Start in Nottingham and then discover the rest of the gorgeous Midlands area.
The Midlands is an extremely diverse and beautiful region to explore, and encompasses cities such as Birmingham, Nottingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton and Leicester. There are plenty of things to do in the Midlands, from visiting ancient castles and ruins, to modern day museums, parks and galleries. Nottingham is a great place to start your Midlands journey, as you’ll be within easy distance of some of the area’s best attractions.
Follow in Robin Hood’s footsteps
Nottingham’s biggest claim to fame is the legendary Robin Hood who lived with his band of merry men in the neighbouring Sherwood Forest. One of the best things to do in Nottingham is to go on a Robin Hood hunt and follow his trail to see the city’s historical sights like Nottingham Castle, the beautiful Lace Market area, the Old County Gaol and St Mary’s Church. Of course, don’t forget to go out to Sherwood Forest County Park, an ancient royal hunting forest and visit the 800-year-old Major Oak, where Robin Hood supposedly lived.
Go underground in the City of Caves
In Nottingham, make sure you visit the City of Caves, a network of sandstone caves housed underneath the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre. Over the years, these man-made caves have been used as a tannery, public house cellars and air raid shelters. Take a guided tour to discover the hidden world lying underneath the Nottingham streets and learn all about the city’s history from medieval times up until World War II.
Nottingham is known for its caves and another great attraction is Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge on the border between Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. These caves are believed to have been inhabited in the last Ice Age, some 50,000 years ago. You can see some of the oldest Ice Age cave art in Britain, as well as other ancient artefacts such as bones, engravings and flint tools.
Go back in Civil War history
If you’re interested in British history, you should visit the National Civil War Centre in Newark, about 20 miles from Nottingham city centre. It’s the first centre in the UK to tell the story of Britain’s deadliest conflict and details the Civil Wars fought across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland from 1638 to 1652. The town of Newark was an important town as it was a crossing point over the River Trent. When visiting Newark, you can download the new Augmented Reality Trail app which will show you what life was like back in the 17th century with characters who come to life on your smartphone or tablet.
Visit Bruce Wayne’s home
Wollaton Hall is a beautiful Elizabethan mansion in Nottingham, home to the Natural History Museum, the Industrial Museum and the surrounding Wollaton Deer Park. You may recognise it however from The Dark Knight Rises where it was used as the location for Wayne Manor. Take a guided tour around the stunning 400 year old home and see the Prospect Room, Tudor Kitchen and hidden Admiral’s Bath. Afterwards, you can visit the five acres of grounds with beautiful gardens, a large lake and local deer.
Go to outer space
For something a little more modern, visit the National Space Centre in Leicester, a Midlands experience that’s quite literally out of this world. Located about 40 minutes from Nottingham, the National Space Centre is one of the UK’s top attractions and features displays such as the Soyuz 7K OK(A) spacecraft, six interactive galleries and a 42m high Rocket Tower. Find out about space science, travel and astronomy in the 360° planetarium, the largest in the UK, and take a realistic ride to an ice moon in the 3D space simulator. The Space Centre also puts on temporary exhibitions and a rotating calendar of events, so check the website before you go to see what’s on.
