This Christmas, families can swap the usual festive outing for a wildlife-powered adventure at Walthamstow Wetlands.
London Wildlife Trust’s new experience, Winter at the Wetlands – Operation Redwing, runs from 5 to 23 December 2026 at the Engine House Visitor Centre in Walthamstow.
A brand new festive experience is coming to Walthamstow Wetlands this December
Set in one of London’s most spectacular nature reserves, the 45-minute interactive experience combines Christmas storytelling, imaginative play and hands-on wildlife discovery culminating in a meeting with Santa himself.
At the centre of the adventure is Operation Redwing, a top-secret mission in which children join The Navigators, Norm and Nesbit, to help save Christmas.
Young visitors will enter a secret hide, meet “nature’s superheroes,” and learn how animals migrate, navigate and survive through challenging conditions.
They will then put their new wildlife knowledge to the test by helping design Santa’s ultimate Super Sleigh.
Santa is coming to Walthamstow Wetlands with a wildlife mission
The experience ends with Santa sharing the story of a Christmas Eve nearly 100 years ago, when he became lost in a dark winter woodland and was rescued by an unlikely team of wild creatures.
Created specifically for Walthamstow Wetlands and performed by professional actors from Complete Works, the event is designed to bring together festive magic and real nature learning.
It is aimed at families and children of all ages, particularly those under 12, with relaxed sessions available on selected dates.
David Mooney, CEO at London Wildlife Trust, said: “Winter at the Wetlands is a rare blend of Christmas magic and wildlife discoveries, found nowhere else in London. We hope families will make memories they’ll still be thinking about next December. Every child takes home a gift, and every ticket directly supports our work caring for London’s wildlife and wild spaces, including Walthamstow Wetlands itself.”
Just 15 minutes from central London, Walthamstow Wetlands offers an unusual backdrop for a Christmas event: a working reservoir site that is also an internationally important nature reserve. It is home to wildlife including herons, kingfishers and hedgehogs, giving families a chance to encounter nature close to home.
The wetlands are part of the Walthamstow Reservoirs Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Lee Valley Special Protection Area and a Ramsar site of international importance.
London Wildlife Trust hopes the event will inspire a new generation of wildlife enthusiasts by showing how enchanting the natural world can be.
Tickets, dates and how to visit Winter at the Wetlands
The event runs from Saturday 5 December – Wednesday 23 December 2026 at Engine House Visitor Centre, Walthamstow Wetlands, 2 Forest Road, London, N17 9NH.
Tickets include a gift for every child: £40 for one adult and one child, £23 for each additional child, and £20 for each additional adult. Babies under 12 months go free.
Every ticket supports London Wildlife Trust’s conservation work across the capital, including the care of Walthamstow Wetlands and its 36 free-to-access nature reserves.
