Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest
Bedgebury Forest is great for cycling, walking, riding, adventure play and Go Ape. Visit the world's finest conifer collection in Bedgebury National Pinetum. Safe, healthy outdoor fun for all ages and abilities in the heart of South East England. Open all year & great value for money, Bedgebury is the place to visit on the Kent/Sussex border.
The National Pinetum at Bedgebury was established as the National Conifer Collection in 1925. It is now recognised as the most complete collection of conifers on one site anywhere in the world and is a Historic Arboretum Grade II. The collection has over 10,000 trees specimens growing across 320 acres; including rare, endangered and historically important specimens. The Pinetum is home to some 91 vulnerable or critically endangered species and five NCCPG National Collections (Yew, Juniper, Thuja, Lawson Cypress and Leyland Cypress) and contains some of the oldest and largest examples of conifers in Britain.
The International Conifer Conference describes Bedgebury Pinetum as "the best conifer collection in the world on one site". It serves a vital role in the conservation and propagation of conifer species, is a unique resource for education, research and development, and is a beautiful and tranquil place that gives enormous pleasure to all those who visit it.
What are Conifers? What is a Pinetum?
Conifers are cone-bearing trees, and a Pinetum is a collection of cone-bearing trees. Cone-bearers include pines (Pinus.), spruces (Picea), larches (Larix), firs (Abies) and cedars (Cedrus) among others. Most, but not all, are 'evergreen' and conifers account for the largest (Sequoiadendron giganteum) ,the giant redwood, and the oldest trees on our planet (Pinus longaeva), at 4767 years old.
The Importance of Conifers:
Conifers are highly important ecologically, economically, scientifically and not least aesthetically.
They have existed in various forms for over 250 million years, twice as long as the flowering plants. They are important sequesters of carbon and vital to the regulation of the earth's climate and air quality.
Many conifers are tolerant of adverse climatic or soil conditions unsuitable for other trees such as sandy, rocky, acid peats, dry or wet soils and even those toxic with heavy metals. This tolerance is unique and cannot be achieved by most broad-leaved trees.
Conifers dominate many of the world’s forests. They are the major source of timber products for construction and housing throughout the world.
Conifers are one of the most important groups of plants in horticulture, dominating many gardens and landscapes. Today 354 of the world’s 662 species are listed as threatened by the IUCN – The World Conservation Union.
The Importance of Bedgebury Pinetum:
Since its inception, the aim of Bedgebury Pinetum has been "to grow as many species of conifers as the climatic conditions will allow, planted in generic groupings, using geographically associated plantings where possible" (W. Dallimore, 1923).
Indeed many of the older plantings were collected from forests that no longer exist and may represent lost genotypes.
The Pinetum lies three miles south of Goudhurst, near the Kent-Sussex border, covers an area of 127 hectares and contains about 7,000 trees. If one includes the subspecies there are 810 conifer species that exist worldwide, 607 can be grown in the temperate zone and Bedgebury has 488 of them in its collection.
It also has 56 species that have been officially declared ‘vulnerable’ or ‘critically endangered’. This Collection is therefore extremely important and receives visitors from all over the world in search of rare and unusual specimens.
The Kent Trust for Nature conservation cites Bedgebury as the "richest area for fungi in Kent with some very rare species, some unique and some only usually found in Scotland.
VISITORS INFOMRATION:
Admissions
Admission to Bedgebury is free.
Picnickers welcome (Bedgebury was recently voted Best Picnic Site in the South).
Dogs are welcome.
Bedgebury is an outdoor site - please wear suitable clothing and footwear.
No Barbecues (Due to the importance of the tree collection at Bedgebury).
The Pinetum may close in extreme weather.
Parking charges
£8 per car
£30 per minibus
£50 per coach
Revised charges (effective from 1st April 2010):
| VEHICLE CATEGORY |
CHARGES |
| Car |
£8.00 |
| Motorbikes (inc Quadbikes) |
Free |
| Blue Badge Holders |
£8.00 |
| Any vehicle with trailer |
£16.00(equates to two cars) |
| Transit Van/Camper Van |
£8.00 |
| Motorhome (upto 4 wheels) |
£16.00 |
| Motorhome (6 wheels or more) |
£30.00 |
| Minibus |
£30.00 |
| Coach |
£30.00 |
| Lorries |
No Access |
| Horsebox (without horse) |
£16.00 |
| Pedestrians without vehicles |
Free |
| Horses (Via TROT permit) |
Not through main entrance |
| Helicopters & Hot Air Balloons |
Not without prior arrangement |
| Annual Membership (through Friends of Bedgebury) |
| Standard Membership |
£50 (less than £1 per week) |
| Gold Membership |
£56 + £8.00 per additional member |
ALL VEHICLES AFTER 4.30pm (7 days a week from March-Oct) Half Price
Further parking information
Please note that the Pay & Display machines only take coins.
Pay by phone parking is available at Bedgebury. Visit parking pages for more details.
Unlimited parking with Friends Membership from £50.
Opening times:
| Month |
Open |
Close |
| January |
8:00am |
4:00pm |
| February |
8:00am |
5:00pm |
| March |
8:00am |
6:00pm |
| April |
8:00am |
7:00pm |
| May |
8:00am |
8:00pm |
| June |
8:00am |
8:00pm |
| July |
8:00am |
8:00pm |
| August |
8:00am |
8:00pm |
| September |
8:00am |
7:00pm |
| October |
8:00am |
6:00pm |
| NOvember |
8:00am |
5:00pm |
| December |
8:00am |
4:00pm |
HOW TO FIND US:
Bedgebury is close to the Kent/East Sussex border, 2 miles north of Flimwell and within an hour’s travel from SE London, Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Hastings and Eastbourne.
From London
Leave the M25 at junction 5 and join the A21 southbound towards Hastings. Bedgebury is signposted off the A21 on the B2079, approximately 12 miles southeast of Tunbridge Wells and 16 miles northwest of Hastings.
From the north and east
Take the A262 to Goudhurst, and then follow signs to Bedgebury.
Nearest railway stations
Etchingham (on the Hastings line from Charing Cross or London Bridge) is the closest station to Bedgebury.
It's about a 30 minute cycle ride up the A21 (there is a footpath along the edge of the northbound carriageway).
Alternatively, Tunbridge Wells, Frant and Wadhurst (on the Hastings line) and Staplehurst and Marden (on the Ashford line) are also nearby.
Nearest Bus Stop
Flimwell Corner Farm (near the Flimwell crossroad). 254 (Tunbridge Wells to Hawkhurst service).
Forest Code:
Guard against all risks of fire
Protect and respect wildlife, plants and trees
Keep dogs under control
Take your litter home
Make no unnecessary noise
Take only memories home
Address:
South East England Forest District Office
Bucks Horn Oak
Farnham
Surrey
GU10 4LS