National Memorial Arboretum
Latest Reviews
Although we had visited the arboretum many times, we decided to treat my 93yr old father in law to one of the golf buggy tours & were joined by a friend who had never visited before. We all enjoyed the tour, especially going to places we had never walked to, & the guide was very knowledgeable. Had a lovely lunch in the new café, staff & volunteers were all helpful & our friend will definitely be going back for a second visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I was stunned at the atmosphere in this beautiful place. Extremely moving and a must do for anyone. Land train commentary very interesting, food good value and price. Two minute silence in chapel every day. All volunteers and staff very helpful. Lovely day out and will return.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
If you are office bound and need to escape to peace and tranquillity I can highly recommend a visit. The volunteers were very helpful and obviously enjoyed their work here. The slow land train is a must and helps plan your walk around afterwards. A perfect place to visit when you are doing a "staycation".
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
An outstanding experience, very moving and emotional . Learned lots and loved the land train tour. Good food and good value in the restaurant- will definitely be back!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
An incredibly moving experience. The arboretum is extremely well planned out. There are memorial from just about all military and civilian organisations that have been involved with action overseas and at home. The centre piece is the memorial mount which lists all service personnel who have given lost their lives since WW II. It's a beautiful place, with access to all. They have a land train that tours the arboretum. Mobility scooters and wheel chairs are available to book in advance (for a small fee). There is a coffee shop and a restaurant. A chapel for those wishing to observe religious practice. Plenty of parking and easy to get to, well sign posted from all directions. As veteran, I found it quite an emotional experience. Allow a full day if you wish to see it all and at least 3 hours just to see a lot of it. There areas for children too and activities for them, as I would imaging otherwise that it would be a bit boring for youngsters.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We have visited here twice this wk while we have been away as so much to see here.
Very enjoyable yet moving place to visit.
Kids loved pond dipping and being archaeologists looking for items in a large sand pit, parks were lovely, plenty for the children to see and do here.
Do take the guided tour and the train ride tour as we e saw so many more memorials that we had not come across when walking around along with so much information and history.
The tour guide was lovely and made it enjoyable for our children to (ages 8 and 15)
Considering the guided tour lasted 40 minutes our youngest daughter enjoyed and learnt so much along with our eldest.
Cafes, tours, train rides all so very reasonably priced..
Enjoyed it so much that we are making plans to return later in the year.
Very enjoyable yet moving place to visit.
Kids loved pond dipping and being archaeologists looking for items in a large sand pit, parks were lovely, plenty for the children to see and do here.
Do take the guided tour and the train ride tour as we e saw so many more memorials that we had not come across when walking around along with so much information and history.
The tour guide was lovely and made it enjoyable for our children to (ages 8 and 15)
Considering the guided tour lasted 40 minutes our youngest daughter enjoyed and learnt so much along with our eldest.
Cafes, tours, train rides all so very reasonably priced..
Enjoyed it so much that we are making plans to return later in the year.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We visited two years ago, and had noticed that so much more has been added to this lovely setting. This time we have had an overnight stay in Lichfield as it is impossible to cover all of the area in one visit.
We took the advantage of a buggy ride with a volunteer who was very knowledgable of all of the memorials. Our trip the next day was to cover a few more of the areas.
Very poignant memorials and grounds so well tended by volunteers.
Any time of year would create a lovely setting with the changing colours of about 25,000 trees, representing different nations and services. A 'must' to visit.
Excellent facilities and extremely helpful volunteer staff.
We took the advantage of a buggy ride with a volunteer who was very knowledgable of all of the memorials. Our trip the next day was to cover a few more of the areas.
Very poignant memorials and grounds so well tended by volunteers.
Any time of year would create a lovely setting with the changing colours of about 25,000 trees, representing different nations and services. A 'must' to visit.
Excellent facilities and extremely helpful volunteer staff.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A must see place to visit in the UK for everyone of all ages. A well planned-out & beautifully planted arboretum encompassing the stunning memorials of which there are thousands to see, all shapes & sizes. Not just for the Armed Services, but with memorials of ordinary & extraordinary men & women. A peaceful & thought provoking place. A great visitor centre too with interactive sections, a Gift shop, Café & Coffee shop & plenty of clean loos too! There is a 'train' which you can take which goes all around the arboretum for the less mobile (no chance to hop on & off though) but we just walked & walked & walked for 5 hours, so best to plan for a full day of a visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We did not set out to visit the Arboretum, we had gone to the midlands to visit another event, and discovered that it was close to the Arboretum so decided to pay a visit. I am slightly biased as I am an Army veteran and had heard of this memorial, but it's not just a memorial to the services, to to lots of organisations, a visit is highly recommended and should be on the national curriculum for every school child to visit.
