Nymans' Gruffalo Art Adventure runs 21 November to 17 January, 12 painted sculptures, with the house dressed for Christmas. Closed 24 and 25 December.
Christmas at Nymans opens on Saturday 21 November 2026. This year it is the Gruffalo Art Adventure: twelve giant Gruffalo sculptures, each painted by an artist, set out round the garden at Handcross until Sunday 17 January 2027, with the house dressed for Christmas in a winter woodland theme. The garden is open 10am to 4pm, and Nymans is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. (National Trust, Nymans)
The quick answer
- Is it on this year? Yes. The Gruffalo Art Adventure runs 21 November to 17 January.
- Hours: garden 10am to 4pm, house 10.30am to 3.30pm on every open day in the National Trust’s calendar to 31 December.
- Closed 24 and 25 December. Open again from Boxing Day.
- No need to book. Free to National Trust members; adults £21 (£23.10 with Gift Aid), under-5s free.
- Free parking on site, just off the A23 at Handcross.
What it is
The trail is presented by the National Trust and Wild in Art with Magic Light Pictures, and is based on the books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Each of the twelve sculptures has been painted by a different artist, “with designs inspired by the patterns, shapes, and surroundings of nature”, and the Trust says there are Gruffalo-inspired games and challenges along the way.
Inside, the rooms of the house are “beautifully dressed for Christmas with an enchanting winter woodland theme”. (National Trust, Nymans)
Dates and opening times
| Dates | Garden | House |
|---|---|---|
| Sat 21 Nov to Wed 23 Dec, daily | 10am to 4pm | 10.30am to 3.30pm |
| Thu 24 and Fri 25 Dec | Closed | Closed |
| Sat 26 to Thu 31 Dec, daily | 10am to 4pm | 10.30am to 3.30pm |
| January 2027 | Not yet in the Trust’s calendar | Not yet in the Trust’s calendar |
The times come from the opening calendar on the Nymans page, checked on 10 October. The Trust’s text gives two different closing dates for the Christmas house: “Monday 4 January 2027” in one place and “Tues 5” in another. Check the calendar before a January visit. The Gruffalo trail itself carries on in the garden until Sunday 17 January. (National Trust, Nymans)
Prices
The Nymans page does not list a separate charge for the trail. Its admission prices, which apply from 1 March 2026, are:
| Ticket | With Gift Aid | Without Gift Aid |
|---|---|---|
| Adult (18+) | £23.10 | £21.00 |
| Child (5 to 17) | £11.60 | £10.50 |
| Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) | £57.80 | £52.50 |
| 1 adult, up to 3 children | £34.70 | £31.50 |
Under-5s go free. National Trust members get in free, and so do RHS members (main cardholder only). Nymans says it is open seven days a week and there is no need to book. (National Trust, Nymans)
Getting there and parking
Nymans is at Handcross, near Haywards Heath, RH17 6EB, just off the A23 London to Brighton road, with brown signs from the A23. The car park is free. There are eight electric car charging points, and you need your own cable. Dogs are not allowed in the garden; assistance dogs are.
The nearest station is Balcombe, five miles away, and the Trust says there is no public transport from there to Nymans. A23 overnight closures and local roadworks are on our roadworks and travel page; for an afternoon in Haywards Heath or Cuckfield on the way, town car parks are on our parking page. (National Trust, Nymans)
Other Christmas days out nearby
- Glow Wild at Wakehurst, the evening lantern trail near Ardingly, from 26 November.
- Bluebell Railway SteamLights, an illuminated steam train from Sheffield Park, from 21 November.
- Santa at Borde Hill and on the Bluebell Railway: our Mid Sussex Santa’s grotto page.
- Every Christmas market in the district: our Mid Sussex Christmas markets page.
What is still to be confirmed
- January opening times, and which of 4 or 5 January the Christmas house closes.
- Whether Nymans adds any separate Christmas events, such as carols or a Santa. None is listed on its page as of 10 October.
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