Things To Do

A visit to the Yorkshire Arboretum can be action-packed or completely relaxing - it's entirely up to you. Whether you are visiting alone, with friends or family, or as part of a group we look forward to making you welcome. Our 120 acre garden of trees is yours to explore.

Tree Trails

If you'd like to explore the highlights of the arboretum's tree collection at your own pace, pick up a copy of our tree trail map in the Visitor Centre. This map details our short and long tree trails, which take about 1 and 2 hours to complete respectively. These approximate timings depend, of course, entirely on how fast you choose to walk and how often you pause to admire the view!

Both trails guide you to some of our most interesting and beautiful trees such as Sorbus caloneura (Chinese Mountain Ash). The original seed from which this tree grew was collected in 1985 on an expedition to an isolated mountain in China by Jim Russell (who, with George Howard, created and planted the Yorkshire Arboretum) and John Simmons (instigator of the Castle Howard Arboretum Trust).

If you'd like to learn more about our tree trails in advance of your visit, you can download the map here.

Red Squirrel Enclosure

On April 1st 2023 we opened our red squirrel enclosure to the public. The enclosure is set within a grove of oak trees and covers 2500m2 of ground in which the squirrels live natural lives. It is open every day from 10:00am to 15:00pm. Standard Arboretum admission charges apply, with no extra charge to enter the enclosure. If you would like to know more, you can visit our page about Red Squirrels. or drop in for a talk with our Arborist, Ben, who looks after the squirrels on Tuesdays at 10.30am.

Events

Our events programme runs throughout the year and is constantly expanding, with new events and activities being added all the time. For the latest information on what's going on during your visit please check the Event Calendar. 

FREE Drop-In Guided Tours

Every Thursday from March to the end of October one of our friendly, expert guides will be on hand to introduce you to the collection, explain the arboretum's history, and show you the very best of our seasonal treasures.

Tours start from the Visitor Centre at 1.30pm and last between 1 and 2 hours (depending on the season, the weather, how much we chat and how slowly we walk!) Tours are free of charge. Standard arboretum admission charges apply. Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome. No need to book - just turn up and join in!

We also have a drop-in Squirrel Talk every Tuesday morning at 10:30am, located in the Squirrel Enclosure. Standard admission fee applies but the drop-in tours are free of charge. Dogs are not permitted within the Squirrels Enclosure.

Bespoke, private tours may also be booked in advance for your party. Please contact us on visit@yorkshirearboretum.org or phone 01653 648598.

Children's Activities

Take a look at the For Families page for activities designed to appeal to thse visiting with children.

Children’s Parties

Make their birthday a day to remember and have an outdoor party at the Yorkshire Arboretum! To find out more, visit our Children’s Parties page.