One of my favourite places to spend time is Oxford University’s Harcourt Arboretum at Nuneham Courtenay, just outside Oxford. Administratively it is a part of the Botanic Garden in Oxford, the oldest one in Europe.

The arboretum covers nearly fifty acres and is free to visit. It’s a beautiful place to simply take a walk around and admire the amazing and varied collection of trees. There’s a ten-acre woodland which turns into a sea of blue at blubell time plus a large meadow which is full of wild flowers come summer. The azaleas, rhododendrons and Japanese maple also give an impressive show of colour in their seasons.

The really nice thing about the arboretum is that it doesn’t appear too tamed. There are no buildings except a small visitor centre, no walls, no cafés, no straight lines. If you want a relaxing cup of tea after your walk then nearby Oxford offers a huge range of possibilities, or you could simply pack a picnic a plonk yourself under a giant tree for the afternoon.

Photo courtesy of rikdom on Flickr