Westonbirt Arboretum

Welcome to your journey to Westonbirt Arboretum. Along the way you'll travel through the rolling hills of the south Cotswolds, heading northwards past hill forts, historic manor houses and quaint Cotswold villages as you travel to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum.

On your left you'll see the source of the River Frome. The Frome runs for 20 miles from here to Bristol, where it joins the River Avon. The source lies in the grounds of the grand Dodington Park estate and although the house itself is tucked away, you can get a glimpse into the gardens as you pass by. The house was built by architect James Wyatt between 1798 and 1816 in classical Roman style using local Bath stone, and is now owned by businessman James Dyson.

After passing through the edge of Old Sodbury you'll see raised ground on your left which was the site of Little Sodbury Hill Fort. The fort is one of a series built in the area during the Iron and Bronze Ages. It covers 11 acres, but all that's left today are the earthworks, with two layers of ditches and ramparts that were once used for protection against invaders.

As you drive along this stretch of the route, the road runs almost parallel to the Cotswold Way long-distance walking route. The Cotswold Way stretches for 102 miles between Chipping Campden and Bath along the Cotswold Escarpment. It's rated as one of the country's most spectacular hiking routes, with shorter sections and circular walks available if you want to try it out.

You're now approaching the villages of Petty France and Dunkirk. Petty France is thought to get its name from French Huguenot refugees who lived there. It's also mentioned by Jane Austen in her book Northanger Abbey, though she wasn't exactly impressed with the village, describing it as having “nothing to be done but to eat without being hungry, and to loiter about without anything to see”. As you pass through Petty France you can see the elegant white building of the Cotswold Manor House on your left, once home to the Wordsworth family and now available to rent for holidays.

Coming up on your right on the approach to the village of Didmarton is Worcester Lodge. This is part of the 52,000-acre Badminton Estate, home to the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort. The estate gave its name to the sport of badminton, which is thought to have first been played there. The lodge was built in 1746 as a dining hall and is still used for weddings and events today.

Peaceful Didmarton village sits on the edge of the Badminton Estate and dates back to the 12th century. Its position on the road from Cirencester to Bristol and Bath helped it grow, and there were once two coaching inns where travellers could stop on their journey – one of them, the King’s Arms, is still open today. The village is home to St Lawrence's Church, which has an unusual open bell tower.

The route continues through the small hamlet of Knockdown, on the approach to Westonbirt. Westonbirt Arboretum was founded in 1829 by local landowner and botany enthusiast Robert Stayner Holford, who financed voyages across the world to discover new and unusual plant species. Today the arboretum stretches over 600 acres and has more than 3,000 species of trees.

As you approach Westonbirt Arboretum you'll see the car park ahead of you. Follow the treetop walkway and walking trails through the site to discover its collection of trees and shrubs, covered in blossom in spring and with glorious colours in autumn. The arboretum also hosts frequent events including the Enchanted Christmas illuminated light trail, which takes place in November and December.
You have now reached the destination of this route. It is great that I was able to accompany you here. I hope you enjoyed the tour and wish you a pleasant stay and safe onward journey.