Route: Westonbirt Arboretum
Area: Gloucestershire
Date of walk: 10th October 2025
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.0 miles
Ascent: 100 feet
Weather: Mostly overcast
Westonbirt Arboretum, or the National Arboretum, is a place we’ve wanted to visit for some time. There’s interest here all year round, but especially in autumn when the collection of Japanese maples is peaking. The collection was started in the early 1980s and contains around 297 different types of Japanese maple, including some of the finest specimens in the UK
In addition to the maples, the arboretum is home to 2,500 species of tree from all over the globe and is one of the most important collections in the world
We’d pre-booked our tickets in order to avoid disappointment and, after walking through the entrance, turned left into the Silk Wood area of the arboretum. The other slightly smaller area is known as the Old Arboretum. We climbed up to the Treetop Walkway, a 300 metre elevated path which offers a unique perspective of Silk Wood. From here we descended and made our way over to the Maple Loop. The Japanese Maples in the western area of Silk Wood were a scenic highlight of the walk. The oldest maples (acers) were planted by the Holford family in the 1870’s and new specimens continue to be planted here in order to ensure the future of the collection
After completing a circuit of Silk Wood (and no doubt missing many of its other highlighs, as there are a multitude of paths), we made our way over to the Old Arboretum where there are some magnificent Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar and Giant Redwood. This brought back to mind our visits this year to Benmore Botanic Garden in Scotland, and Cathedral Grove and UBC Botanical Garden in Canada. We followed the Loop Walk for a while and then our attention was drawn by Holford Ride, an irresistible grassy avenue framed by exotic tree species. As we continued along the path, Westonbirt House came into view. This is the subject of a separate visit and we had no time for that today, but the view of the house from Holford Ride was another scenic highlight of this place
At the end of Holford Ride we meandered back to the start. It had been a wonderful walk, full of interest throughout, and we were glad to have timed our visit to coincide with the autumn colours
I haven’t provided the usual route map as it’s best to wander around where your interest takes you. Click here for a link to a plan showing the layout of the arboretum and its paths
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
The entrance to Westonbirt Arboretum. We'd purchased tickets in advance, which involves booking a time slot, so I recommend checking the website before planning a visit
Beyond the entrance we turn left into Silk Wood and follow the Treetop Walkway
The elevated walkway weaves its way around the trees, offering unique views from the canopy
Back on ground floor level we follow the Maple Loop
A few photos of the autumn colours in this section of the arboretum...
Beyond the Maple Loop, more characterful old trees...
Monterey Pine, the most widely planted species in the world and which grows better in plantation conditions than in the wild
Lawson Cypress...
We head across to the other section of the garden, the Old Arboretum...
A stand of Douglas Fir in the Old Arboretum
The start of Holford Ride, an avenue of trees which leads towards Westonbirt House
Lime Avenue on our left as we continue along Holford Ride
A stand of giant sequoia at the entrance to Lime Avenue
Westonbirt House comes in to view as we arrive at the end of Holford Ride...
At the end of Holford Ride we make our way back to the start, passing by more stately old trees...
The end of a wonderful walk lies around the corner. It had been a morning very well spent on our journey south - see my next walk for the first of several in Cornwall...
