Westonbirt Arboretum, Tetbury

Tough Choices Getting a decision out of my relatives is always a challenge so I was a bit nervous about how we'd fill a long weekend away with my parents, my sister and her partner. We were staying just outside Cirencester in the south of the Cotswolds and we tried to make sure that everyone got to pick something to do at some point during the weekend. After my husband spent the first evening in our self-catering accommodation snoring on the sofa whilst everyone else watched 'Autumnwatch' my sister declared that her choice was a trip to Westonbirt Arboretum. I think she'd done her homework and ... more

This summer holiday while I was visiting my parents in Bristol with my 2 year old and 4 year old sons we decided to take a few day trips. The first of our trips was to Westonbirt Arboretum as it was not too far a drive from Bristol and a good place for the kids to have a run around and picnic, also my mum had some vouchers for money off the entry fee, so it was good value too! Westonbirt is one of many forest type/wooded areas looked after by the Forestry Commission, this is probably one of the smallest sites that I have visited, but they all seem to be well managed. Prices and opening times ... more

We visited The Westonbirt Arboretum, near Tetbury, last week, so I thought I'd let you all know what it's all about and what we thought of it. There are two main areas to Westonbirt, and we wandered around both of then, the Old Arboretum (started in the 1820's by a chap called Robert Holford) and The Silk Wood, expanded by Holford's son, George, who took over in the 1870's. in 1956 the entire 600 acres (240 hectares) were handed over to the Forestry Commission who manage things now. There are lots of lovely trees and plants, and some very good paths around then, and everything's labelled with ... more