As natural spectacles go, Winkworth Arboretum has got to rate pretty highly. A collection of over 1,000 species of trees and shrubs – including loads of rare ones – this hillside arboretum offer up a kaleidoscope of colour throughout the year.

In spring, Winkworth Arboretum is a pastel palette of azaleas and magnolias above a carpet of blue, summer dazzles with canopies of lush green and blooms at their best. Autumn glows as the leaves turn red, amber, orange and yellow, while in the winter the stark and dramatic beauty of bare branches sits beautifully against a backdrop of mist and icy frost.

In addition to wooded areas, there are open fields and wetland areas, as well as a lovely lake with a pretty boathouse.

The 95-acre Winkwroth Arboretum was created in the late 1930s by Dr Wilfred Fox, a local doctor who was passionate about preserving the wooded hillside near his home. He it bequeathed to the National Trust some 60 years ago, and in that time it has grown to become a internationally significant collection of over 1,000 different species of trees and shrubs.

There are three waymarked walking routes of varying difficulty ranging from 1km to 3.6km, as well as guided walks. For kids and families, there’s a natural play area and special children’s events during half term and school holidays.

Peckish? There’s a tea-room just outside the arboretum serving light lunches, snacks, cakes and drinks.