It's worth paying for a tour as there is lots to see and many stories about the memorials that you won't get to know about if you go it alone
It's worth paying for a tour as there is lots to see and many stories about the memorials that you won't get to know about if you go it alone
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A beautiful, peaceful place. We took our three little children (aged 6, 4 and 6 months) and were a little concerned that it may be not suitable for them but they found it really interesting and particularly enjoyed the land train. We will definitely return.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A place I've wanted to visit for some time. Truly an amazing, humbling place to visit not just for an ex squaddie but for anyone to see. To read some of the plaques, not all military, does bring a lump to the throat.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited one week day morning,plenty of carparking and stewards,entrance is free with acres of land to explore and monuments etc to reflect on,plenty of seating with fast serve cafes,a very thought provoking experience.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A beautiful day weatherwise and we couldn't have chosen a better place to visit. It is amazing! Beautifully kept, the staff we encountered were polite, friendly, knowledgable and helpful. Too large to do it justice on one visit, we enjoyed that non-military were recognised. We used the land train which at £5 a head is excellent value. The cafe and coffee shop offer a good range of food and it is not expensive. Armed Police were there following bombing in Manchester. They were friendly and happy to chat too! No charge for admission, car park £3, if you took your own food/drink it would be a very inexpensive day out. You leave feeling very humble and grateful to those who sacrified their lives so we have freedom. Whoever thought of this should feel extremely proud of themselves. We will return.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is doubtless a lovely place. However, they are rather paranoid about dogs. We are constantly asked if we know about the 'dog walk' etc. Yet we do know that children climb on the monuments because a volunteer told us. Dogs were also sacrificed in war and for a lot of people they are a wonderful companion. I admit my husband walked off this time when a volunteer quizzed him about the dog. Then a volunteer was very rude to me about booking a ticket for a talk. Sadly I have complained about him.
Will we go again? we have been several times but are becoming more hesitant because of the attitude of some of the volunteers. One or two are just no good at dealing with the general public.
Will we go again? we have been several times but are becoming more hesitant because of the attitude of some of the volunteers. One or two are just no good at dealing with the general public.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Tour guides knowledgeable and grounds amazing. The arboretum is thought provoking and beautiful. A train takes you around the vast grounds and also adds interest for younger visitors. Also lovely to simply walk around with the dog and quietly remember those that served our queen and country.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Blessed with a sunny day this was a super place to visit.Whoever thought this out deserves unreserved praise it is a wonderful place.I only scraped the surface but will return to spend more time in some of the smaller areas. For an overview the little train is a great i
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The Arboretum is getting better and better. The maturity of the trees and floral gardens give a sense of quality and care to the memories of the fallen.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Went today with a partially disabled friend the staff are excellent and very helpful enabling us to visit the memorials. Food very good and moderately priced. We will go back soon as site is so large needs lots of visits to see and appreciate them. Thank you for helping us give a friend a visit which he loved
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I am originally Tamworth born n bread. But was visiting my friend of 54yrs for a long wk end from Cornwall
She had been here many times and wanted to take me.
We visited on May 14th. While we where there,there was a Fire Service Memorial service. With bands and pipers and fire cadets and fire service personal.
So smart and as I had known persons at Polesworth retained fire service many years ago. Brought back some dear memories
The actual arboretum is fantastic. Very spacious,immaculate.A fitting tribute to the brave people of conflict through the years.
It was a very moving and sad experience to see all the names. Knowing what that meant.
My dad was in the RAF and I felt I was representing him standing in front of their memorial.
Very moving
In his later years the RAF benevolent fund helped mum n dad
Our wonderful service men n women allow us to maybe stand that bit prouder than we otherwise would.
I left feeling very humble and very thankful to all those who gave so much for us.
I will at some point take our 7 grandkids to this amazing place
God bless them all
She had been here many times and wanted to take me.
We visited on May 14th. While we where there,there was a Fire Service Memorial service. With bands and pipers and fire cadets and fire service personal.
So smart and as I had known persons at Polesworth retained fire service many years ago. Brought back some dear memories
The actual arboretum is fantastic. Very spacious,immaculate.A fitting tribute to the brave people of conflict through the years.
