Single Supplement £44
We last visited this incredible memorial in 2024 and felt it deserved a dedicated visit. Being too far for a day visit, we’ve made it part of a short 1-night holiday to maximise our time there, and soak up the atmosphere.
In late October, the autumn colours should provide a fantastic backdrop to the memorials in the arboretum.
We generally try to depart between 8am and 9am, and exact times will be confirmed in the final timings itinerary which arrives about a week before travel.
We send this close to travel so we can plan for any major traffic issues which sometimes arise due to road works etc.
Monday 26th October 2026
Our aim at Pennywood Tours is to give you a relaxing and carefree time where we do all the work so you can sit back and enjoy the trip.
To this end, all tours are escorted by a group leader who will check you on board and make sure you can find your allocated seat. We’ll seat you with the person/people you are booked with but if you know of anyone else on the trip who has booked separately please let us know in advance and we’ll try to seat you all together. The coach will be a super deluxe vehicle with a toilet and is incredibly comfortable.
Our Group Leader will advise you of all the details of travel times, stops, when to return to the coach etc. so you will be in no doubt about what and when. He or she will be available for any additional questions you may have.
We will do our best to stick to our itinerary but you will understand that when there are traffic jams or adverse weather conditions, we may struggle to do everything as planned but we will let you know what information we have in these situations when we have it.
We look forward to seeing you and welcome any questions you may have by contacting us at info@pennywoodtours.com or on 01622 434 981.
We start this day in the direction of the privately owned Castle Ashby Gardens to enjoy 35 acres of historic gardens and arboretum with all the lovely autumn colour that will bring.
You’ll also be able to enjoy the Menagerie, which hosts a range of animals including meerkats, monkeys (spot the Neil lookalike), farmyard animals, birds and much more!
Finally, there is also the tearoom, where you’ll find Neil and can compare your pictures of the monkeys to him.
From here we venture onwards to our hotel the 4* voco St John’s Solihull, where we’re booked on a bed and breakfast basis.
In our efforts to avoid a fixed dining time and static 3-course menu, here you can book your own dining time and choose what you like from the menu and eat with whoever you like, or you might want to venture into Solihull town centre, next to the hotel.
Today we make the short journey to the National Memorial Arboretum, arriving near opening time, where you will be free to explore this amazing site.
With 150 acres you can discover the 420 dedicated memorials by foot, or travel by landtrain, and if you have any specific memorials you’d like to visit, there will be time (and maps) to seek these out.
With 25,000 trees, the site will be in full autumn colour and will be a glory to behold, and you’ll still have time to visit the restaurant, or the coffee shop, or both.
In the afternoon, we’ll rejoin our coach and venture home with the normal breaks for refreshments, reflecting on the numerous tributes to the individuals and organisations reflected at the arboretum.
Please note, all venues will require walking, possibly with steps and steep slopes, which may be slippery and uneven. You should be prepared to dress appropriately for the weather.