UK Oak Open Days 2019

Our first event this year will be UK Oak Open Days (OODs) in June, visiting Thorp Perrow Arboretum on the 17th, and the Yorkshire Arboretum at Castle Howard on the 18th, both in North Yorkshire and just over an hour apart by road. It will also be possible to visit Lloyd and Sally Kenyon’s collection at Gredington in North Wales.

Thorp Perrow (www.thorpperrow.com) is a delightful arboretum of 100 acres near Bedale, postcode DL8 2PS. The impressive 128-acre Yorkshire Arboretum (www.yorkshirearboretum.org) is on the estate of Castle Howard near Malton, YO60 7BY. Director John Grimshaw and Collection Manager Jonathan Burton will guide our visit. Lunch will be available at both locations, and will be pre-arranged for those that wish. Entry fees will be payable, RHS members gain reduced entry at the Yorkshire Arboretum.

The nearest airport for both venues is Leeds-Bradford, but Manchester, with more flights available, is under two hours away by road (around 170 km/105 miles). For those driving up from the south, or for those flying via Manchester Airport, Gredington (SY13 3DJ) is easy to reach (just over an hour to the southwest of the Airport). Whether we visit before or after the 17th/18th will be decided in order to suit the travel plans of the majority. More information regarding the venues will be made available on the website, and our visit to Lloyd and Sally Kenyon's 80-acre park in July 2015 was reported in International Oaks No. 28, p. 95.

Further details regarding times, entry fees, suggested hotels, etc., will be sent to those who register for the event via tours@internationaloaksociety.org. Please express your interest now, and a cut-off date will be published nearer the event to confirm your attendance for meals, etc. As is usual for OODs, you may register for individual days (please specify when you register): there is no requirement to attend the entire event.

Shaun Haddock
Tour Committee Chair