Bodenham Arboretum — Attraction in Wyre Forest

Short version.

We genuinely love Bodenham Arboretum. It’s a family-owned place that brings something different to the tourism mix in the Wyre Forest.

Long version-strap in!

We’ve got quite an affinity with Bodenham. Over the years we’ve spent plenty of days wandering around the gardens, enjoying special events like their pudding clubs, and attending the odd private function in the main restaurant.

We first stumbled across it when our precious little beast was still strapped into a wheeled cage. It was late October, just before Halloween, and a friend told us about this giant garden full of carved pumpkins. Obviously, we had to go and see for ourselves.

So off we went, torches in hand, trudging through woodland trails, gardens, and farm tracks, staring at all sorts of funny and mildly gruesome pumpkin scenes along the way. My takeaway at the time was simple: this place is awesome – we’re coming back.

At the end of that first trip, we bought a season ticket. Over the next five or so years, we spent countless afternoons exploring the paths and installations, especially when there was an event on. After all, what’s better than fresh air and mountain giants to teach the little one about the natural world?

Food-wise, it isn’t the cheapest place around, but the quality is solid, and you can tell they’re investing back into the site. Whether it’s a Sunday carvery, a meat-loaded sub, or a good old sausage roll, the food’s always filling and tasty. On a hot summer’s day, there’s nothing quite like sitting out on the patio overlooking the lake with family and friends.

Inside the main restaurant there’s a small shop and toilets – always clean and well maintained. Parking’s plentiful, and access to the main function rooms looks disability-friendly. As for the walks, most are pretty flat with benches tucked around most corners, though be warned, some areas (just after the first forest, for example) can get a bit boggy after rain.

Each section of the arboretum has its own feel. You’ll go from dense forest to open fields, waterfalls, and farm enclosures – each bit adding something new to the experience.

One thing I’ve always thought was a bit of a missed opportunity. Why not build a proper play area? They’re clearly geared towards families with kids, with loads of activities and trails to keep them engaged, but there’s nowhere just to climb and burn off that final bit of energy. The National Trust figured that out years ago, so why not here?

So there you have it. Bodenham Arboretum – a place of fun walks, good food, clean toilets, and plenty of parking. It's definitely...

I paid a visit with my fiancee, three-year-old and two-year-old last weekend. Thankfully, we took our child carrier (like a rucksack). Good job we thought to bring this, and not our pushchair, as we soon realised, this is not a pushchair-friendly arboretum. There is a lot of steep terrain and little by way of paved paths, so do bear that in mind, if you are planning on making a visit.

The arboretum itself, we found to be underwhelming and lacklustre. Perhaps it was the time of year we visited (late March), but there was absolutely nothing in bloom, and equally, very few points of interest scattered around the arboretum.

There is a restaurant on-site, which again, was fully-reserved on our arrival just before Sunday at noon. That meant either sitting outside in the freezing cold, or in a small, but cosy, heated log cabin, 25 metres or so, outside and across from the restaurant. I'd also use the term restaurant, lightly. Choices are limited to a couple of soup, sandwich and cake options - as well as a Sunday carvery. A slice of cake cost a staggering £3.95, and to add insult to injury, tasted stale and as if the cake batter hadn't been mixed properly.

Suffice to say, we probably won't be visiting again, after making our way over from Derby based on the generally positive reviews we read before visiting. If you are closer to the East Midlands, I'd recommend visiting the Lotto-funded, National Memorial Arboretum, instead. £3 to park all day and free entry to the arboretum itself (although costs do apply to to have visit the museum, take a tour by land train, etc. - and obviously, donations are welcome). The restaurant there is a "proper" restaurant with a much broader and tastier selection of food and drink. So much more to see and do. A really moving tribute.

On a more positive note, the Severn Valley Railway is only a stone's throw away from here, at Kidderminster Railway Station, which we found to be a much more memorable and exciting visit with our two...

Our grandson was booked on an Easter Baking Experience, as he enjoys making cakes. The weather was showery and heavy at times. We seemed to drive a long way before we arrived at the carpark, which was not busy. There are miles of paths, with hundreds of plants and thousands of trees to see. May I suggest looking at their website before you travel, to see what's on offer, whether flaura or activities. We stopped off at the newish cafe, which offers a great view over the pond. There is also a large picnic area beside the pond, with the resident ducks "calling by" for a little something 😀 The cafe is circular and caters for all tastes and allergies. At the appropriate time, our daughter and grandson walked over to the baking room, where everything had been prepared earlier. There were around a dozen children taking part, decorating fairy cakes and chocolate bird nests, as well as Easter Eggs. The session lasted two hours and they all enjoyed the experience. The staff were friendly and helpful and assisted the children if they needed it. They all looked "professional", with their chefs hats and aprons. A wonderful experience. Meanwhile, my wife and I walked around the pond, taking note of the wildlife and avoiding the muddy paths. There was plenty of that, considering how wet Easter has been this year. We regrouped after the baking experience, and went for a walk along the Easter Egg trail, though we missed out a few eggs. We arrived at the farm, with newly born calves and piglets to see close up in the barns. We eventually found the Golden Egg and continued our walk back to the car. We got very wet on our walks, but as life would have it, the sun appeared as we were leaving. Bodenham Arboretum is a wonderful place to visit, especially with children, whether on small bikes or in pushchairs and the family dog needs to be on a lead. On arrival, we received a free return ticket during the "low" season, so we will be making use of that and hoping the muddy...