Westonbirt, The National Arboretum
About
Westonbirt, The National Aboretum's forests will remain open for outdoor recreation and exercise during England's lockdown. All visitors, including Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, must book tickets in advance. The restaurant is open for take away offering only.
Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, managed by the Forestry Commission, is one of the finest collections of temperate trees and shrubs in the world.
The 600 acre arboretum is home to 3,000 different species of trees and around 15,000 individual specimens. A place of environmental and historical importance, its Victorian creator Robert Holford was fascinated by rare and beautiful plants and helped finance expeditions to collect specimens from around the world.
Westonbirt is known internationally for its spectacular autumn colour display, but offers an unforgettable day out all year round, from magnificent flowering trees in spring, to sculptural and bright-stemmed specimens in winter.
Activities throughout the year
Events, workshops and family activities run throughout the year. Signature events include Treefest in August and the spectacular Enchanted Christmas illuminated trail in November and December.
There are 17 miles of paths throughout the arboretum and dozens of leafy glades with levels of accessibility to suit a range of visitors. Free weekend guided walks led by knowledgeable volunteers are available from Easter to October, and you can fire your children’s imaginations with an adventure into the trees along our play trail.
There are mobility scooters and manual wheelchairs available to borrow (it is advisable to book these in advance), special group rates on request and retail and refreshment opportunities onsite.
Westonbirt has a huge area, Silk Wood, for you and your dog to explore. The Old Arboretum and the Christopher Mitchell Information Centre are dog-free zones.
Gruffalo Sculptures - If you venture into the deep dark wood you may bump into the Gruffalo, the Gruffalo's Child and other characters from the book too!
Zog Activity trail - Based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s magical children’s picture book, children are invited to step into the forest classroom and learn lessons just like Zog, the loveable, if somewhat clumsy, dragon at Dragon School. Learn how animals fly, what sounds they make and how they catch their prey! As well as winning gold stars along the self-led trail, there will be reveal panels which have a hidden image that children can find using a coloured lens in their activity pack. Available to buy for just £3 the activity pack will also include a Zog mask, activity sheets a pencil and stickers.
Spring at Westonbirt
After a long and wet winter, the first signs that spring is on the way are starting to be spotted at Forestry England’s Westonbirt, The National Arboretum. To help the public take in the best of the new season, the team at Westonbirt have today launched a new walking trail, which will get visitors using all five senses to experience one of the world’s most beautiful woodland gardens. As visitors wind their way through the trees, they’ll find various stops on the way which will demonstrate how wildlife, plants and humans interact with the natural world around them using all five senses.
The trail is free after entry to the arboretum, and a free accompanying map can be collected from the Welcome Building on arrival. The new spring seasonal trail will be at the arboretum until the 31 May.
Summer at Westonbirt
Westonbirt is the perfect place in which to escape from hot weather, green leafy rides and secluded glades providing cool refreshment from the sun.
Over the August Bank Holiday weekend you can enjoy Treefest - watch as carvers take inspiration from nature to create large wooden sculptures, listen to local live music, see traditional woodcraft and woodland skills, meet local food producers and watch live arena demonstrations.
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Book Tickets
Opening Times
Open (1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021) |
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* Westonbirt is open 364 days of the year for you to enjoy.
March - November: 9am - 4.30pm
December - February: 9am - 4pm
Last admission 4.30pm
The above times should be used as an indicator during the recovery phase from the global pandemic.
Please double-check details by visiting the website via the link above before you visit
Further Information
Other
- Gift Shop
Accessibility
- Accessible to Wheelchair Users
- All Areas Accessible to Disabled Visitors - Some woodland paths are not suitable for wheelchair users.
- Facilities for the Disabled
- Guide Dogs Permitted
- Parking Areas for Disabled Visitors
- Ramp/Level Access
- Toilets for Disabled Visitors
Attraction Facilities
- Childrens Play Area
- Plant Sales
- Shop
Catering
- On-Site café/restaurant
- Picnic Site
Children & Infants
- Facilities for children
Establishment Features
- Available for wedding receptions
- Conference facilities
- Dogs Accepted
- Event venue
- Tea / Coffee Shop
- Toilets
- Wedding Venue
Key Features
- Approx length of visit - 2.5 hours
- Forest Location
- In countryside
- Outdoor Attraction
Parking & Transport
- Car parking
- Coach Parking
- On Bus Route
Payment Methods
- Special group rates
Specialist Features
- Family Fun
- Marketed towards families
- Marketed towards senior citizens
Tours and Demonstrations
- Educational Visits Accepted
- Guided Tours Available for Groups
Venue Facilities
- Groups Accepted - Please enquire for further details
TripAdvisor

- Travelers Choice 2020
- Excellent1369
- Very Good683
- Average235
- Poor100
- Terrible101
Recent Reviews:
- 1samantha1Hereford, United KingdomTrip Type:Friends getawayDisenchanting.Tuesday, 22nd December 2020This was not at all enchanting.We got to the end dissapointed feeling like the event hadnt really got started and bemused with the rediculous pantomime theme ,silly characters and lack of imagination... Read full review
- Emigratingagainunited kingdomPoor light show and overcrowded. Total disappointment!Wednesday, 23rd December 2020Absolutely awful experience. Queuing from start to end, with no room to walk at your own pace. Far too many people (felt dangerous in times of Covid and too risky to take off our masks as no... Read full review
- joseyw708Not a nice experienceThursday, 31st December 2020I didn't want to write this, but... having just seen previous reviews, and pictures from our family of the lights at Wakehurst, I feel obligated to confirm the poor reviews of Westonbirt. I was very... Read full review