Local Reviews
In January 2017, Daf_J2014 said about National Memorial Arboretum
We came to visit the Arboretum a few weeks ago on a cold Sunday. It is easy to find but tucked away from daily life in a pretty quiet peaceful area. Entry is free, all day car parking costs £3 and a donation can also be given towards the running of the facilities.
There weren't too many visitors when we came but people were still coming on a day with poor weather. It's difficult to describe the feeling when entering as there are so many memorials to to different services.
There are a lot of staff and volunteers around to help along with a large restaurant and smaller coffee shop and a gift shop.
During the spring and summer it is easy to spend the better part of a day here, wandering around the grounds looking at the different memorials and spotting different wildlife but winter and autumn can still offer at least half a day exploring.
The arboretum is a real eye opener and gives a scary wake up call and visualisation of the lives lost during war time.
There weren't too many visitors when we came but people were still coming on a day with poor weather. It's difficult to describe the feeling when entering as there are so many memorials to to different services.
There are a lot of staff and volunteers around to help along with a large restaurant and smaller coffee shop and a gift shop.
During the spring and summer it is easy to spend the better part of a day here, wandering around the grounds looking at the different memorials and spotting different wildlife but winter and autumn can still offer at least half a day exploring.
The arboretum is a real eye opener and gives a scary wake up call and visualisation of the lives lost during war time.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In July 2017, jude9999_10 said about National Memorial Arboretum
We visited with the British Legion. The site is huge and contains 30,000 trees and many marvellous yet varied memorials. The National Memorial in the centre is very moving. It us a memorial to all those who lost their lives since the end of the Second World War with all the names carved.
We started our visit with the remembrance service at 11 in the chapel with the Last Post and two minutes silence. There was a recorded talk by Jeremy Paxman. This set the scene for the day.
I would recommend the land train which costs £6 and takes around 50 minutes to go slowly round the site with a commentary. There are also buggy tours or walking tours. Otherwise, take a map and follow one of the trails.
We wanted to find the Fleet Air Arm memorial which was my father in law's service, and the Land Army which was my mother in law's. Both very impressive.
Lovely café and restaurant and also an exhibition centre. You can also hire audio equipment for a personal commentary.
We started our visit with the remembrance service at 11 in the chapel with the Last Post and two minutes silence. There was a recorded talk by Jeremy Paxman. This set the scene for the day.
I would recommend the land train which costs £6 and takes around 50 minutes to go slowly round the site with a commentary. There are also buggy tours or walking tours. Otherwise, take a map and follow one of the trails.
We wanted to find the Fleet Air Arm memorial which was my father in law's service, and the Land Army which was my mother in law's. Both very impressive.
Lovely café and restaurant and also an exhibition centre. You can also hire audio equipment for a personal commentary.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In July 2017, Woodlands19 said about National Memorial Arboretum
It is free entry, but you pay £3 into the parking metre when parking your car. We spent the whole day there, not leaving until it closed at 5 o'clock. There is so much to see, it is truly amazing. My partner was in the RAF police where he also served for two and a half years in Singapore. At the restaurant there is a stand where you can purchase crosses with a poppy on that you can lay at your desired memorial.
We had lunch in the restaurant which was hot and delicious, also reasonable. Oh joy to be able to eat all kinds of good home cooked food, instead of these mass produced restaurants these days. We even went back in our last day of holiday, to visit the Far East exhibition building, which is a tear jerker. We even had lunch again, with a completely different menu. Be careful food finishes at 2.30. The grounds are vast so if you have difficulties in walking there is a comfortable land train you can travel in for £6 each.
There are plenty of walks a really enjoyable day out. Enjoy.
We had lunch in the restaurant which was hot and delicious, also reasonable. Oh joy to be able to eat all kinds of good home cooked food, instead of these mass produced restaurants these days. We even went back in our last day of holiday, to visit the Far East exhibition building, which is a tear jerker. We even had lunch again, with a completely different menu. Be careful food finishes at 2.30. The grounds are vast so if you have difficulties in walking there is a comfortable land train you can travel in for £6 each.
