National Memorial Arboretum
Latest Reviews
lovely place to visit so peaceful and overwhelming
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
An absolute "must visit" for history, remembrance, thanks and appreciation for those who have lost their lives in conflicts around the world, since the last WW 2 , so we can enjoy the freedom of today, albeit "watered" down to accommodate .
The site is tastefully set out, with some extremely moving accounts, including the unborn child.
Wear sturdy footwear and waterproofs if inclement weather forecast as it's a very large outdoor site, beautiful scenery especially where the rivers meet, and soft under foot to the "Shot at Dawn" memorial garden --- Youth Organisations , Fire, Police as well as Military are well represented, allow at least 4 hours to do it justice .
The site is tastefully set out, with some extremely moving accounts, including the unborn child.
Wear sturdy footwear and waterproofs if inclement weather forecast as it's a very large outdoor site, beautiful scenery especially where the rivers meet, and soft under foot to the "Shot at Dawn" memorial garden --- Youth Organisations , Fire, Police as well as Military are well represented, allow at least 4 hours to do it justice .
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Visit the National Aboretum and was totally taken aback by the place. So much to see. We spent 6 hrs there, and dont think we saw everything. Took the mini-train, which lasts around an hour, and its "hop on hop off" type at various stops. The staff on the train are so funny and always cracking jokes, which helps to lighten what could be a emotional experience, given the loss of so many lives being remembered. Visit here and you will not be disappointed.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We have been meaning to visit the Memorial for sometime and we now wish we had done it sooner. It is a fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives in the two great wars and the wall containing 16,000 names of those who have lost their lives since the last war is very humbling.
It is easy to find and there is plenty of parking, for which you pay, but admission is free. The site is enormous so take your walking shoes. If you able to walk there are mobility scooters available and a "train" that will take you round the main areas. We walked for more than two hours and didn't see the whole site so another visit is on the cards.
It can be a bit of an emotional roller coaster but at the end of it we felt pleased we had made the effort to go as it reminded us of all the different organisations, not just the Armed Forces, who sacrificed so much.
The volunteers greet you with a smile and are extremely helpful and the cafe serves very nice, reasonably priced food. It was good to see groups of school children be shown around, talking to the service personnel and getting into activities with the emergency services. There are even ex- servicemen who will teach them how to march!
All in all a good experience.
It is easy to find and there is plenty of parking, for which you pay, but admission is free. The site is enormous so take your walking shoes. If you able to walk there are mobility scooters available and a "train" that will take you round the main areas. We walked for more than two hours and didn't see the whole site so another visit is on the cards.
It can be a bit of an emotional roller coaster but at the end of it we felt pleased we had made the effort to go as it reminded us of all the different organisations, not just the Armed Forces, who sacrificed so much.
The volunteers greet you with a smile and are extremely helpful and the cafe serves very nice, reasonably priced food. It was good to see groups of school children be shown around, talking to the service personnel and getting into activities with the emergency services. There are even ex- servicemen who will teach them how to march!
All in all a good experience.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Only there for 2 hrs but needed the whole day to see everything. Everything seems to have been well thought about, and these little details means the experience is more poignant. It was very moving but also an humbling seeing the rows of names on the memorials. An experience everyone should have no matter what age. Looking forward to a return visit.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Excellent memorial to all the services, with a truly impressive monument.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I have been to the NMA several times, including 30th June for Armed Forces Day and the Olympic Torch run.It is a very moving experience whenever you go,whoever you are and what ever your background.
Set in beautiful gardens, it is free entry and there is a restaurant/cafe, plus merchandise for sale.On a fair weather day, you are able to spend most of the day just walking around the beautiful grounds, but you must view The Wall. The names of all military personnel who have paid the ultimate sacrifice since world war two are engraved into the stone.
I am not ex military, I am ex Fire Service personnel, but this place allows me to pay my respects to those who fought and paid the ultimate price, which allows me the freedom to be able to visit here.
The first Saturday in October every year, you will find Motorbikes from all over the UK and many from Europe visiting the site in the annual Ride To The Wall (www.ridetothewall.org.uk) thousands visit for this event, most ex military personnel. This year on June 30th, they paid a cheque to the NMA for just over £55,000 from their efforts. What an event this is, and a real sight to see so many motorcycles in one place.
You will come away 'moved' and 'proud'. Proud you have been and moved by the sacrifice you have seen.
Lest We Forget.
Set in beautiful gardens, it is free entry and there is a restaurant/cafe, plus merchandise for sale.On a fair weather day, you are able to spend most of the day just walking around the beautiful grounds, but you must view The Wall. The names of all military personnel who have paid the ultimate sacrifice since world war two are engraved into the stone.
