The Yorkshire Arboretum is a glorious 120-acre garden of trees from around the world run by the Castle Howard Arboretum Trust in conjunction with Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Set on the historic Castle Howard estate, the trees from Chile, Australasia, North America, Europe and Asia are planted in a stunning parkland landscape with ponds, lakes and beautiful views. New trees are planted each year, and the grounds are enhanced by idyllic wildflower meadows and large numbers of spring and early summer-flowering bulbs.
Now you can meet the newest addition to the Arboretum, a scurry of red squirrels. These delightful native squirrels have their very own protected enclosure which has been designed and built entirely by staff and volunteers. It is designed to keep the red squirrels in and the grey squirrels out. It covers an area of 2,500m2 and includes a grove of oaks and other trees, in which the squirrels live natural lives. The enclosure is open to the public and the squirrels can be seen throughout the day. If you are keen to find out more about these gorgeous little creatures, there is a free ‘squirrel talk’ every Tuesday at 10.30am. Admission to the squirrel enclosure is included in the Arboretum entry price.
There are free tours of the arboretum which opens from February to November. In addition to the 120-acre garden of trees there’s a children’s woodland playground, a café offering delicious home-cooked seasonal food and drink and a gift shop.
See the website for specific details of opening times and entry prices: https://www.yorkshirearboretum.org/plan-your-visit
Image copyright of The Yorkshire Arboretum.
Article contributed by Colette Walker – https://yorkshiresbestguides.co.uk/project/colette-walker/
