disclosure: we were given tickets/complimentary food and drinks in exchange for this review
As the snow started to fall we headed off to spend time experiencing the Lap of Lights and more at Silverstone last Sunday. We could not have picked a better day to visit, to really put us in the mood for Christmas. We had driven around the circuit last December so had an idea of what to expect but with the new addition of entry into the Lodge within the iconic Wing complex, we were looking forward to some fun and games.
We live fairly locally to the Silverstone circuit which is located at the edge of the Northamptonshire/Buckinghamshire border and is easily reached from both the M40 and M1. The Lap of Lights event is running until 3rd January 2022.
We took my SIL with us this time around and she was experiencing the Lap of Lights and more at Silverstone for the first time. We’d decided to take a look at the Lodge and what was on offer there before heading out on the track itself as we weren’t sure how busy everything was going to be, and also we didn’t know whether the weather conditions were going to rapidly deteriorate. Everything is well signposted and there is large free car parking available for the Lodge and ICE TRAK. There is a short walk to the entertainment area including a bridge over the track itself, so make sure you bring appropriate clothing.
The ICE TRAK experience gives you the opportunity to skate along part of the pit lane and through some of the garages that would be used during the Grand Prix weekend. It’s recommended that sessions are pre-booked due to popularity with pricing starting from £8 per adult and £6 per child. You can also pre-book skating aids for £5 per child. The skating sessions last for 45 minutes, and 20 minutes should be allowed to enable you to collect your skates.
As you skate along the ICE TRAK you also have an opportunity to see a few different racing cars including this lovely Ferrari F1 car (not that I’m biased at all!)
From the ICE TRAK, you walk up into the Wing complex itself to the Lodge.
Being a bit of an F1 nerd, I was rather excited to get a good look at the artwork from PopBangColour as you can’t normally get this side of the paddock fencing.
Access to the Lodge is included in the Lap of Lights tickets and on the lower floor you can find the bar and main eatery, merchandise area, free children’s cinema and a live band plays too.
Upstairs hosts the main activity area where you can try your hand at axe throwing from £8pp.
And we all wanted to try out curling for the first time (this is priced from £5pp), neither are as easy as they look!
There were also driving simulators available for £10 per person, and there’s a bar area and seating in this section too.
After we’d all proved that we’d better stick with the day jobs we headed back downstairs for a bite to eat. There was a notice at the bar advising that there was a 30-minute wait for food but we were served quickly and our food arrived promptly and well before the time mentioned. I would imagine that later in the evening things could take a bit longer to arrive. We all had the Silverstone Festive Dogs which were really good (my son had a plain version on request) and just what we needed after our activities.
We all enjoyed our time in the Lodge and I can see a lot of people really liking this aspect when experiencing the Lap of Lights and more at Silverstone this year. But we were all eager to get in the car, tune into the Lap of Lights Radio on 87.7FM and enjoy our drive around the globe, with added snow.
You join the main circuit at Brooklands and the Lap of Lights takes approximately 30 minutes to complete before you exit at the Loop (the only part of the track that you don’t drive along is the Wellington Straight. My son loved explaining to his Auntie whereabouts we were on the track as the OH drove us in convoy.
The photos really don’t do the experience this year justice, my camera certainly didn’t like snow, and flashing lights all at the same time. The snow against the laser lights looked like glitter floating in the sky and we were all just mesmerised by it.
This year’s Lap of Lights is themed around travelling the world, with areas for Europe, Asia, USA, Atlantic, Africa, Oceania, Pacific and of course the Arctic.
Seeing snowglobes with snow on the outside just added to the experience.
The drive along the Hamilton Straight doesn’t disappoint and it was a highlight for my son.
Experiencing the Lap of Lights and more at Silverstone also meant we got to see Father Christmas waving us on our way.
We didn’t think that there were quite as many lights along the circuit this year, but it didn’t stop our enjoyment and for prices starting at £30 per vehicle, it’s still a cheap family festive experience and you get to keep warm in your car too! We enjoyed ourselves and my SIL loved it, the weather just added to the evening and got us feeling very festive.
Now if we could order the polar opposite of this weather for the British Grand Prix weekend in July then I’d really appreciate it! One thing I think could be improved on within the Lodge is showcasing how family-friendly the motorsport events are that are held at Silverstone. The Grand Prix is a little different, but generally, most events are free for children to attend and a lot of fun. I’m surprised that more wasn’t made of the captive audience, but then I’m a motorsport fan anyway, and I guess this festive event is for a wider market. But along with experiencing the Lap of Lights and more at Silverstone, we’d thoroughly recommend visiting one of their sporting events too.