Arboretum Apprentice, family event days

Type:Family

Westonbirt - The National Arboretum, Westonbirt, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8QS

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Tel0300 067 4890

children gathered listening to guided talk outside

About

A hands-on program for 11–14-year-olds to join Westonbirt, The National Arboretum's team for an exciting summer experience, exploring the connection between people and trees – and the chance to deep-dive into the work and various careers at Westonbirt.

Join them for an exciting morning, where you'll explore the connection between people and trees!

These activity sessions are free after admission.

Tuesday 12 August - Arborist (without the tree climbing!)
Step into the role of an arborist exploring tasks on the ground. Learn to assess the health of a tree, and survey for protected species. Try our throw bag challenge to develop your skills and finish with some tree protection work.

Wednesday 13 August - Dendrologist
This science and problem-solving role involves careful observation with...Read More

About

A hands-on program for 11–14-year-olds to join Westonbirt, The National Arboretum's team for an exciting summer experience, exploring the connection between people and trees – and the chance to deep-dive into the work and various careers at Westonbirt.

Join them for an exciting morning, where you'll explore the connection between people and trees!

These activity sessions are free after admission.

Tuesday 12 August - Arborist (without the tree climbing!)
Step into the role of an arborist exploring tasks on the ground. Learn to assess the health of a tree, and survey for protected species. Try our throw bag challenge to develop your skills and finish with some tree protection work.

Wednesday 13 August - Dendrologist
This science and problem-solving role involves careful observation with hand lenses and microscopes. Join us as we take this kit out into the collection to identify trees, use our mapping tool to locate and label some of the trees and plan the next seed collecting trip to increase the global diversity of the arboretum.

Thursday 14 August - Visitor Services team
Join us as we undertake tasks to care for our visitors. With our support, welcome visitors to the arboretum, helping with maps and directing them to key locations, before making the site tidy with a litter pick, and finally monitor a play area to ensure it is safe for others to use.

Parents are welcome to stay for the session. Alternatively, young people age 11+ can join us without their adults provided a consent form is completed.

Please visit the website to book your place. Places are limited.

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Directions

Road Directions

By Car:
From M4 (approx 20 mins)

Exit Motorway at Junction 18
Take the A46 north towards Stroud
After a few miles turn right onto the A433 (signed Cirencester). Continue on this road for approx three miles and the arboretum is on your left.
From M5 (approx 20 mins)

Exit at Junction 13 onto the A419 (towards Stroud) Take the A46 (towards Bath)
After going though Nailsworth, you come to traffic lights at the cross-roads
Turn left onto A4135 to Tetbury
In Tetbury, turn right on the A433
Continue on this road, passing through Doughton, for approx three miles. The arboretum is on your right.

Public Transport Directions

By Public Transport:
The Robin Bus is your local, friendly bookable bus service. From Gloucestershire County Council, this bus service improves connections between rural areas which often have infrequent or no fixed routes available. Westonbirt is part of the Cotswolds South area, meaning you can get to Westonbirt for £2! You will also receive the public transport discount on your Westonbirt admission ticket! For more information, check out the website. Available 7:00am to 7:00pm, Monday to Saturday.
Why not go car-free and enjoy a discount on your admission cost. You can reach us by bus on Mondays to Saturdays. Stagecoach - Single journeys capped at £2 - Starts 1st January 2023 until June 2024.
You can also save money with the Cotswolds Discoverer Pass, which gives you unlimited off-peak travel around the Cotswolds by train and bus for the day.

Bus routes and times:
From Stroud Bus 69 runs to Westonbirt several times a day, allowing for a 3 or 6 hour visit.
From Bath take Bus 620, which continues as bus 69 from Old Sodbury to Westonbirt (stay on the same bus).
From Bristol take Bus Y1 or Bus Y5 to Yate Shopping Centre to connect with bus 620/69.

Train travel:
There are direct trains to Stroud from London, Reading, Swindon, Gloucester and Cheltenham. You can also visit Westonbirt by train and bus from Bath.
Kemble and Yate Stations are the closest stations to Westonbirt. It's a 20-minute taxi ride from either. A group of 3 or more can save 34% on GWR trains with a GroupSave ticket.
Book your bike onto the train to Kemble, and cycle 15-miles to Westonbirt. No cycling is allowed inside the arboretum.

Arriving by bicycle?
Westonbirt welcomes visitors who arrive by bicycle. Adult and older children cycling is not permitted in the arboretum itself and visitors are to lock their bikes up at the racks provided.

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Opening Times

Season 12 Aug 2025 - 14 Aug 2025
DayTimes
Tuesday - Thursday10:30 - 12:00

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