Scotland’s first lighting trail of 2020 showcases ‘Wondrous Woods’ at Edinburgh’s Hopetoun House

A stately home which dates back to the 17th century and has featured in the hit TV series Outlander is the setting for Scotland's newest lighting trail.

Creative lighting, sounds and special effects have transformed the ancient woodland in the grounds of Hopetoun House near South Queensferry into the Wondrous Woods trail.

The house itself - which appeared as the home of the Duke of Sandringham in series one of Outlander - is also illuminated.

Starting and finishing at the House, the beautifully lit woodland trail begins through the enchanting wrought iron gates to the north, leading visitors to unique and unseen areas of the grounds of Hopetoun.

The gates opened for Scotland’s first lighting trail of the year last night, welcoming guests to enjoy what has since been described as an ‘unforgettable sound, lighting and effects extravaganza’.

The track winds through hidden pathways amongst ancient woodlands, clearings and past the old summerhouse before leading visitors back via the Lime Avenue, but not before seeing the magnificent Hopetoun House lit up in all its glory; all with some special, jaw-dropping views along the way.

Along with the creative lighting, there are a number of sound and special effects, movement and installations, all of which enhance the nature and natural beauty that is the Wondrous Woods of Hopetoun House.

Geoff Crow, director of the 21CC Group which designed and produced the 1.2-mile trail, said: “The Hopetoun trails offer us a spectacular environment, really like no other, with a fantastic amount of ground space which allows us to safely deliver this creative lighting journey, ensuring that we are adhering to the strictest of safety guidelines. It has been an absolute joy to work with one of Scotland’s best known visitor attractions to bring our vision to life and create something truly special for our guests.”

The Earl of Hopetoun added: "We are delighted to be the venue for the inaugural Wondrous Woods. It is thrilling for me to see the grounds come to life after dark with all the creative lighting and effects that are planned.

The 2km light trail is the first to use the woodlands that surround the stately home on the outskirts of Edinburgh, and is open to visitors until November 15.

"This is the first time we have hosted such an ambitious event at night and it's hugely exciting, following such a difficult year for us all, to develop something so different for Hopetoun."

The trail opened on Wednesday and runs until November 15.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director