Westonbirt to open a Treetop Walkway next spring

Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire will open a Treetop Walkway in spring, giving visitors a birds-eye view of its tree collection.

The Treetop Walkway will begin a short walk from Westonbirt’s welcome building and will land in Silk Wood just past Willelsey Drive.

Views from a leafy canopy

The new 13 metre high walkway promises panoramic views across the arboretum landscape and will enable visitors to discover more about trees from high above the ground.

The 300 metre route follows a serpentine path through the trees and along the contours of the site, providing step free access into Silk Wood for people of all abilities.

The structure is made from larch and Douglas fir and includes over 20 pairs of timber legs.

Get close to nature

The walkway experience will also feature seven interactive hotspots to give visitors of all ages the chance to get up-close to nature and learn more about the world of trees.

A section for the more adventurous visitors includes a rope bridge and a mesh floored section to look down on the forest floor.

However, you can avoid it by choosing to walk on the other side of the walkway if you want.

Group travel information

Group travel organisers will find the walkway free to enjoy; access is included in the cost of admission.

Westonbirt has dedicated coach drop-off points, plus there are group discounts for parties of ten or more.

More about the arboretum

Westonbirt is an internationally important tree and shrub collection managed by the Forestry Commission and supported by the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum.

There are 15,000 labelled trees (around 2,500 different types of tree) which come from Britain, China, North America, Japan, Chile and other climates.

For further information visit www.forestry.gov.uk.

Pictured: An artist's impression of the Treetop Walkway at Westonbirt Arboretum.