Barnwood Park and Arboretum — Attraction in Gloucester

Well thought area for all ages (and dogs).

The old remnants of the Barnwood House estate have been transformed into a well managed public space.

You can walk the entire park and arboretum in about half an hour but ignore it’s size as it’s more a place to dawdle and take in the variety of the plants and features. The beautifully carved benches are fascinating too. Try and find the piano.

The ducks (actually Northern Mallards) are regular visitors to Wotton Brook that flows through here. Look out for the Coots (white beaks) and Moor Hens (red beaks) too.

The recent addition of a deliberately constructed balancing pond adds to the charm of the area. That part of the park is a real sun trap with no cooling breeze. Being low ground it also requires wellies when wet.

The old estate chapel, now deconsecrated, houses a gym so unfortunately the interior can’t be viewed but the outside is in good nick and quite photogenic.

Parking can be a challenge as the gym members use the spaces adjacent to the park in Church Lane. There’s a lay-by area across the road next to the church with free, unrestricted parking. It gets full at school drop off and pick up times due to the nearby secondary school and of...

This place stands out precisely because it doesn't. There are people that live very near in barnwood, coney hill and the abbeys that have no idea it's even there. I should probably have learned more of the history of the place before writing this, alas I can only comment on what I have seen. Massive and old trees, some interesting carvings, a stream with resident wildlife, an abandoned old church, which perhaps to the displeasure of some has been converted into a gymn. Not a national/multinational chain, an independent and proper weight lifting gymn from what I can tell. Looks like the building needs some up keep. I'd definitely recommend the arboretum for locals, it is an arboretum and it's nearby, that's quite a thing! I wouldn't suggest people travel from afar as it may be an anticlimax unless they have a specialist interest in the trees or any niche wildlife that may be there. I'll give it 4/5 as it makes my new/old neighbourhood a much more interesting and...

Lovely little park. There is a footpath on one side of the stream. Here there are wildflowers in the summer and loads of leaves to kick through with the children. There are decoratively carved trees. There is a wider area of the stream where ducka congregate. A bridge leads over the stream to the lovely wild arboretum. Overgrown pathways are a lovely adventure for our little ones. A great (free!) couple of hours can easily...