Winkworth Arboretum

About

Winkworth is the National Trust’s only arboretum and is perfect for visiting any time of the year as the landscape changes with the seasons. This breath-taking arboretum is home to around 6,000 trees that comprise of over 1,000 different species. This is thanks to Dr Wilfrid Fox, a local doctor, who created the arboretum in the early 20th century. He had a passion for preserving the wooded hillside near his home, and bequeathed it to the National Trust who have maintained his vision and planting schemes for 70 years. It has been awarded a Level 2 accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Programme, the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism.

The arboretum provides a location for fun family activities from children’s trails during the school holidays to a woodland play area open daily. It is a huge space where families can spend the day exploring and connecting with nature, and there’s also the Arbor Tea Room where visitors can refuel with a tasty drink and light lunch or snack. At Winkworth dogs on leads are welcome all year round too.
As the seasons change so does the arboretum.  The most impressive displays of nature are in spring with magnolia, bluebells and azaleas in joyous bloom, and autumn when the foliage blazes with vibrant and stunning colour. Summer visits are perfect for picnics and walks in the sunshine, while winter provides dramatic scenery for a woodland wonderland. 

Visitors can also listen to the Winkworth Audio Guide: All About Trees as they explore the arboretum with arboriculturist Simon Toomer and Head Gardener, Graham Alderton. They point out site history and explore the incredible trees here, including some handy identification tips. 

Every season is different at Winkworth, and with a calendar of changing events there are many reasons to return again and again. 
 

TICKETS

Tickets only need to be booked during busy periods (Easter weekend and autumn). They can be booked through https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winkworth-arboretum