Rutland’s most famous landmark was saved from flooding when Rutland Water was created in the 1970s. Now with the floor raised almost half way up the church, it is a fascinating building with a unique history.
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.
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Canoes, kayaks, SUP’s, katakanus and row boats are all hired on a first come first served basis from our Watersports Centre at Whitwell, we do not take prior bookings. You can also bring your own equipment to use with a launch permit.
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.
With a focus on offering the finest produce, sourced locally wherever possible, Gates Farm Shop promises customers a true foodie experience.
Our principal aim at Northfield Farm is to source and produce premium quality Beef, Lamb and Pork, which has lived well and humanely killed. We hang it carefully and appropriately and lastly butcher it toprovide the very best quality to all our customers.
If you find yourself staying in Oakham and looking for a reasonably flat walk to see the picturesque Rutland Water, then this is for you. It stays on pavements and hard footpaths so should never get muddy.
Walkers is a locally run, family bookshop that was started by my father back in Oakham during 1972. Since then we have been quietly beavering away, serving the communities in Rutland with books, cards, news and more for nearly 50 years.
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.
08/09/2025 - 10/09/2025
About:
Global Birding aims to inspire birdwatchers to come together as a global community and celebrate birds, by participating in birdwatching, birdwatching events, citizen science and conservation. The major event is Global Birdfair 14-16 July 2023 which attracts a multitude of exhibitors and visitors who are passionate about conserving nature worldwide.
Global Birding is the brainchild of Tim Appleton MBE, co-founder of the first and biggest Birdfair which he ran for 31 years. Prior to creating and managing Rutland Water Nature Reserve, he worked for Sir Peter Scott at the world famous Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.
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
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
Exploring Rutland Water by e-bike is a fantastic way to take in the stunning scenery at your own pace. With hire points available at several locations, it’s easy to hop on and set off along the picturesque cycling routes that wind around the reservoir.
Rockingham Castle is home to the Saunders Watson family, whose ancestors have made their lives here for the last 450 years, following the sale of the Castle by James I in 1619 to Sir Lewis Watson.
Two picturesque walks from the village of Exton, starting at The Fox and Hounds at the village green.
Bat and Bottle are Rutland’s only specialist importers of Italian wine. Truly multum in parvo, we are winners of the Decanter Retailers Awards for Best Italian Wine Merchant, and came second for Best Subscription Wine Club, as wel as being the first ever (2020) London Wine Fair Wine Buyers Award for: UKs ‘Best Online Specialist Wine Buyer’.
Our small warehouse on Oakham Enterprise Park is packed with artisan wines – shoppers are welcome to drop in whenever we are open; we sell directly to the public and there is no minimum purchase. Our wine club was shortlisted by the IWC as one of the UK’s top two wine clubs, we have even represented UK small businesses at Downing Street… You can be assured that though serious when we buy our wines, you will never find life is too serious when you shop with us.
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.
Where to Meet Lambs in and Around Rutland thi
