One of the oldest arboretums in Britain, Arley was planted from around 1800 by the Earl of Mountnorris on the west bank of the Severn and rescued from decades of neglect in the 1950s. It now holds more than 300 tree species inside old walled gardens, plus what’s claimed as Britain’s longest laburnum arch — 65 metres, bent into a Z so it keeps unfolding as you walk. There’s an admission charge. Half the fun is arriving: the Severn Valley steam railway stops at Arley, a walk across the river from the gates.