I am not ex military, I am ex Fire Service personnel, but this place allows me to pay my respects to those who fought and paid the ultimate price, which allows me the freedom to be able to visit here.
The first Saturday in October every year, you will find Motorbikes from all over the UK and many from Europe visiting the site in the annual Ride To The Wall (www.ridetothewall.org.uk) thousands visit for this event, most ex military personnel. This year on June 30th, they paid a cheque to the NMA for just over £55,000 from their efforts. What an event this is, and a real sight to see so many motorcycles in one place.
You will come away 'moved' and 'proud'. Proud you have been and moved by the sacrifice you have seen.
Lest We Forget.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
visited on the day the Olympic flame was lit and carried there. although we arrived later in the day the place was full of army personal and vetrans. quite a humbling experience when you see all the names etched on the main memorial and then all those trees dedicated to those lost. our visit made us realise we need to allow more time to explore this huge site. there are many memorials to various branches of the armed forces
we were more than happy to pay to park and there is obviously a huge cost in keeping this place so well maintained. I am sorry but if you start to carp about parking costs of places like this you have gone in the wrong frame of mind. we happily paid and also put in a contribution. on the day of our visit people there were doing a great job (most volunteers) and they had been at it since 6 a.m. to serve breakfasts before the Olympic torch arrived. everyone we dealt with was extremely helpful and friendly. people like these can make all the difference to a visit - well done to all who work/volunteer there.
we were more than happy to pay to park and there is obviously a huge cost in keeping this place so well maintained. I am sorry but if you start to carp about parking costs of places like this you have gone in the wrong frame of mind. we happily paid and also put in a contribution. on the day of our visit people there were doing a great job (most volunteers) and they had been at it since 6 a.m. to serve breakfasts before the Olympic torch arrived. everyone we dealt with was extremely helpful and friendly. people like these can make all the difference to a visit - well done to all who work/volunteer there.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A lot bigger than expected. A very poignant experience
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
All I can say is this place should be on the curriculum of every school in the whole of the British Isles. It is a truly wonderful place, so well kept and a thank you to everyone who gave their lives for world peace. I have been to Kanchanbury in Thailand near the River Kwai, and Arlington Cemetery in Washington, this ranks along side them. An emotional must!!!!!
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The Arboretum was brought to our attention when a Falklands Memorial was dedicated and we wanted to fit in a visit during our touring holiday. However, time constraints meant that I had to visit alone while my wife visited Gardeners’ World Live.
Wide paths lead the visitor through beautifully landscaped and designed areas scattered with large and small memorials of many designs and sizes, from those dedicated to small groups to the magnificent Armed Forces Memorial, some of them very innovative and all of them placed with care and beautifully maintained.
Unless you only wish to briefly browse the many memorials a day’s visit won’t prove sufficient and it would be extremely difficult to plan a route without a map (very well designed and £3). This map is also a feature of the guidebook (£6). There’s a very acceptable café and a well-stocked gift shop.
There is a parking fee of £3 (make sure you have change!) and, given that the entrance to the Arboretum is free, I found negative Tripadvisor comment regarding this charge churlish and unnecessary – it seems strange to have such a view without wondering how such a beautiful site is funded and maintained.
Wide paths lead the visitor through beautifully landscaped and designed areas scattered with large and small memorials of many designs and sizes, from those dedicated to small groups to the magnificent Armed Forces Memorial, some of them very innovative and all of them placed with care and beautifully maintained.
Unless you only wish to briefly browse the many memorials a day’s visit won’t prove sufficient and it would be extremely difficult to plan a route without a map (very well designed and £3). This map is also a feature of the guidebook (£6). There’s a very acceptable café and a well-stocked gift shop.
There is a parking fee of £3 (make sure you have change!) and, given that the entrance to the Arboretum is free, I found negative Tripadvisor comment regarding this charge churlish and unnecessary – it seems strange to have such a view without wondering how such a beautiful site is funded and maintained.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very emotional but enjoyable. Well laid out and helpful volunteers.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Bright, clean and looked after. We pnly had a cake and drink but there was a reasonable choice for travellers coming from further afield
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Such a special place,helpful informative staff,plenty of time to talk to you about the Arboretum,and where memorials are,I was looking for the Polish memorial,which is stunning.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
This is a good day out for anyone who is interested in looking at a marvellous array of monuments and memorials dedicated to our lost relatives & friends etc whether it be Army, Royal Navy, Police, Wrens, RAF etc. You name it - there is a memorial for them.
