A visit to The National Memorial Arboretum

2014 marks one hundred years since the start of The Great War (World War One), and so a couple of weeks ago was a good time to visit The National Memorial Arboretum. I’d visited a couple of years previously, and nearly froze in the process, this time it was much warmer in the spring-like weather.

The National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire is the UK’s centre for remembrance. It’s 150 acres of maturing woodland that contains memorials to armed forces and civil services.

Although war and personal sacrifice are such sombre subjects, and the memorials are so thought provoking, the Arboretum manages to offer a unique environment that welcomes everyone of all ages. When I was there I saw a mixture of war veterans, young adults, and families wandering around either paying their respects or learning about the history of what they were seeing.

I’d recommend everyone to visit just once, just to see, just to think.