Located in the heart ofthe East Midlands, this landlocked county is within driving distance of thecities of Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Peterborough and Cambridge,allowing you to visit the area and hire a car to continue exploring the EnglishMidlands.
Although landlocked, atthe centre of Rutland lies Rutland Reservoir andRutland Water Nature Reserve, an internationally famous Nature Reserve that isworth exploring anytime of the year, regardless of the weather.
Rutlandis an extremely welcoming area of London and a place that you’ll feel right athome during your travels. Accommodation and hotels in Rutlandare a mix of 2, 3 and 4 star hotels and guest houses with that real countryfeel and warm welcome guaranteed.
When dining out in Rutland,country pubs and small cafes are the order of the day as local produce shinesthrough in the food you enjoy. Expect your warm welcome to continue in thelocal pubs in the popular towns of Oakham,Uppinghamand Stamford. It’s not just the towns of Rutlandthat are impressive though as the area has over 50 quaint and picturesquevillages that are just waiting to be explored.
One such village worthvisiting is Market Overton, a settlement that dates back to Roman times withmany Roman artefacts peppered around the village.
If it’s the outdoors youlook for when on holiday then you will find plenty of activities to enjoy whilevisiting Rutland. Outdoor sporting activitieswhich are catered for include walking and cycling, whilst there is an ample choiceof water sports to try out at Rutland Water.Explore the real beauty and wonders of Rutland byvisiting one of the many discovery trails located in the area – there are sevenin total. While Rutland Water Trail is the most popular, the Royal Forest,Victorian Miracle and Forgotten Rutland Trails will give you plenty to exploreand enjoy on your trip.
Castles and StatelyHomes are popular attractions for tourists visiting England and this iscertainly the case in Rutland with RockinghamCastle, Burghley House, Belvoir Castle and Belton House all equally impressivein their own right. With stunning grounds, wonderful surroundings andspectacular interiors, be sure to take time exploring these venues. BurghleyHouse has even featured on the big screen as a setting in Hollywoodblockbusters like Pride & Prejudice and The Da Vinci Code.
Other popular touristattractions around the Rutland area include theVictoria Hall in Oakham and the Goldmark Gallery in Uppingham, with bothhosting regular art gallery exhibitions. Another popular attraction for bothfamilies and bird lovers is the Falconry and Owl Centre in Oakham, wherevisitors can observe a selection of Owls, Hawks and Falcons in a quiet woodlandsetting.
There a number ofmuseums spread around the Rutland area as wellwith Rutland County Museum a great starting point to get an introduction tothis area including history and rural life of over 200 years. Rocks by Rail isa living Ironstone Museum near Cottesmore, providing an unmissable opportunityto experience an industrial English landscape.
Rutland’smarket towns have small boutiques for you to enjoy as you stroll through thetown as well as local jewellers’ and antique dealerships, offering you a moreunique shopping experience that you struggle to get in many large towns andcities. Open 7 days a week, Rutland Village is apopular shopping village in the county and for antiques lovers among you, huntout a bargain on your travels by visiting the Uppingham Antiques Centre.