Set in acres & acres of lovely grounds. There is a train which can take anyone round who does not fancy the amount of walking that is required. Nice river walk, A chapel & a couple of picnic areas...make it a good day out for most people - children are welcome, but personally I think they may become a little bored with all the walking. To see it all in one day - you would need at least 5-6 hours. We spent 3 hours there and only saw about a third of it.
There is a restaurant and a gift shop on site.
Please note...
It is free to enter the arboretum - but it is £3 to park your car. You can try and navigate the site without a map - but you do really need one. This costs £3. Guide books are £6 each.
If you use the mini train it will cost you £4.50 each - and you are asked to leave a donation, suggested £5 on exit. The gift shop is also very expensive.
We enjoyed the day - and will return at some stage to see the rest of it...but did not realise there would be so many 'add ons' - so be warned.
Set in acres & acres of lovely grounds. There is a train which can take anyone round who does not fancy the amount of walking that is required. Nice river walk, A chapel & a couple of picnic areas...make it a good day out for most people - children are welcome, but personally I think they may become a little bored with all the walking. To see it all in one day - you would need at least 5-6 hours. We spent 3 hours there and only saw about a third of it.
There is a restaurant and a gift shop on site.
Please note...
It is free to enter the arboretum - but it is £3 to park your car. You can try and navigate the site without a map - but you do really need one. This costs £3. Guide books are £6 each.
If you use the mini train it will cost you £4.50 each - and you are asked to leave a donation, suggested £5 on exit. The gift shop is also very expensive.
We enjoyed the day - and will return at some stage to see the rest of it...but did not realise there would be so many 'add ons' - so be warned.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Very modern buildings. Understanding history was emotional
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
On 26th May, The Monte Cassino Society dedicated a memorial at the arboretum. It was a glorious day and the facilities were very good. Staff were very helpful. We had several World war II veterans with limited mobility and they were all catered for.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
I had never been to the National Arboretum before so did not know what to expect. I went on the day before I was due there as a guest. It rained hard all the time. It is a place of solace and sirenity. A place to reflect not only on those who are remembered there but on ones own life. It is a place to give thanks and praise. I walked around and saw all those trees and names; all the memorials to brave people. Those people gave their lives for us - like one other I know 2000 years ago.
Ther next day I went back for the COPS (Care of Police Survivors) memorial Service - the sun actually shone! I walked along "The Beat" where a tree is planted for every Britsh Police Force with its plaque near the tree. I attended the service with lots of others, mostly Senior Offgicers in uniform but on this day there was no rank - just fellow officers and survivors of those who died. The Service was very moving and so were the array of Police cars and the Blue Knights (thank you). It was an event of remembering old friends and making new ones; seeing the bravery of the widows who gave their stories and the dedication of the Police Officers who never expect to get killed when they go on duty. The cafe/shop was good too and so were all the facilities.
Ther next day I went back for the COPS (Care of Police Survivors) memorial Service - the sun actually shone! I walked along "The Beat" where a tree is planted for every Britsh Police Force with its plaque near the tree. I attended the service with lots of others, mostly Senior Offgicers in uniform but on this day there was no rank - just fellow officers and survivors of those who died. The Service was very moving and so were the array of Police cars and the Blue Knights (thank you). It was an event of remembering old friends and making new ones; seeing the bravery of the widows who gave their stories and the dedication of the Police Officers who never expect to get killed when they go on duty. The cafe/shop was good too and so were all the facilities.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Pros:
Free entry.
Disabled parking spaces available.
Open daily all year round (9am-5pm (dusk in Winter - closed Christmas Day), last entry 4:30pm).
Over 200 memorials, including the Armed Forces Memorial which honours 16,000 UK Armed Service Personnel who have died in the service of their country since the end of WWII.
Chapel.
150 acres of woodland.
Land train with narrated tour (chargeable).
Visitor Centre includes Arbour.
Restaurant and a well stocked gift shop.
Cons:
Car park is Pay and Display, although signage states "100% of monies raised from these charges support the charity".
Orientation takes a while although map available (£3).
Some paths grassed rather than paved, so it can be uneven underfoot. I'd recommend wearing stout shoes.
Free entry.
Disabled parking spaces available.
Open daily all year round (9am-5pm (dusk in Winter - closed Christmas Day), last entry 4:30pm).
Over 200 memorials, including the Armed Forces Memorial which honours 16,000 UK Armed Service Personnel who have died in the service of their country since the end of WWII.
Chapel.
