Planning a visit?
For more information on the New Forest and Blackwater
Arboretum visit thenewforest.co.ukPhotog
rap
hy^ Jo^ Jukesescaping
112 CalmMoment.comlandscapes of a Beatrix Potter story book, half
expecting to stumble across woodland creatures in
waistcoats and bonnets. From the branches overhead
comes the high-pitched ‘zeee’ of a goldcrest.
Small black boards dotted around the arboretum
are inscribed with inspiring quotes from writers such
as William Wordsworth and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Like
an Easter egg hunt, it becomes a game to spot the
next delicately painted board tucked between low tree
branches. More sensory boards offer facts about the
plants, encouraging interaction with the environment.
Inspired, I search for conifer cones beneath fallen
leaves, running my fingers across their scaly surface.
I learn that the cones house tiny winged seeds,
waiting for an opportune moment to open so that the
breeze can carry them to the perfect place to grow.
Today, the track is mostly deserted. With the New
Forest spread across 219 square miles – an area
almost the size of the city of Chicago – there’s no
shortage of walking routes. The only other person
I come across is a woman in well-trodden wellies with
a mud-splattered Labrador bouncing at her heels. She
smiles. “He loves it here, all the smells and sounds, he
thinks Christmas came early.”
Dog walking is a popular past-time at the
arboretum. Rosetta Plowright is joint-owner of the
Forest Side Guesthouse (forestsideguesthouse.com) in
the local village of Lyndhurst. Once her guests areInspiring quotes are nestled in
the undergrowth at Blackwater
–finding them becomes
something of a game.
settled in, Rosetta and her Goldendoodle, Archie, love
to spend a peaceful afternoon in Blackwater. “It’s one
of my favourite places,” she says. “We live in such
a fast-paced world nowadays, so for me, it’s really
important to step back and reconnect with nature.”
Rosetta has created a walking map of Blackwater,
the Tall Trees Trail and nearby Bolderwood
Arboretum for her guests. “They love it,” she says.
“Everyone is surprised – they pull into a busy car
park and think they’re going to see a lot of people,
but you just don’t. You can really lose yourself here,
it wraps itself around you and it’s a beautiful, peaceful
place to be.”
Exploring further, I spot oversized sculptures of
acorns and fir cones. These sculptures, by local artist
Richard Austin, are part of a conservation project,
‘Our Past, Our Future’, designed to restore woodland
and inspire new generations to care for the forest.
Today, I’m in no doubt that the restorative effects of
my walk will linger. My shoulders feel looser, my mind
clearer. No distractions; no phone signal, no noisy
café or gift shop. Just me, myself and nature. Here
among the trees, I feel like I’ve come home, in more
ways than one.MORE INSPIRING ARBORETUMS
Thorp Perrow Arboretum,
North Yorkshire
Discover trees from China,
Japan, North America, Chile,
and Europe. Admission price
also includes entry to the Bird
of Prey & Mammal Centre –
kids will love the daily displays.
thorpperrow.comOxford Botanic Garden
and Arboretum, Oxford
Set against a picturesque
backdrop of one of England’s
oldest university cities, this
arboretum hosts regular
wellness events, including
yoga and meditation.
obga.ox.ac.ukNational Memorial
Arboretum, Staffordshire
A place of reflection featuring
30,000 trees and over 300
poignant memorials, many
dedicated to lives lost in the
armed forces.
thenma.org.ukWestonbirt, The
National Arboretum,
Gloucestershire
Take a journey through
the canopy on a 300m-long
walkway – Westonbirt is home
to 2,500 tree species, including
some of the rarest and most
endangered on the planet.
forestryengland.ukEnjoy gorgeous woodlands across the
UK with our top picks