There are plenty of walks a really enjoyable day out. Enjoy.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In April 2015, Anne G said about National Memorial Arboretum
I visited this arboretum on a cloudy windy and chilly March day. The site is vast- 150 acres, and full of extremely helpful volunteers who are passionate about this centre of remembrance. The site is riddled with over 300 memorials, placed to remember military, charitable and other organisations and people. We took a buggy ride for £5 each, with really interesting commentry from our volunteer driver. Having gained an overview of the site, we went off and visited things of interest to us. You could very easily spend a day here, lunching in the restaurant, or having a picnic in the grounds on a fine day. The river Trent and Tame, meet here. In summer there must be plenty of wild life to watch too.....bring a chair! The memorials are being added too....I am personally pleased the Horses of the First World War are to be remembered, they served their soldiers well, and were abandoned abroad.
I highly recommend this place- little ones can let off steam. In a few more years it will be wonderful.
I highly recommend this place- little ones can let off steam. In a few more years it will be wonderful.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In May 2015, Pamela T said about National Memorial Arboretum
Having read some of the review - terrible, poor - I wonder if I was at the same place. Apart from parking £3 (who begrudges that) you do not have to spend any money, you can walk round at your leisure. A lot of families were sitting outside with their lunches and dogs.
We did the buggy tour not the train. It was brilliant as we saw the areas we asked for with our super knowledgeable driver - worth every penny of the £5. We had the lunch and although expensive it was excellent and the staff could not have been more helpful either in the restaurant or anywhere on the site.
You really do have to ask what people expect or why they went? The area is large - it needs to be and it is not just a memorial to our armed services but to many other aspects of our life including children who did not experience life.
Someone with a review who went this year said there are no trees..there are HUNDREDS of trees and in June/July the poppies will be blowing in the breeze.
Go for the right reason and enjoy, wear sensible shoes as there is a lot of walking if you want the true experience.
We did the buggy tour not the train. It was brilliant as we saw the areas we asked for with our super knowledgeable driver - worth every penny of the £5. We had the lunch and although expensive it was excellent and the staff could not have been more helpful either in the restaurant or anywhere on the site.
You really do have to ask what people expect or why they went? The area is large - it needs to be and it is not just a memorial to our armed services but to many other aspects of our life including children who did not experience life.
Someone with a review who went this year said there are no trees..there are HUNDREDS of trees and in June/July the poppies will be blowing in the breeze.
Go for the right reason and enjoy, wear sensible shoes as there is a lot of walking if you want the true experience.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2015, Chris H said about National Memorial Arboretum
This National Memorial is currently undergoing major expansion so the initial view is not at its best yet. However, the staff and volunteers make you very welcome and you can tell that there is a commitment to make your visit worthwhile. To visit every memorial and give them due justice would be impossible in one visit, and this being my third, I had opportunity to explore new and interesting areas as well as seeing the maturing and expanding ones previously visited.
On a fine autumnal day, the trees looked well in the sunshine and despite some noise from the building work and gardening, there is a sense of unhurried purpose in the grounds. I think this would be a 'must' for the education of young people, although some areas, such as the Far East Prisoners' area, may be too graphic for the youngest to be taken to.
Catering is of a high standard both in the coffee shop area and the restaurant (both in temporary accommodation for the duration of the re-building of the visitors centre).
For adults, this would make a different and pleasant day out.
On a fine autumnal day, the trees looked well in the sunshine and despite some noise from the building work and gardening, there is a sense of unhurried purpose in the grounds. I think this would be a 'must' for the education of young people, although some areas, such as the Far East Prisoners' area, may be too graphic for the youngest to be taken to.
Catering is of a high standard both in the coffee shop area and the restaurant (both in temporary accommodation for the duration of the re-building of the visitors centre).
For adults, this would make a different and pleasant day out.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In April 2018, deryck t said about National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is a wonderful place to visit all year round. The memorials and gardens are many and growing each year.
As there were 6 of us we decided to book the tailor-made tour which cost £175 in total.
We arrived on the day for 11am start and greeted by our guide- Phil Nixon. Over coffee he explained how the day would pan out. This is a brief summary of the tour:- traveling around this vast but beautiful arboretum was by a 7 seater golf buggy ( blankets provided ). Phil would stop at various memorials giving us the history and story behind them. At 1pm a two course meal + drink was provided on a reserved table with waiter service. . I must add the meal was excellent.
We then continued with the tour until 4pm taking in most of the memorials of interest then returning to the restaurant for coffee and final summary by Phil.
To finish l would just l Iike to give a massive thanks on behalf of our party to Phil who proved to be extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
As there were 6 of us we decided to book the tailor-made tour which cost £175 in total.
