If you’re staying with us at Pettifers this autumn, Westonbirt, The National Arboretum is well worth building your visit around. It’s only around five miles away, about ten minutes in the car, and from late September through to mid-November it puts on one of the best displays of colour anywhere in the Cotswolds. We’re lucky to have it so close.
Why we love sending guests to Westonbirt
Westonbirt holds one of the country’s finest collections of maples, and autumn is when they really come into their own. This year’s programme runs a Magic of Maples trail through Silk Wood alongside a Perfectly Imperfect trail built around Japanese maple cultivars, timed to the arboretum’s main colour window from Friday 25 September to Sunday 15 November 2026. With 600 acres and 17 miles of paths to wander, you can make it a gentle hour’s stroll or turn it into the whole afternoon, whichever suits your stay.
The arboretum’s open every day except Christmas Day, from 9am, with last admission at 4:30pm. Autumn is its busiest time of year, so we’d always suggest booking your slot ahead rather than chancing it on the day, especially if you’re coming for a weekend.
Travelling with your dog
We know a lot of you bring your dogs with you, and Westonbirt welcomes them too. Silk Wood is where dogs can go off the lead, which is handy to know if you’ll be keeping to a lead elsewhere on site. It’s just one part of the arboretum rather than the whole place, so it’s worth checking the map when you arrive if that’s part of your plan for the day.
Another highlight are the Cotswolds Lakes, again a short drive from the Hotel, with 150 great lakes adorned in “natures fireworks-coloured leaf finery” , an amble along the Thames will put body & soul back together.
Making a day of it from Pettifers
A 4:30pm last admission means your day at Westonbirt will naturally wind down by late afternoon, which we think suits a stay nicely. You head out from Crudwell, post a fabulous full Cotswolds Breakfast, in good time, spend the day among the trees, and you’re back with us well before dark with nothing more to do than put your feet up over a drink and decide to eat in or out!
Our rooms and cottage range from classic doubles to family rooms, so there’s something to suit most stays, and if you fancy a bit more space and your own front door, that’s worth a look too. If you’re bringing the dog, do take a peek at our dog-friendly rooms before you book, as not every room here takes them.
Autumn colour is always weather-dependent, so if a trip to see it is the whole point of your visit, it’s worth checking Forestry England’s own updates nearer the time rather than fixing everything too far ahead. And Crudwell’s perfectly placed if you’d like to make more of the day, with Malmesbury, Cirencester and Tetbury all close by and alongside two Village Pubs sits amid some of the best Cotswolds Pub Dining with plenty of choice for evenings out..
If you’d like a hand matching a room to your dates, get in touch with us and we’ll help you plan around it.
