Discover Nottinghamshire: Nature, Cave Art and History

A 450-acre country park, a gorge with Ice Age art and buildings with histories spanning centuries: Nottinghamshire offers many different reasons to plan a trip. Nature trails, guided tours and historic sites each offer a distinct focus. Consider which experiences you want to shape your stay before looking for a hotel for your trip.

Landscapes, Trails and Cycling

Sherwood Forest is a 450-acre country park in Nottinghamshire and is home to the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. Walking and hiking trails cater to a range of interests and fitness levels. This lets you shape your time in the landscape around the kind of outing that suits you. The Stagecoach Sherwood Arrow bus runs hourly from Nottingham’s Victoria Bus Station and stops outside the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. As timetables can change, check the service before travelling.

Clumber Park offers a different scale, with more than 3,800 acres of parkland, heathland and woodland. It also has more than 20 miles of accessible paths and shared multi-use trails. These figures give a clear sense of the extent of the landscape and trail network; the types of paths described offer different experiences. Overall, Nottinghamshire has more than 550 miles of rural and urban cycle routes. If you choose a particular route, check its current details before setting out.

The Southwell Trail offers a clearly defined route: it is 7.5 miles long and runs from Southwell to Bilsthorpe along the former Midland Railway line. You can walk, cycle or ride a horse along it. The former railway line is part of its character, while the route is not limited to a single way of getting around. This makes the trail a specific option if you want to plan around a particular route and activity.

Caves and Ice Age Art

In the north of Nottinghamshire lies Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge with caves and smaller fissures. Guided tours of the limestone caves give a visit a guided focus. Check tour bookings and availability before you arrive. The site’s history is remarkable, too: in 2003, the only known Ice Age rock art in Britain was discovered at Creswell Crags. The cave landscape and this discovery offer two distinct ways to experience a visit—through geology and early art.

History and Architecture

The atmospheric ruins of Rufford Abbey invite you to explore centuries of its history. Rufford Abbey Country Park also offers boat trips on the lake and archery activities. Details of these activities can vary seasonally, so bear that in mind when planning a visit. Here, historic ruins and seasonal activities sit side by side, without one experience replacing the other.

Southwell Minster has been a place of worship for well over 900 years and features outstanding examples of Norman and Early English architecture. These two styles give the building a distinctive architectural character. Newark Castle, meanwhile, was built in the mid-12th century. The site is registered as a Scheduled Monument and listed as a Grade I building—two distinct heritage designations for the site.

The grounds of Newark Castle have their own story to tell: in the 1880s, they were landscaped and turned into a public garden that visitors still use today. Access conditions may vary during restoration work, so check them when planning a visit. This helps distinguish the castle’s medieval origins from the later design of its garden.

Gardens and Local Apple History

The productive garden at Clumber Park, dating from the 18th century, houses national collections of rhubarb and apples. It brings together the history of gardening and two specific cultivated plants, without requiring a general interest in gardening. Another apple story leads to Southwell: more than 200 years ago, an apple was first propagated there from the garden of a cottage on Church Street. Its connection to a single garden and a specific street makes the story especially tangible.

Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests

Choose your plans according to the experiences you want to shape your stay. For time-dependent services such as bus connections and guided tours, check the relevant timetable or availability details before you arrive.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Normanton on Trent, Kimberley, Colston Bassett, Torworth, Trowell, Worksop, Woodborough, Willoughby On The Wolds, Whatton, Upper Broughton, Southwell, Mansfield, East Retford, Chilwell, Beeston, Sutton In Ashfield, Warsop, Newark-On-Trent, Eastwood, Blyth, Haughton, Nottingham, Cuckney, Dunham, Sibthorpe, Stapleford, Calverton, Huthwaite, Edwalton, Mansfield Woodhouse, Ordsall, Misterton, Carlton, Underwood, Ollerton, Clipstone, Coddington, West Stockwith, Clifton, Winthorpe, Edwinstowe, Sutton Bonington, West Bridgford, Tuxford, Blidworth, South Clifton, Thurgarton, Hucknall, Clayworth.

For the broader travel overview: East Midlands.