There’s nothing better on a crisp, winter afternoon than a nice festive stroll with the family (especially on Christmas Day) so we want to tell you about some of the best festive walks in Leeds and the surrounding areas.
Bolton Abbey is located near Bradford and is a spectacular, naturally beautiful day out at any time of year. A full day of exploration is in store whenever you visit Bolton Abbey with the ruins to explore adventures to be had in the nearby woods and the famous steppingstones to (carefully) hop, skip and jump over.
At Christmas, the setting is especially atmospheric, and with events like the Christmas trail, nativities, and even visits from Father Christmas himself, a Christmassy trip to Bolton Abbey will be the perfect festive treat for the entire family.
The Bolton Abbey 12 Days of Christmas trail runs from the Saturday 18 December to the Monday 3 January, so there’s plenty of time to take the family down for some festive, outdoor fun.
12 Days of Christmas Walk. / Image: Bolton Abbey
The trail is a beautiful walk through Strid Wood, a heartwarming, fairytale-like forest on the grounds. This is a lovely family activity within itself, but to keep the little ones entertained throughout you’ll have to put your detective hats on and keep your eyes peeled to find clues along the way. Once you’ve collected your clues, a recipe for an amazing gingerbread Priory will be revealed.
After a lovely winter stroll, you can take your recipe home with you, partake in a spot of Christmas baking, and let the festive fun continue throughout the day.
12 Days of Christmas Walk. / Image: Bolton Abbey
After the trail, if you’re not ready to head home just yet, Bolton Abbey has plenty else in store to keep you and the whole family entertained. With lots of other walks to complete, a couple of shops to visit, a post office, and plenty of tea rooms, cafes, and restaurants, there’s plenty to keep you entertained if you’re wanting to experience a whole day of festive fun at Bolton Abbey.
If you’re wanting to visit Santa though, you’ll need to book in advance as this is a firm favourite for local families, and with dates up until and after Christmas, there’s still time to get booked in!
To find out more information, including where to buy tickets, visit the Bolton Abbey website.
A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.
Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.
His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.
Image: Supplied
Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.
Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.
Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...
And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Image: Supplied
The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.
You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.
Major plans announced for Leeds Christmas Markets 2026 – food, drinks, stalls and more
Thomas Melia
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Kate Perou -
20th December 2023 
