Midlands
IN AND AROUND RUTLAND
The Butter Cross in Market Place, Oakham
Rutland is full of contrasts as it is England's smallest county but also contains Rutland Water the largest man-made lake in Western Europe. It is an excellent choice for a holiday destination with a wide variety of visitor attractions within its borders and being ideally located as a base for exploring other parts of the East Midlands. It also has a wealth of beautiful countryside, pretty villages and small market towns to explore.
Oakham is the County town of Rutland and is steeped in history with many fine buildings dating from different periods in history. A busy market is held every week on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Market Square near the Butter Cross pictured above.
For some suggestions of places to visit in Oakham and elsewhere in Rutland please read on and for places to stay please scroll to the bottom of the page.
Rutland County Museum
Rutland County Museum Entrance
Rutland County Museum is located in Oakham and is an excellent place to begin an exploration of the county. The museum has displays that explain the fascinating story of the origins of Rutland as a county. There are also exhibits from different periods of history in the area and a large exhibition of rural machinery and transport in the Courtyard and Poultry Hall.
The Museum Garden
The Museum garden is accessed from the Courtyard and has won several prestigious awards. There is a varied programme of film shows and live performances held in the Museum theatre throughout the year.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Museum and a link to their own website please click here.
Oakham Castle
The Great Hall, Oakham Castle
The Castle which was a fortified manor house is located in the centre of Oakham at the rear of the Market Place. The Great Hall was built towards the end of the 12th century. By the early 16th century many of the buildings were already in ruins, however the Great Hall continued in use as a courtroom for both the manor of Oakham and County of Rutland. Assize courts were held here until 1970 and is still used for occasional Crown Courts and Coroner's Inquests.
A small selection of the famous horseshoes
It houses a collection of 240 horseshoes which hang all around the walls. These represent the unique custom that every peer of the realm must give a horseshoe to the lord of the manor on their first visit to Oakham. This custom has been followed for at least 500 years and probably dates back to the 12th century. The oldest surviving example dates from 1470 and the most recent from 2005 when HRH Princess Alexandra visited.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Great Hall and a link to their own website please click here.
Rutland Water Park
Normanton Church at Rutland Water
Rutland Water is the largest man-made lake in Western Europe and the park is set within 4200 acres of open countryside at the heart of the county of Rutland. It offers beautiful lake and countryside views and a wide variety of activities for all visitors to enjoy. An ideal place to start a visit to the park is at the Sykes Lane Visitor Centre where there are maps and information leaflets about all the attractions on offer at this excellent large site.
A view across the lake between Sykes Lane and Whitwell
There is a 7 mile hard surfaced trail between Barnsdale Car Park and Normanton Car Park. Our researchers followed a section of the trail starting at Sykes Lane car park and went as far as Whitwell Harbour. The trail is easily identified at Sykes Lane with good interpretation maps and follows the shoreline with excellent views across the lake as far as Whitwell Harbour. It is linear, approximately one and half miles to Whitwell and due to some steep inclines on the approach to the Harbour we have graded it level 3 (most manual wheelchair users would need some fit assistance).
For more detailed information about the accessibility of the route please click here.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Park, as well as the sailing and cycling opportunities and a link to their own website please click here.
The Rutland Belle
Moored at Whitwell
Rutland Water Cruises is a family-run business that operates boat trips around Rutland Water during afternoons from April to October each year. Please check out their own website for a sailing timetable. The Rutland Belle sails from Whitwell on the North Shore of the lake and calls in at Normanton on the South Shore. The round trip takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.
Listening to the commentary during the boat trip
Visitors can observe the scenery around the lake from the water and there are splendid views of Normanton Church. There is also an on-board commentary highlighting points of interest along the route.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Rutland Belle and a link to their own website please click here.
Anglian Water Bird Watching Centre
The interpretation panel at the start of the reserve
Rutland Water Nature Reserve is located along the Western shoreline between Lyndon and the Hambleton Peninsula. The Anglian Water Birdwatching Centre is signposted down a country lane from the village of Egleton. As well as the visitor centre and shop there is access to meadows, woodlands and a series of bird hides.
The view from Grebe hide
Entrance to the Centre which has an exhibition area and viewing windows is free however day permits must be purchased to visit the Reserve and hides. NB The permits cover both this site and a second site at Lyndon For visitors with limited ambulant ability there are two motorised scooters for hire.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Centre and a link to their own website please click here.
Lyndon Visitor Centre
Inside the visitor centre
The Lyndon Visitor Centre is located on the South shore of the Rutland Water Nature Reserve and has an exhibition that includes information about how climate can affect the reserve and its wildlife. It is also the base for the The Rutland Osprey Project and there are live camera pictures of the Osprey nest in nearby Manton Bay. During the summer months there are members of the Osprey Project team on hand to explain more about the project and the Ospreys.
Using the on-site scooter to get to Waderscrape hide
It is about a 15 - 20 minute wheel/walk Waderscrape Hide to watch the nest action and there are some inclines to negotiate so visitors with limited ambulant ability and manual wheelchair users (who are able to transfer) might be advised to pre-book the motorised scooter available on site.
For more detailed accessibility information about Lyndon and a link to their own website please click here.
Barnsdale Gardens
The Japanese Garden
Barnsdale Gardens are located near Oakham. They were created by Geoff Hamilton and were originally home to the BBC's Gardener's World series. They are now owned and gardened by Nick Hamilton, Geoff's son.
The Gentlemans Cottage garden
Within Barnsdale there are 38 individual gardens that are linked together with beautiful planting schemes, lawns and pathways to create a unique and inspirational garden. Many areas such as the Artisan's Cottage Garden will be very familiar to people who remember them being created on TV. There is free entrance to the cafe, shop and nursery.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Gardens and a link to their own website please click here.
Rutland Owl and Falconry Centre
A resident Owl
The Rutland Owl and Falconry Centre is situated within a peaceful woodland setting in rural countryside close to Rutland Water. Visitors are able to get close to the birds of prey on display and if the weather permits see them in flight. The site is also a haven for local wildlife and has ponds, bird boxes and a wild bird feeding centre.
One of several skillfully carved sculptures
The Rutland Falconry and Owl Centre also offers visitors the opportunity to experience a range of different interactive, age appropriate courses. These may be subject to appropriate weather conditions and must be pre-booked.
For more detailed accessibility information about Rutland Owl and Falconry Centre and a link to their own website please click here.
Rutland is a great place to visit and we hope that this will give a taste of the many attractions on offer within the County. You might also like to check out the visitor attractions on our Peterborough and Nottingham pages as these are within easy travelling distance for holiday makers staying in the area.
PLACES TO STAY
The Lodge Trust Log Cabins
Swallow Cabin
The Lodge Trust offer two wheelchair accessible log cabins (Swallow and Badger) within their 10 acre Country Park on the edge of Market Overton in beautiful and peaceful rural countryside. Each cabin has a double and twin bedroom, a wheelchair accessible wet-room and combined lounge/kitchen.
The lounge/diner in Swallow
Visitors are able to enjoy their own outside verandah with pleasant views over the park (which includes a short wheelchair accessible trail) to the countryside beyond. There is also a cafe on site serving excellent light refreshments and offering a range of gifts and plants for sale.
For more detailed accessibility information about the Lodge Trust Log Cabins and a link to their own website please click here.