Glorious Rutland, oh how we love you… you’re officially the best place to live, work, and spend our free time in. Last weekend (March 27/28) Rutland made the headlines not once, but three times!

 

The best place to live

The Times newspaper told us what we already know – our little county is the best place to live in the UK. They were full of enthusiasm for Rutland’s rolling green countryside and its pretty yellow-stoned cottages, comparing the area to the Cotswolds.

Given that more and more people are looking to swap urban life big towns and cities, Rutland provides an excellent option for country-style family living, within a reasonable commuter-travel via rail or road to London and cities including Nottingham and Leicester.

And we were not surprised to read that they were full of praise for our market towns, Oakham and Uppingham, highlighting the friendly atmosphere of the high street and welcoming independent shops.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/why-rutland-best-place-to-live-uk-2tgx6r8cp

The best place to visit

And now that England is starting to unlock and days out a possibility once again, we’ll have to face up to the fact that the secret’s out – rural Rutland is just the best place to be to relax and unwind away from the crowds. Writing for The Times, journalist James Stewart listed Rutland in his article ‘Hidden Britain: 20 idyllic spots you’ll have all to yourself’. He mentions smart shops in Oakham, art and antiques in “honey-coloured Uppingham”, Ospreys on Rutland Water, the joys of cycle hire courtesy of Rutland Cycling, and stays at Barnsdale Lodge.

Read the article in full here.

The county of good taste

Last but not least, we should raise our glasses to two very special pubs in Rutland. The Olive Branch at Clipsham and The Wheatsheaf at Greetham, have both found their way onto the top 50 gastro pubs. Congratulations to Sean Hope, Ben Jones and the team at The Olive Branch and Carol and Scott Craddock at The Wheatsheaf for making their debut on this year’s list.

You don’t have to wait until April to sample their delicious menus as both of these highly-rated venues offer a socially-distanced takeaway service – take a look at their Easter menus and place your booking asap!

https://www.top50gastropubs.com/pub-profile/the-olive-branch/
https://www.top50gastropubs.com/pub-profile/the-wheatsheaf/