It was a very moving and sad experience to see all the names. Knowing what that meant.
My dad was in the RAF and I felt I was representing him standing in front of their memorial.
Very moving
In his later years the RAF benevolent fund helped mum n dad
Our wonderful service men n women allow us to maybe stand that bit prouder than we otherwise would.
I left feeling very humble and very thankful to all those who gave so much for us.
I will at some point take our 7 grandkids to this amazing place
God bless them all
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A moving visit, but with wonderful memorials over a wide area. Excellent cafe and visitor centre. Church service each day at 11.00 am
A reminder of all who have kept us and our country safe.
A reminder of all who have kept us and our country safe.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
If you are in the area, the Memorial Arboretum is very well worth a visit. It is peaceful and still but very moving, a fitting tribute to our brave heroes.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I went with my husband today would recommend paying for a jeep ride £5 well worth it staff are very informative and tell you things that you would never find out just by walking round. Very moving 330 memorials makes you think and appreciate what people have done on our behalf,
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This was our second visit to this establishment; the first was many years ago.
We were pleasantly surprised at just how much the facilities had improved since our first visit and of course were really impressed at the number and quality of all of the memorials on view here.
We also witnessed members of staff going about their business in a very helpful manner, offering to assist others whenever the opportunity arose.
Of course the majority of memorials are associated with the armed services and those who lost their lives. Additionally though, there are a host of other memorials which have no connection to the armed services.
The Arboretum is beautifully kept, the pathways are flat and well maintained, perfect for disabled access.
All in all a very pleasant but humbling experience.
Highly recommended.
We were pleasantly surprised at just how much the facilities had improved since our first visit and of course were really impressed at the number and quality of all of the memorials on view here.
We also witnessed members of staff going about their business in a very helpful manner, offering to assist others whenever the opportunity arose.
Of course the majority of memorials are associated with the armed services and those who lost their lives. Additionally though, there are a host of other memorials which have no connection to the armed services.
The Arboretum is beautifully kept, the pathways are flat and well maintained, perfect for disabled access.
All in all a very pleasant but humbling experience.
Highly recommended.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Lovely humbling enjoyable day out. Lovely to have on the door step and somewhere for the area to be proud of.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visited on a wired weather day typical British weather warm one minute raining next.
We arrived and went directly to the military shop with the plan of having grandfathers medals framed. We hadn't been given correct info on our last visit so couldn't go ahead even if we wanted to which is doubtful as the cost reached £205.00 and increasing still for 1 set of 4!
We then planed to attend the church service but something went wrong so we had the silence then left.
We saw a few monuments and then
It then started to rain but it was then time for our land train ride. The young ladies in charge did not tell people to remain quiet as we were told last time so unfortunately a lady talked the whole ride.
Sunshine next and we went to the centre monument and found the name we wanted to see. Was shocked at the amount of names added in recent years even though we have seen coverage on tv.
We had a walk around seeing some new monuments and then the rain came down luckily we were in the Far East section and so spent in the exhibition before exploring further.
We think some toilets even if only portable ones scattered around the site would be useful and may be some shelters even if made to look like info points as the site is vast and many visitors elderly so not able to rush back to main complex
We found the new entrance confusing on arrival as we got caught in a queue for an exhibition then we came out of shop to use the restrooms before leaving and could not find the building exit. Maybe some signage or sectioning of areas would help as others were also confused.
We arrived and went directly to the military shop with the plan of having grandfathers medals framed. We hadn't been given correct info on our last visit so couldn't go ahead even if we wanted to which is doubtful as the cost reached £205.00 and increasing still for 1 set of 4!
We then planed to attend the church service but something went wrong so we had the silence then left.
We saw a few monuments and then
It then started to rain but it was then time for our land train ride. The young ladies in charge did not tell people to remain quiet as we were told last time so unfortunately a lady talked the whole ride.
Sunshine next and we went to the centre monument and found the name we wanted to see. Was shocked at the amount of names added in recent years even though we have seen coverage on tv.
We had a walk around seeing some new monuments and then the rain came down luckily we were in the Far East section and so spent in the exhibition before exploring further.
We think some toilets even if only portable ones scattered around the site would be useful and may be some shelters even if made to look like info points as the site is vast and many visitors elderly so not able to rush back to main complex
We found the new entrance confusing on arrival as we got caught in a queue for an exhibition then we came out of shop to use the restrooms before leaving and could not find the building exit. Maybe some signage or sectioning of areas would help as others were also confused.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
