Winkworth opens at 9am from 26 September to 15 November, adults £16.50, no booking. Closed 24 and 25 December. Winter hours, parking and the Sunday shuttle.
Winkworth Arboretum, the National Trust’s tree collection near Godalming, opens early for its autumn colour: 9am to 5pm from Saturday 26 September to 31 October 2026, then 9am to 4pm until 15 November. You do not need to book. Adults pay £16.50 with Gift Aid, and National Trust members get in free. Winter hours are 10am to 4pm, and the arboretum is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The quick answer
- Autumn hours: 9am to 5pm until 31 October, 9am to 4pm from 1 to 15 November. From 16 November, 10am to 4pm.
- Adults £16.50, children 5 to 17 £8.30, family £41.30 (with Gift Aid). Under 5s and members free. No pre-booking.
- Busiest: weekends and half term, 19 October to 1 November. The Trust advises going mid-week. A free shuttle runs from the Meadow car park on Sundays.
Opening times, autumn to New Year
| Dates | Arboretum | Café |
|---|---|---|
| 26 September to 31 October | 9am to 5pm | 9am to 4.30pm |
| 1 to 15 November | 9am to 4pm | 9am to 3.30pm |
| 16 November to 23 December | 10am to 4pm | 9.30am to 3.30pm |
| 24 and 25 December | Closed | Closed |
| 26 to 31 December | 10am to 4pm | 9.30am to 3.30pm |
These come from the National Trust’s day-by-day calendar for Winkworth (National Trust, Winkworth Arboretum). The arboretum is open every day except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On those two days the Trust’s calendar still shows the shop and car park open, 9.30am to 4pm, so ring 01483 208477 before you rely on that. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing, and the café also closes 30 minutes early. The Trust has published hours only to 31 December; 2027 is not yet on the calendar.
Prices
| Ticket | With Gift Aid | Without |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, 18+ | £16.50 | £15.00 |
| Child, 5 to 17 | £8.30 | £7.50 |
| Family, 2 adults and up to 3 children | £41.30 | £37.50 |
| 1 adult and up to 3 children | £24.80 | £22.50 |
| Under 5 | Free | Free |
National Trust members get in free with their named card.
Parking costs £1.50 for an hour, £2.50 for two to three hours and £5 all day, paid at the machine or by JustPark (location code 80711). Members park free. The Trust says the car park can fill at weekends and in the holidays.
Autumn colour: when to go
The Trust says autumn colour usually starts in mid-September and lasts into mid-November, depending on the weather, and that autumn is Winkworth’s busiest time of year. Its advice is to avoid weekends and the two half term weeks, 19 October to 1 November, and to go mid-week if you can (National Trust, Winkworth in autumn).
On Sundays a free shuttle bus runs from the Meadow car park: 10am to 5pm from 27 September to 1 November, then 10am to 4pm on 8 and 15 November. It stops from 1pm to 1.30pm.
Autumn events
| Event | Dates | Booking |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning photography: in at 7.30am, before opening | Six dates, 30 September to 27 October | Essential, £12 |
| Stranger Folk digital folklore trail, ages 7 to 12 | Daily, 10 October to 8 November | Free app, normal admission |
| Fungi foray with a guide | Four dates, 3 October to 22 November | Essential |
| Qigong in the Woods | Four dates, 27 September to 8 November | Essential |
| Free guided walks | Second Wednesday of the month, 2pm; last Friday, 11am | Not needed, normal admission |
| Stargazing in the Meadow, with Guildford Astronomical Society | 17 October to 5 December, dates to be confirmed | Register interest on 01483 208477 |
The event details come from the Trust’s Winkworth page. The Trust’s autumn page gives £10 for the photography session, but its event listing says £12, so check the price when you book. There is no Christmas event on Winkworth’s calendar yet.
Getting there
Winkworth is on Hascombe Road, Godalming, GU8 4AD. The Trust asks visitors not to walk along the road, which is fast and narrow with no pavement; it suggests a bus or taxi instead. A taxi from Godalming station costs about £12, and the Trust points out that Uber does not operate in Waverley and phone signal at the arboretum is poor, so book your return taxi in advance. Dogs on short leads are welcome all year, in the café and shop too.
For Winkworth’s Stranger Folk trail and the rest of half term, see our October half term page. For December days out, see Santa in Farnham and Godalming’s Christmas lights.
Still to be confirmed
- 2027 opening hours, not yet on the Trust’s calendar.
- Stargazing dates, which the Trust says are still to be confirmed.
- Any Christmas event. We will check again in early November.
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