Explore a 6-hectare Green Flag awarded park featuring tree trails, wildlife ponds, and rare arboretum trees across beautifully maintained grounds.

Barnwood Park and Arboretum is a fantastic 6-hectare open space located in the Barnwood ward of Gloucester, recognized with a Green Flag Award for its exceptional standards. The venue comprises the remaining grounds of the historic Barnwood House Estate and offers visitors a diverse range of natural attractions and recreational opportunities. Visitors can walk the scenic tree trail through the arboretum, which features fine and rare trees connected by a picturesque footbridge over Wotton Brook. The park includes a wildlife pond where ducks, moorhens, and occasionally kingfishers can be spotted along the brook line. During summer and autumn months, visitors may observe Dexter cattle and sheep grazing in designated areas. The dry balancing pond serves as both a flood storage area and informal play space, notably featuring Rugby World Cup 2015 posts installed to commemorate Gloucester's role as a host city. The site is suitable for families of all ages, with pushchair-friendly access from multiple entrances including Church Lane, Cherston Court, and Newstead Road. The park is dog-friendly and free to enter, making it an accessible destination for outdoor recreation. The Friends of Barnwood Arboretum volunteer group actively maintains the space to high standards, ensuring visitors enjoy a well-preserved natural environment ideal for walking, wildlife watching, and informal outdoor play.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

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Arabic with abir Alkoky

a month ago

Such a beautiful peaceful place to walk and have a picnic and a geocache ☺️

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Bill Robson

6 months ago

Considering Barnwood ain't exactly the nicest place on the planet this park is a little oasis, a diamond in the rough. Somewhere that offers refuge from the pressures of twenty-first century living. Somewhere to relax and become one with the natural world. Lots of benches to sit on, perhaps to relax and contemplate whatever one wants to contemplate. Mr. and Mrs. Magpie went to the park with me, they posed on the ground and in a tree. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Magpie.

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Derek Crabtree

8 months ago

Flat path around the park. Carved seats and some wildlife. Popular with friendly dog walkers

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Taher Kagalwala

a year ago

Barnwood Park is an interesting small green space in urban Gloucester. The park is also described as an arboretum as there are many large trees here, including oaks, coniferous giants and more. One can walk about inside the place. It is accessible to us from different ends. Unfortunately, apart from walking, there is little else one can do. No facilities, no bins, no water taps, no children’s area. I did take some photos.

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Gabrielle

4 years ago

Gorgeous! We would definitely visit again. My son was particularly taken with the small bridges on the pond, the butterfly ‘wild’ areas and the (three) Dexter Cattle 🐄 😂. They seem to have a bit of a rat problem at the moment. Although , once again, my son was very happy to watch the rats dart from bush to bush from a distance.

Reviews last updated: 7 October 2026