Entry to Westonbirt Arboretum will close at 3pm on Enchanted Christmas evenings. - Find out more

Visitor information

A magical tree garden, where you can explore trees from all over the globe

Book tickets

Home to 2,500 different species from the far corners of the globe and 5 national tree collections, Westonbirt is the perfect place for you to escape, relax or have an adventure! Take a journey up into the canopy on the STIHL Tree Top Walkway, stop by the café for a tasty treat or see if you can spot the Gruffalo!

Don't forget, if you join as a Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum member, you can enjoy free entry to this spectacular setting for a whole year. Find out more about becoming a member here.

A family hold hands in a line looking in awe at brightly coloured lights of enchanted Chrismtas surrounding them.

Enchanted Christmas

Prepare to be dazzled by an enthralling winter wonderland, filled with sparkling lights, festive sounds, and mesmerising installations – making for an unforgettable experience for all the family.
Forest event
Sat 09 Dec
10.30am - 3.30pm
Great Oak Hall

Find out about the trees that feature in our winter and Christmas traditions through discovery, challenges and crafts.

Make your own Christmas crafts to take home, made from natural materials. 

Budding scientists can learn more about nature in winter by taking a close look at evergreen leaves under the microscope.

Suitable for all ages 5 years and above.

Forest event
Wed 06 Dec, Sun 10 Dec
10am - 12.30pm
Learning Centre

It’s that time of year again, when you can take some time out and enjoy a minced pie while you create your own Christmas wreath. There will be lots of traditional greenery and seasonal treats from the hedgerow to choose from, so you can make your wreath as wild and natural as you dare.

Your workshop ticket includes free entry to the arboretum so you can enjoy the rest of your day discovering one of the most diverse and beautiful botanical collections in the world.

Forest event
Sat 16 Dec, Sat 20 Jan, Sat 10 Feb, Sat 23 Mar, Sat 18 May, Sat 15 Jun, Sat 06 Jul
10.00am - 4.00pm
Westonbirt Arboretum

Spend a relaxing day crafting and weaving in a small group of like minded people - absolute beginners are very welcome and all the materials will be provided. Design and build a sculpture for your garden, a bird feeder, an abstract sculpture or willow animal! It’s completely up to you. Your tutor Zoe will be there to guide you with any technical skills you need to finish your piece. Take a break at lunchtime to enjoy a bite from the cafe next door or bring a packed lunch and sit under a tree!

Forest event
24 Nov - 23 Dec, open on selected evenings
4.00pm - 9.30pm
Westonbirt Arboretum

Welcome to Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt Arboretum, where the magic of the festive season comes to life in spectacular illuminated fashion!

Prepare to be dazzled by an enthralling winter wonderland, filled with sparkling lights, festive sounds, and mesmerising installations – making for an unforgettable experience for all the family.

Westonbirt’s captivating landscape and stunningly lit trees creates an enchanting world full of wonder and imagination – the perfect place to create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Dates

Friday 24 - Saturday 25 November

Friday 01 - Saturday 02 December

Friday 08 - Saturday 09 December

Friday 15 - Sunday 17 December

Tuesday 19 - Saturday 23 December

Time

4.00pm - 9.30pm.

Advanced booking essential

Trail entry time slots

To avoid overcrowding and ensure the enjoyment of all visitors on the illuminated trail you will be prompted at time of booking to select a time slot to begin exploring the trail. Time slots are every 10 minutes from 4.30pm – 8.20pm. Relaxed session time slots are 4pm or 4.15pm. Please ensure you arrive at the trail entrance promptly for your allocated start time. Trail admittance timeslots will be shown on a screen by the entrance to the illuminated trail. If you arrive late to the trail, we cannot guarantee entry/access to the full experience.

Prices

Tickets are priced according to the date and time slot, please select the time slot you wish to book and the relevant prices will be shown. Standard and off peak times vary by date. Off peak tends to apply to later timeslots. Standard pricing tends to apply to weekends, closer to Christmas and earlier timeslots.

  Standard Off peak Relaxed Adult £21 £19 £21 Child (3-16 years old) £14 £12 £14 Infant (0-2 years old) Free* Free* Free* Concessions (students & job seekers) £19 £17 £19 Personal assistant Free* Free* Free*

 * There is no charge for infant or personal assistant entry but they must be booked in conjunction with a full price ticket.

All orders subject to £2 transaction fee.

Relaxed Sessions - Saturday 25 November & Saturday 02 December

Sat 25 Nov & Sat 02 Dec from 4pm - 5pm the trail will be adapted to suit those with additional needs such as autism. For example, strong flashing lights, loud sound effects and smoke effects will be temporarily deactivated. All usual functions will resume ready for the general public to enter the trail at 5pm.

Buy relaxed tickets

Groups 10+

Book online or call our Customer Relations team on 0300 068 0400 (Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm) who will make the booking for you. 

