Tucked away off the Market Place in Oakham, and backing onto Cutts Close Park, there is also a cafe on the grounds (check separate opening times).
TV presenter Julia Bradbury, known for her work on BBC’s Countryfile and who has travelled across the UK and many parts of the world, is a big fan of the county and believes that we offer something for everyone here.
If you enjoy the great outdoors, then you’ll find lots of thing to enjoy in this rural retreat. Outdoor sports are extremely well catered for with plenty of walking and cycling routes available, plus fishing, golfing and the huge choice of watersports that take place on Rutland Water.
Rutland is a great place to pursue an interest in your surroundings, whether you have a passion for wildlife and nature, an enthusiasm for gardening or a keen interest in photography and landscape painting. There are two nature reserves around Rutland water, with many hides providing a great opportunity to spot a rare bird to two – or you can visit one of the many stunning gardens open to the public. Treat yourself to a trip to the beautiful Barnsdale Gardens – explore the gardens, take a gardening course and buy stunning plants to take home with you for a lovely reminder of happy memories in Rutland.
If you prefer to stay indoors there are plenty of places for you to explore too: theatres, art galleries and shopping in our two Market Towns that offer a huge variety of boutiques, farm shops and family run stores .
Rutland is very proud to offer visitors and locals an abundance of locally produced food and drink. There are numerous award winning pubs, restaurants and hotels in the county, with each able to inform you of the provenance of their menus.
Rutland is also a great base for you if you’re keen to explore the East Midlands. Many of the finest English stately homes are easy to reach from Rutland; museums, concerts, outdoor cinemas, sports facilities, family friendly attractions and things to do make our county a superb choice for you and your family.
Featured Listings
Countryside for all routes have been designed with accessible requirements in mind
In and around Rutland, we have a fantastic variety of parks and gardens…
We have selected a few below that are really worth visiting…
🏞️Uppingham – The park in Uppingham has a new toddler play area that has recently opened! Check out this new green space with the little ones.
🍃Oakham’s Cutts Close Park (next to Oakham Castle which is free) has something for all ages, plus a skate park and many cafes just a hop away in the town
The Viking Way is a 149 mile long walking route through Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland. Starting on the banks of the Humber, the route passes through rural Lincolnshire, attractive market towns, the city of Lincoln and then on through pretty villages and along an ancient trackway to reach Oakham, with the official end point at Oakham Library.
Once part of Normanton Estate, local residents fought to save ‘St Matthew’s Church’ from demolition when the reservoir was created in the 1970’s. Now deconsecrated and with a new floor level, Normanton Church has it’s own embankment making it a prominent feature on the water.
Rutland welcomed Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in May 2024, highlighting more reasons to visit Oakham and see the new Royal installations. Follow in their footsteps with this day itinerary below;
Part of the new Discover Rutland Food & Drink Map is this Southern Route of 23.7 miles. The route follows rural roads and an option to join the Rutland Water cycle paths.
Relax in the family friendly tearoom, serving delicious homemade meals and treats, wander the wild wood and browse a selection of boutique shops, all exclusive to this 210 year old windmill site.
Bat and Bottle are Rutland’s only specialist importers of Italian wine. Truly multum in parvo, we wear Decanter’s Retailers Awards title for Best Italian Wine Merchant, and runner up Best Subscription Wine Club , as well as having been awarded the inaugural (2020) London Wine Fair Wine Buyers Award for: ‘Best Online Specialist Wine Buyer’. We have even represented UK small businesses at Downing Street…
Our small warehouse on Oakham Enterprise Park is packed with artisan italian wines – shoppers are welcome to drop in whenever we are open; we sell directly to the public and there is no minimum purchase.
Discover one of the region’s most popular lifestyle destinations at The Grange Garden Centre, a family-run, award-winning attraction nestled in Asfordby Hill, near Melton Mowbray. More than just a garden centre, The Grange combines quality gardening, home and gift shopping, great food and a warm welcome, making it the perfect stop for visitors exploring Rutland and the surrounding countryside.
Whatever your age or ability, we’ve got just the bike for you from hybrid and mountain bikes, to the latest electric bikes, tandems, gel saddle covers, helmets and kids’ bikes, tag-a-longs, child seats and buggies – all current season models from Specialized, replaced every year.
Arts for Rutland is a Registered Charity committed to leading, promoting and supporting the arts in Rutland. It consists of a small volunteer committee that aims to be representative of the county’s arts organisations and various creative disciplines.
Two countryside walks, both starting at a great village pub, The Kings Arms.
If you’ve been inspired by our ‘Perfect Rural Escape’ tourism film, then here is a handy itinerary which includes all of the places featured.
In the Springboard Arts studio in North Luffenham, you can enjoy making lovely things to take home at a craft workshop, and while you’re there, shop for handmade textiles and handprinted cards.
