Rivers of rainbow lights, disco unicorns, sleeping dragons all await the public at Bute Park’s spectacular Christmas light trail this year.

As you cross the bridge to the park the beauty and inventiveness of this year’s experience hits you before you even reach the trail proper, reflected in the water below is a cross between the aurora borealis and a psychedelic sunset, with the park’s trees silhouetted against it.

The light installations range from the crazy, the disco unicorns that greet you on arrival- think mythical beasts in candy colours and disco balls dappling light from the trees, to the emotional.

Western Telegraph: A feast for the senses.

Pembrokeshire artist’s Molara’s installation, while great for a photo opportunity, moved me to tears; the combination of pure voices singing Welsh lullabies with stories told by refugees and migrants was a powerful one.

Alongside the lights Molara designed was a beautiful set of eight-metre-wide angel wings which have been painted under her direction by Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) set design students.

The wings incorporate fabric patterns from many nations where people suffer war and persecution.

Western Telegraph: Molara's Flight of Fancy wings

“I think we need to highlight the positives of all the different kinds of people living in Wales and how that enriches us in terms of our world perspective,” said Molara of her piece.

Another piece exploring the meaning of home had a similar Emotional effect on me.

Bute Park isn’t just about the light; each installation has its own soundtrack which makes it a double whammy for the senses. The dragon sleeping just over the castle wall has magical Welsh folk songs while a cascade of overhead baubles makes eerie sounds as you walk under them.

Western Telegraph: A sense of home.

Some of the light installations are complete flights of the imagination while others anchor themselves in the reality of the park. The Twilight Garden of space flowers, is created on the existing shrubbery, but these flowers look like they are nesting alien eggs and have been dropped off from a visiting UFO.

In another piece the park’s trees are transformed into angular neon creations and further on a piece of the park’s pathway has become an ever-changing rainbow walkway.

There are plenty of great opportunities for photos and selfies along the way, with illuminated giant picture frames, an oversized neon mistletoe at Give us a Cwtch and Molara’s Instagram-able wings.

Western Telegraph: An enchantment for the senses.

However, you will also want to put your phone down and just get lost in the magic of it all.

The festive finale is calling to you as you walk around the trail, you can see its searchlights projected into the night sky and wonder what they are beckoning you to.

They are calling you to a spectacular display of sound and music where lights pulse up a giant Christmas tree and dance to a dramatic soundtrack.

On a practical note, the route is well-served with refreshment stops should you need something along the way, there’s hot chocolate and even (pretty pricey) marshmallows for toasting. There are more refreshments available in the Christmas Village which marks the start and end of the trail.

Western Telegraph: Burning bright.

We were told it would take around an hour, but I would allow an hour and a half to give yourself enough time to absorb it all.

Go in through the castle, rather than asking Google- we ended up at a locked gate and if you are taking little people consider popping them in a distinctive hat or illuminated accessories- it’s dark and there are lots of people.

Christmas at Bute Park is open until January 1 and is definitely worth a visit. An imagination- blasting feast for the senses, prepare to be wowed, moved and immersed in wonder.