The Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens, London

I visited the treetop walkway at Kew gardens a couple of years ago with my son and and returned recently with my daughter and some friends visiting London. We had a fun time climbing to the top and getting a bird’s eye view of the treetops.

Treetop Walkway information centre

When we arrived at the walkway, we found an information centre that you walk through beside the treetops stairway telling us what’s happening below ground where the insects and worms are busy burrowing and feeding off the trees.

We passed by the wooden blocks of different named woods and enjoyed looking at the little animated creatures, beetles and maggots in the cases and some videos telling us about their life underground. At the foot of the display was a colourful stained glass panel representing the interwoven roots and fungus and life at the roots of the trees.

The Treetop Walkway

The walkway was opened in 2008 and I guess we must have visited and taken these photos not long after it opened, but I was back there a few weekends ago when there were not so many leaves on the trees. You need to climb 18 metres up the steps to the top, which is half the fun (the lift is not currently working) and then you are up in the treetops, able to admire the tall trees and observe the bird life. It is a little dizzying but fine if you don’t look down too much.

At stages around the walkway we came across sculptural metal plaques that had motifs about trees and poetic phrases such as where bees come to feed, flowers can make seeds and powered by sunlight, trees make their own food from water and air.

I think most younger kids loved the idea of running up the steps to be in the treetops, even though they might not see much close up except these plaques. One of the fun things was the coin slot at the top of the staircase, where you put your donation and heard the coin rattle all the way down to the bottom into the collection box.

The Greenhouse views from the Treetop Walkway

Another unique perspective was on the beautiful Victorian Temperate house viewed from above. These giant greenhouses are one of the highlights of Kew Gardens and house all sorts of exotic plants and trees as well as plenty of benches where you can sit and eat your picnic on colder days. A little further on by the lake, you’ll find the tropical house which on the cold winter’s day when we visited was very busy. I guess I’m not the only one who longs for a little tropical heat in the English winter.

How to get to Kew Gardens

The best way to reach Kew Gardens from Central London is by Tube to Kew Gardens Station which a 10 minute walk away.

There are many attractions at Kew Gardens and I recommend you schedule a full day for your visit. The things we particularly enjoy in addition to the treetop walkway are the Temperate House and Tropical Palm House by the lake, The Marianne North gallery of botanical paintings, Kew Palace which is only open in summer and be sure to stop for a coffee and cake in the Orangery.

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