150 acres of woodland.
Land train with narrated tour (chargeable).
Visitor Centre includes Arbour.
Restaurant and a well stocked gift shop.
Cons:
Car park is Pay and Display, although signage states "100% of monies raised from these charges support the charity".
Orientation takes a while although map available (£3).
Some paths grassed rather than paved, so it can be uneven underfoot. I'd recommend wearing stout shoes.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We visited in may 2012 ,did not know what to expect but was amazed by the whole place.Not only are there memorials for the armed forces but also for many other things like for example road deaths.
Car parking is only £3 for the day and there are great facilites like cafe,shop and exhibitions.The whole place is beautifully landscaped and there are plenty of places to sit and reflect,picnic or just relax.Everyone should visit this place at least once in their lifetime.
Car parking is only £3 for the day and there are great facilites like cafe,shop and exhibitions.The whole place is beautifully landscaped and there are plenty of places to sit and reflect,picnic or just relax.Everyone should visit this place at least once in their lifetime.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Words cannot really explain this place. Everyone needs to take a visit especially the Younger Generation to learn about what Heroes we have had and will continue to Fall whilst doing their jobs. Speaking to the guides they say it would take 3 full days to see all the Statues /Plaques .We went last year and again today and have still not seen it all. If you go get on the Land Train with comentary which takes a hour for £4.50. Superb Value. If you are not moved by a visit here then nothing will move you.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
The central monument is a fitting tribute but also makes one wish for a more peaceful/less violent world.
Placed at the junction of the River Tame and Trent,there is much to explore in this large site.
The volunteers are very helpful and the cafe/restaraunt very well run.
Placed at the junction of the River Tame and Trent,there is much to explore in this large site.
The volunteers are very helpful and the cafe/restaraunt very well run.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
Really impressive place to visit. A lot bigger than we were expecting. It is a beautiful, peaceful place befitting of its purpose.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
We live around 20 miles from the National Memorial Arboretum near Lichfield and now we have retired we have at last made a visit. In fact we visited two days running!.
On the first day, my husband had arranged to met an old army colleague, who he had not spoken to for 48 years. They spent time together and shared loads of memories, which were both sad and happy. We wondered around many of the memorials and it was a really great day.
On the second day, it was the 19th anniversary of my fathers death and he had been a sailor in the Royal Navy, as a very young man. We had lunch in the Navy Review and my dad would have loved to have been here with us and it felt like he was. He would also have loved the Plant Fair, as he was also a lifelong gardener and there were many unusual plants for sale.
The Arboretum is a unique place and it is a wonderful and easy place to get around. It is a large site covering 150 acres and even though there are a lot of visitors, the place seems very quiet and peaceful allowing people to share their memories. There are scooters available to help people who need them, to get around the site.
I must keep my final comments for the huge army of clearly dedicated volunteers who are working hard to keep the place well tendered and to greet visitors. A big thank you to them for the time and passion that they clearly give to the National Memorial Arboretum, to make it the wonderful place to visit that it is.
There is no admission charge, which in itself is very unusual in this day and age but donations are clearly a necessity and valued. We would recommend a visit to people of all ages, as there is something for everyone and it really is a very rewarding day out.
On the first day, my husband had arranged to met an old army colleague, who he had not spoken to for 48 years. They spent time together and shared loads of memories, which were both sad and happy. We wondered around many of the memorials and it was a really great day.
On the second day, it was the 19th anniversary of my fathers death and he had been a sailor in the Royal Navy, as a very young man. We had lunch in the Navy Review and my dad would have loved to have been here with us and it felt like he was. He would also have loved the Plant Fair, as he was also a lifelong gardener and there were many unusual plants for sale.
The Arboretum is a unique place and it is a wonderful and easy place to get around. It is a large site covering 150 acres and even though there are a lot of visitors, the place seems very quiet and peaceful allowing people to share their memories. There are scooters available to help people who need them, to get around the site.
I must keep my final comments for the huge army of clearly dedicated volunteers who are working hard to keep the place well tendered and to greet visitors. A big thank you to them for the time and passion that they clearly give to the National Memorial Arboretum, to make it the wonderful place to visit that it is.
There is no admission charge, which in itself is very unusual in this day and age but donations are clearly a necessity and valued. We would recommend a visit to people of all ages, as there is something for everyone and it really is a very rewarding day out.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
A well laid out, easily accessible memorial site which brings home the vast expanse of our military and civilian support services. The memorial wall is a site to behold and is so touching to stand in such peaceful surrounding in recognition of all those who have given their life to help protect us and others.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
