Spring's here, though in Nottingham that often means a stand-off between sunshine and drizzle. The sky still carries the pale reluctance of winter. The trees, bare-boned and brittle through the winter months, begin their slow green eruption. But when the daffodils are up and the air smells of wet earth and optimism, there’s no better excuse to lace up your trainers and embrace the outdoors. Nottingham, rich in both greenery and stories, has plenty of spots worth wandering. Here’s where to go when you fancy stretching your legs without running into the masses.
- Wollaton Park
- Distance from Nottingham: 3 miles (10-minute drive, 20-minute bus ride)
- Walk Duration: 1–2 hours
- Facilities: Café, giftshops, parking (£5 all day), toilets
- Opening Times: 8AM – 6PM (seasonal variations)
A park so smug it could write a memoir. Wollaton Hall, an architectural show-off built in the 1580s, looms theatrically over the grounds. You might recognise it as Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises. But long before Batman called it home, the hall was a symbol of wealth for Sir Francis Willoughby, a man who scandalised Nottingham society by marrying his servant. Stroll around the lake, spot the delicate white blossoms in spring, and wave at the odd goose honking. The deer you will meet on your wanderings have roamed these green lands for centuries. After an hour or two of strolling, you can reward yourself with a visit to one of the cafés or browse the gift shops, which offer the usual suspects — postcards, locally sourced jams, and of course, decorative tea towels. The coffee is hot, the cake is adequate, and both will taste like a Michelin-starred feast if it’s just started pouring. If walls could talk, Wollaton’s would be bragging - and with its Hollywood cameo, who could blame them?
2. Attenborough Nature Reserve
- Distance from Nottingham: ~6 miles (15-minute drive, 30-minute train/bus)
- Walk Duration: 1.5–2.5 hours (varied routes)
- Facilities: Café, visitor centre, free parking, toilets#
- Opening Times: always open (visitor centre 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM)
Attenborough — the reserve, not the man — is a sanctuary for birds and the people who watch them. Opened in 1966 by Sir David Attenborough himself, this former gravel pit is now a thriving wetland. Beneath the calm waters, traces of its industrial past remain. Wildflowers bloom, and ospreys occasionally glide overhead. What’s an osprey, you ask? Think of a hawk that’s really into extreme sports. It doesn’t just fish; it goes full stuntman. Talons out, straight into the water, and up it comes, fish flapping.
Here, nature is something to be observed, commented on, and ideally photographed with an expensive camera lens. Birdwatchers shuffle along the paths, hoping to spot a kingfisher, a small, brightly coloured bird, or a heron, a tall, graceful bird that flies effortlessly through the air. For the rest of us, it’s the perfect place for an amble - the kind where you discreetly eavesdrop on strangers’ conversations. Wetlands, lagoons, and winding footpaths offer plenty of space for reflection, both literal and otherwise. Afterward, reward yourself with a latte or hot chocolate at one of the several cafés, and marvel at how nature always finds a way to reclaim its space.
3. Sherwood Forest
- Distance from Nottingham: ~20 miles (40-minute drive)
- Walk Duration: 1–3 hours (varied trails)
- Facilities: Café, parking (£5 all day), visitor centre, toilets
- Opening Times: 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM (visitor centre)
This is, of course, Robin Hood’s old stomping ground, or so the story goes. Historically speaking, the real Robin Hood is as elusive as a good and accurate bus timetable. He might have been a displaced noble, a social bandit, or a local bloke who stole something once. No one really knows for sure, but Sherwood doesn’t care. The forest has existed for centuries, long before the branding team moved in.
Its most famous resident is the Major Oak, a thousand-year-old tree propped up and held together with supports like an old building in need of repair. The birds are gossiping, the squirrels are plotting, and the mud will get on your shoes soon enough. A walk here is a reminder that nature isn’t quaint. It’s chaotic, scheming, and occasionally malicious. Which is precisely why it’s worth the drive.
Curiously, historians debate whether Robin Hood was a real figure or a stitched-together symbol of rebellion. Regardless, his spirit lingers in the whispers of leaves and the creak of old branches. Robin Hood’s ghost is somewhere in the air, but Sherwood doesn’t care for nostalgia or storytelling. It’s a forest with better things to do — grow, stretch, and quietly outlive us all. After your walk, pause at the visitor centre and enjoy a drink. Robin may have favoured a pint of mead, but modern times call for a sit-down and a Fruit Shoot.
4. Colwick Country Park
- Distance from Nottingham: ~3 miles (10-minute drive, 15-minute bus)
- Walk Duration: 1–2 hours
- Facilities: Free parking, toilets, fishing spots
- Opening Times: Always open
For those who prefer their walks with a side of water, Colwick has two lakes and enough swans to stage a coup. Geese honk, ducks waddle, and the whole place hums with the business of being alive. Joggers huff along the looping trails, dodging dogs that fling themselves about the place.
But before the swans declared dominion, this was the site of Colwick Hall. What few visitors realise is that Colwick Hall, overlooking the park, was once the ancestral home of Lord Byron’s family. The poet, notorious for his scandalous affairs and literary brilliance, spent time nearby, most likely brooding over nature’s beauty and whatever disaster he’d most recently brought upon himself.
The park however also conceals a darker history. In 1831, during the Reform Bill Riots, Colwick Hall was ransacked and set ablaze by protesters. Today, the tranquillity of the lakes and the rustle of the trees make it hard to imagine such turmoil.
5. Highfields Park
- Distance from Nottingham: ~3 miles (10-minute drive, 15-minute tram/bus)
- Walk Duration: 45 minutes – 1.5 hours
- Facilities: Café, paid parking, toilets, boating lake
- Opening Times: Always open
If parks had personalities, Highfields would be the overachieving younger sibling who studied abroad and makes sourdough for fun. With its boating lake, immaculate trees, and proud proximity to the University of Nottingham, it does feel a bit posh over there.
After all, it’s got a boating lake — need I say more? Highfields practically begs you to rent one of those pedalos and drift around for half an hour. The weeping willows hang decoratively, the ducks demand tribute in the form of bread, and you can smugly absorb the campus’s university charm without doing a lick of studying.
The lake, you’ll be fascinated to know, wasn’t a happy accident of nature but an elaborate 1920s construction project, courtesy of Jesse Boot. Yes, the man who brought you Boots the Chemist. He had a grand idea: a “public park for the people.” Boot, with his usual social conscience, believed that a bit of greenery could fix just about anything. Fast forward to today, and it’s where students, families, and the odd duck or two gather. And should the sky threaten to ruin your day, fear not. The Lakeside Arts Centre awaits. The ideal place to feign an appreciation for abstract art while quietly wondering what’s for tea this evening.
And Finally… Nottingham does green spaces with flair. You’re not trudging through another anonymous park, you’re following in the footsteps of history, myth, and the occasional dog walker. So get out there, dodge the drizzle, and give your lungs a workout. And if the weather turns? Well, that’s what pubs are for.
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