find themselves in the area.

Families will get the most out of the Winter Wonderland with its Father Christmas experience also going a long way to add to the charm, and it’s clear that this is the intention. For me, a 27-year-old man with no kids, I would have been far happier under the Christmas lights looking at the estate’s surrounding landscape with a mulled wine.

With that in mind, the attraction succeeds in what it set out to do and families will likely leave happy, but if ice skating in particular is top of the list of priorities this December, it would be advisable to go further afield.