Scotsdales' grotto lists sessions from 15 November, children from £12.99, online only. Cambourne (£10) and Over (£2.50) have Santa on 28 November.

Four places in South Cambridgeshire have published Santa dates for this Christmas. The biggest is the Scotsdales grotto; the cheapest is £2.50 at Over. Three of the four need booking.

The quick answer

  • Scotsdales Santa’s Grotto: weekends from Sunday 15 November, then daily from 30 November to Christmas Eve. Children from £12.99, adults from £1.29, online pre-booking only.
  • Saturday 28 November, Cambourne: Santa meet and greet at The Hub, £10 a child, slots noon to 5.30pm, must be booked.
  • Saturday 28 November, Over: Santa’s grotto at the Christmas craft fair, 1pm to 4pm, £2.50.
  • 16, 17, 21 and 22 December, Bury Lane, Melbourn: tea or breakfast with Santa, £21 a child with a present and a meal, booked by phone and non-refundable.

Checked on 3 October 2026 against Scotsdales, Cambourne Town Council, Bury Lane Farm Shop and Visit South Cambs, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s own what’s-on listing.

Date Where Times Price Booking
15 Nov to 24 Dec Scotsdales (see below) Sessions by booking Children from £12.99 Essential, online only
Sat 28 Nov The Hub, Great Cambourne, CB23 6GW Slots noon to 5.30pm £10 per child Essential, online
Sat 28 Nov Over Community Centre, CB24 5NW 1pm to 4pm £2.50 Not stated
Wed 16 and Thu 17 Dec Bury Lane Farm Shop, Melbourn, SG8 6GT Tea, 4.15pm to 5.45pm £21 per child, £16 per adult meal Phone, pay in full
Mon 21 and Tue 22 Dec Bury Lane Farm Shop, Melbourn, SG8 6GT Breakfast, 9am to 10.30am £21 per child, £16 per adult meal Phone, pay in full

Scotsdales: the Enchanted Elevator grotto

Scotsdales’ grotto page says “The Enchanted Elevator returns to Great Shelford”: an elf takes you on a “journey to the North Pole”, past winter animals and Santa’s workshop, to a private family visit with Father Christmas and a photo. Each child then picks a gift in Santa’s Toy Room.

  • Sessions: 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 November, then every day from 30 November to 24 December.
  • Prices: children’s tickets from £12.99, adult tickets from £1.29.
  • Booking: online only, and essential. Every group needs at least one child and one adult, up to eight people, and you can book only one group ticket at a time.
  • There is a separate grotto experience for children with special educational needs.

Two things the page does not settle. It prints no year, though the dates fit 2026: those November dates are all weekends this year, and 30 November 2026 is a Monday. And the branch is not consistent: the grotto page says Great Shelford, while the banner on the Scotsdales home page reads “Santa’s Grotto at Scotsdales Horningsea”. On 3 October the online ticket shop showed no grotto sessions yet. Check the venue on your ticket before you set off. (Scotsdales Santa’s Grotto, Scotsdales Garden Centre)

Cambourne: Saturday 28 November

Cambourne Town Council is running a Santa meet and greet alongside its Christmas market at the Hub Community Centre, High Street, Great Cambourne, CB23 6GW, sponsored by Bowdens Estate Agents.

  • £10 per child, which includes a small gift and 20 minutes with Santa
  • group sessions of up to 15 children
  • slots from noon until 5.30pm, and they must be booked through the town council’s online shop at cambourne-town-council.square.site

The Christmas market itself runs 11am to 4pm, with pottery, cards, jewellery, knitted goods and festive food, and is free to walk round. (Cambourne Town Council)

Over: Saturday 28 November

The annual Christmas Craft Fair at Over Community Centre, The Doles, CB24 5NW, runs from 1pm to 4pm with a Santa’s grotto at £2.50. Entry to the fair is free, and there is a tombola, mulled wine and mince pies. (Visit South Cambs)

Bury Lane, Melbourn: tea and breakfast with Santa

Bury Lane Farm Shop, A10 By Pass, Melbourn, SG8 6GT, has put its 2026 Santa meals on sale in its Fun Barn:

  • Tea with Santa: Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 December, 4.15pm to 5.45pm. Children choose pizza and chips, fish goujons, or sausage, chips and beans.
  • Breakfast with Santa: Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 December, 9am to 10.30am, with a full English or a vegetarian full English.

£21 per child, including a present from Santa and the meal. Adults pay £16 for a meal or £9.50 for cake (or a pastry at breakfast) and a drink. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.

The rules are strict: full payment on booking, a maximum of two adults per booking, and no refunds unless Bury Lane cancels. Book on 01763 260418, extension 2, or with the Fun Barn team in person. (Bury Lane events, Bury Lane price list)

Getting there

Bury Lane sits on the busy A10 bypass at Melbourn, and The Hub in Cambourne gets crowded on market day. Our parking in South Cambs page explains the options, and the roadworks and travel page has closures to check before you set off.

The same weekend has more Christmas shopping: our Christmas markets page lists the fairs at Cambourne, Over and Bourn, and the Christmas at Wimpole light trail opens on 20 November.

Still to be confirmed

  • Scotsdales’ 2026 ticket release and which branch hosts the grotto.
  • Other grottos. Garden centres and attractions add Santa dates through October and November; this page will be updated as they announce.
  • Village schools and churches, which usually fix Christmas fair dates in October and November.

Sources