We arrived on the day for 11am start and greeted by our guide- Phil Nixon. Over coffee he explained how the day would pan out. This is a brief summary of the tour:- traveling around this vast but beautiful arboretum was by a 7 seater golf buggy ( blankets provided ). Phil would stop at various memorials giving us the history and story behind them. At 1pm a two course meal + drink was provided on a reserved table with waiter service. . I must add the meal was excellent.
We then continued with the tour until 4pm taking in most of the memorials of interest then returning to the restaurant for coffee and final summary by Phil.
To finish l would just l Iike to give a massive thanks on behalf of our party to Phil who proved to be extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In July 2018, diannewoodrow3 said about National Memorial Arboretum
Wonderful site with much thought, detail and respect.
We booked a VIP tour which included a personal and very knowledgeable guide for the day, transport around the site by buggy and a 2 course lunch with waitress service.
What amazing value for money that booking was.
Our guide was wonderful and spent time getting to know us and what we would like to see before we set off, making sure the key areas were visited and the best route planned. This made it bespoke totally to us.
The buggy allowed maximum use of the time there and easy access for my mum who has mobility issues.
The lunch was a hot dinner with a wide choice of meals and deserts , served at a fully dressed table in the main restaurant. Excellent and good size portions.
Cannot fault our day. The site is well maintained , staff well trained and helpful and all facilites clean.
Sites like this need to be seen and appreciated by everyone. Go see. And ask for David Baddel to do the tour.
We booked a VIP tour which included a personal and very knowledgeable guide for the day, transport around the site by buggy and a 2 course lunch with waitress service.
What amazing value for money that booking was.
Our guide was wonderful and spent time getting to know us and what we would like to see before we set off, making sure the key areas were visited and the best route planned. This made it bespoke totally to us.
The buggy allowed maximum use of the time there and easy access for my mum who has mobility issues.
The lunch was a hot dinner with a wide choice of meals and deserts , served at a fully dressed table in the main restaurant. Excellent and good size portions.
Cannot fault our day. The site is well maintained , staff well trained and helpful and all facilites clean.
Sites like this need to be seen and appreciated by everyone. Go see. And ask for David Baddel to do the tour.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In July 2018, Ken J said about National Memorial Arboretum
We have always delayed going as statues, memorials are not our thing. However it is well spread out, plenty of seats and paths to walk on including some by the River Thame, so potentially lots of wildlife to see as well as trains on the Derby line. Car parking is £3 per day or part thereof, Admission is free but you pay for guided tours, exhibitions and Land Train if you wish to use any of these - we made our own way and will be back - next time with a picnic!. The coffee shop is great and dog friendly and there is a very good restaurant. There are dedicated dog walks and the staff are knowledgeable and very good. A nearby quarry can seem noisy in such a peaceful area, but that apart I think you will enjoy your visit. Use the interactive information service before you start if you want to find a particular memorial or one dedicated to a person or group. You can hire wheelchairs and mobility scooters or make use of the guided tours using large golf buggies. Worth visiting
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk
In October 2019, Frank T said about National Memorial Arboretum
Acres of stunning gardens and beautiful tree, amazing memorials to all the forces and the civilians who lost their lives for this country during wars all over the world. A humbling history lesson from which sadly we never learn.
The train ride round the arboretum first is a good idea to get your bearings and our driver/guide was very informative. We then walked round most of it taking time to read the memorials - both the large ones and the individual, personal ones by most of the trees.
We visited the Basra Wall where sadly many of my son's friends were named - killed along side him when he served there twice during the war.
The museum is incredible and the restaurants, shop, facilities and activities for children are very good.
Well worth a visit from wherever you live especially if you stay in the lovely city of Lichfield nearby. We drove up from Bournemouth and made a weekend of it as there is so much to see and do in the area.
The train ride round the arboretum first is a good idea to get your bearings and our driver/guide was very informative. We then walked round most of it taking time to read the memorials - both the large ones and the individual, personal ones by most of the trees.
We visited the Basra Wall where sadly many of my son's friends were named - killed along side him when he served there twice during the war.
The museum is incredible and the restaurants, shop, facilities and activities for children are very good.
Well worth a visit from wherever you live especially if you stay in the lovely city of Lichfield nearby. We drove up from Bournemouth and made a weekend of it as there is so much to see and do in the area.
Source: tripadvisor.co.uk