Started your Christmas shopping yet?

It may still be summer but bookings are already being made for a magical ride to Father Christmas’s grotto at a leading Shropshire venue. Hawkstone Park in Weston-under-Redcastle has already had 200 bookings for its annual Santa Safari despite this till being the time for ice-creams rather than thinking about the festive season.

A record 6,450 visitors enjoyed the trip by Landrover through the mystical Follies to meet Santa in his hillside grotto in 2011 and the venue hopes to match those figures again in 2012. Santa Safari starts with a walk through the illuminated woods to check-in at the Santa Desk and toast the festive season with a drink in the German Market themed shop.

Families will then go through the illuminated Grand Valley, under the Wishing Arch and through a spectacular network of caves to meet Santa in his Grotto. Every child will receive a present and meet the reindeer in the Woodland Dell before Santa’s Elves provide entertainment and treats.

Annabel Burgess-Durston, sales and events co-ordinator at Hawkstone Park, said Santa Safari remained one of its most popular events. “Young children – and big children! – love Santa Safari and the fact we have already had 200 bookings by the middle of August underlines its enduring success,” she said.

“We receive many repeat bookings which is always a good sign of how much families have enjoyed themselves and for many the start of Christmas begins with a trip to the Follies for our Santa Safari.

“It is a magical time of year for children and we decorate the Follies brilliantly with fairy lights, which adds to the whole experience before they get to meet Father Christmas and hand over their present wish-lists.

“The staff at Hawkstone Park look forward to Santa Safari as much as our visitors and I am sure it will once again be a great time in the countdown to December 25.”

Booking is essential and Santa Safari returns on Saturday, December 1 with prices starting from £4 for youngsters aged under two, £15.95 for children aged over two, £14.95 for adults and £57 for tickets for families of four.

A full list of dates, times and prices is available from www.hawkstone.co.uk, by email at [email protected] or by contacting Santa’s elves on 01948 841700