Barnwood Arboretum & Barnwood Park

This peaceful green space is a hidden gem, featuring hand-carved benches, the gently babbling Wotton Brook and an impressive legacy of trees from the former grounds of Barnwood House Hospital. The largest area of Barnwood Park, including the brook and balancing ponds, is always open and suitable for off-lead walks. The smaller Barnwood Arboretum is typically open during daylight hours and requests that dogs are kept on leads.

Although compact in size, the arboretum boasts a remarkable collection of mature trees, accessed via a footbridge over the brook. Highlights include several Giant Redwoods (all over 25 metres tall), two Indian Bean Trees — one of which is Gloucester’s oldest — and a very rare Variegated Beech thought to have originated from Westonbirt Arboretum.

The surrounding grassland is unimproved and managed with cattle in summer and sheep in winter (livestock are limited to the arboretum area). A Tree Trail created by the Friends of Barnwood Arboretum & Barnwood Park provides fascinating insight into the site’s specimen trees, including one planted to commemorate the Queen’s Coronation. There is also a tree-carving sculpture trail, which is especially popular with children.

Barnwood Arboretum & Barnwood Park is owned and managed by Gloucester City Council with support from the Friends of Barnwood Arboretum & Barnwood Park. It holds Local Nature Reserve status and is a Green Flag Award winner, recognising its high standard of management and care.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nala & Bambi (@nala.and.bambi)