Dogs

Dogs are not permitted on the illuminated trail, except assistance dogs. 

Food and Drink

Local food carts will be selling seasonal food from 4pm - 9pm.

Offering some undercover shelter and warmth the Restaurant and Smokehouse will stay open until 9pm serving festive drinks, food and toasted marshmallows! 

Accessibility 

Trail fully accessible for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, prams and push chairs.

If you would like to hire a free mobility scooter you can do so here. We would recommend checking availability of mobility scooters before you book your tickets.

Father Christmas 

Father Christmas will be walking around the illuminated trail and Christmas Village to interact and have photos with children he meets along the way.

Christmas Village

You can arrive anytime before your trail time slot to soak up some seasonal cheer in our Christmas Village. Once complete you will exit via the Christmas Village. The village will have food and drink stalls and traditional fairground rides. 

Visiting during the day

Unfortunately, we are not able to allow visitors with Enchanted Christmas tickets to visit the arboretum for free during the day. On an Enchanted Christmas day the Old Arboretum will close at 2pm to allow for set up. Admissions to Westonbirt will close at 3pm. 

Food and drink

A father and son sit at a table with food in front of them. The father looks at his son who smiles back.

Food and Drink

Enjoy delicious, freshly prepared hot and cold refreshments while visiting the arboretum.

Buy your real Christmas tree from Westonbirt Woodworks at Westonbirt Arboretum this year for a wonderful experience and the highest quality, British Christmas trees.

Treasured family traditions make Christmas extra special so join us this festive season to make choosing the perfect tree part of yours. Wrap up warm, pull on your boots and make it a day for everyone to remember at Westonbirt.

Daily from 25 November - 24 December, 10am - 4pm. Our experts will be on hand to help you choose from hundreds of Christmas trees in the fresh, wintry air of Westonbirt.

Prices from £30 for premium quality 'non-drop' Nordmann Fir

What makes our Christmas trees so special?

Quality: Our high-quality trees are grown in Britain - so you can be proud of your superior quality tree Experience: Choose your tree from a beautiful forest location to kick off your Christmas celebrations  Expertise: With 100 years of forestry experience, our experts can help you choose the right tree for your home Support your forests: The money raised from your Christmas tree helps us maintain the forests for wildlife, for you, and for future generations

Christmas events and activities in our forest

Wellies crunching through twigs and leaves. Walking trails and special memories. It’s more than a trip to pick up your Christmas tree.

At Westonbirt we have our Enchanted Christmas illuminated trails as well as seasonal trails and natural play areas, so you can experience a full day out with your loved ones. Please be aware that entry to the arboretum during peak dates and Enchanted Christmas will need to be booked in advance

Choose one of our walks at Westonbirt Arboretum and find inspiration in one of the most diverse and beautiful botanical collections in the world.

Spending time amongst the trees and really noticing nature is scientifically proven to boost our mental and physical health. Follow the trail to take a mindful walk through the arboretum that invites you to really relax. 

What to expect 

Themed panels along the trail will invite you to pause, notice and connect with the forest environment around you. 

A forest wellbeing journal is also available to help you get even more benefit from the experience, offering additional mindful things to do while you’re out in the forest and at home.  

Get your copy on-site at the Welcome Building or download your forest wellbeing journal before you visit.  

About the route 

Walk over the Treetop Walkway into Silk Wood to find the starting point. Follow the path as it meanders around The Link up past Maple Loop and back down Willesley Drive. 

All paths are hard and suitable for buggies and mobility aids. 

This trail is supported by Sport England using National Lottery funding.

Hidden Westonbirt - winter family trail: 01 December – 29 February

Discover more about the animals and plants that make the arboretum their home during the winter by exploring our playful family treasure hunt trail.

Simply pick up a collecting bag from the Welcome Building and head over the Tree Top Walkway to find the trail start. Make your way through the treasure hunt by following the clues at each location.

You will find rubbings at each stop, with a total of ten to find. Gather fallen natural winter ‘treasures’ to remind you of your journey.

Happy hunting!

Designed for families with children ages 3-9, this trail can be enjoyed by everyone.

Our work

Holford Ride Westonbirt

Our work

Westonbirt Arboretum is one of the most beautiful and important plant collections in the world. With 15,000 specimens, and 2,500 species of tree from all over the globe, the arboretum plays a vital part in research and conservation, as well as being a stunningly beautiful place to visit.

Our history

westonbirt historic

Our History

Created almost 200 years ago by Victorian horticulturalist Robert Holford, discover how one man's passion for plants created the world's most beautiful botanical collections.
Family following a map in the forest

Westonbirt map

There are 600 acres and 17 miles of hard and grassy paths at Westonbirt Arboretum, allowing visitors to spend an entire day exploring it! The arboretum is split into 3 key areas. Dog friendly Silk Wood, the central Downs and dog free Old Arboretum.
Volunteer with us invitation - click to discover volunteer opportunities across England
Westonbirt Friends