Spring days out around Nottingham — 5 places to visit, plus things to do
Seasonal food, nature spots, events, and more...
After getting over the winter lull, heading out to explore the county is a wonderful thing to do – and there are plenty of opportunities for spring days out around Nottingham.
I’ve compiled a mixture of these across the area, with ideas for nature visits, shopping, food and drink, and more. I’ve chosen locations based on their seasonality and the quality of the offering.
If you’re looking for things to do in Nottingham this season, these ideas down below are sure to keep you busy. For more guides and features, subscribe to The Notts Edit to receive our articles in your inbox for free.
5 spring days out around Nottingham
By Eve Smallman
1. Beeston
This town has recently bid to be a town of culture, and it’s no surprise, thanks to its buzzing high street, which has street art, shops, market stalls. For food, vegetarian eatery Café Roya (caferoya.com) has plenty of fresh salads and tarts perfect for light, springy bites. Or, if you’d like to go on a picnic – perhaps at Dovecote Lane Recreation Ground – Essen General Store (essen-generalstore.co.uk) does decadent sandwiches and all the nibbly bits.
Getting the tram in? You could add a trip to University of Nottingham to see Highfields Park and visit the Andy Warhol: Pop Icon exhibition at Lakeside Arts (until April 19, £6pp, lakesidearts.org.uk). Meanwhile, set on Beeston’s canal, the Canalside Heritage Centre is hosting a Spring Flower Trail (March 28-April 12, canalsideheritagecentre.org.uk), with felt flowers to find and a treat at the end.
Do if: You’d like to feast on spring treats, all while enjoying delightful views.
2. Edwinstowe
Home of Robin Hood, Edwinstowe is a charming, almost chocolate-box village for strolling around. It has the medieval church St Mary, where Robin Hood reportedly married Maid Marian, and the high street is home to a statue in their honour. On this, you’ll also find Fables Coffee House (fablescoffeehouse.com) for breakfast and lunch and the Royal Oak (royaloakedwinstowe.co.uk) for pub grub and pints in the afternoon and evening.
Edwinstowe is home to the famous Sherwood Forest, which has Easter Crafts with the Forest Fae (April 4, £5pp, visitsherwood.co.uk) and a guided Spring Birds Walk (April 18, £15pp, visitsherwood.co.uk). Plus, local beauty spot Clumber Park (£6pp adult, £3pp child, nationaltrust.org.uk) is a 10-minute drive away from the village, which has a beautiful bridge, peaceful woodlands, and plenty of daffodils for spring – so you could start the day here, and then head into Edwinstowe.
Do if: You’d like to explore Nottinghamshire heritage in a wholesome way.
3. Sherwood
One of the area’s hottest suburbs, Sherwood has shops and eateries galore. Browsing Sherwood charity shops for spring fashions and accessories is a total treat, with all of them being close by to one another and easy to dip in and out of. Close by to Sherwood is Woodthorpe Park Plant Nursery (woodthorpeparkplantnursery.co.uk), which is one of the best garden centres in Nottingham, with hundreds of shrubs and accessories, as well as pros on hand to help you find your perfect flowers.
Refreshment-wise, The Pudding Pantry (thepuddingpantry.co.uk) has spring drinks such as lychee lemonades, hot cross bun lattes, and cherry matcha. For something stronger, Jenkins is an elegant cocktail bar (jenkinsbar.co.uk) with fun specialities like the lychee and floral Ly-Tai, and is hosting a Spring Wine Tasting (April 23, £30pp, jenkinsbar.co.uk). Plus, if the weather warms up even more (fingers crossed!), you can also dine al fresco.
Do if: You’re looking to upgrade your wardrobe and your garden.
4. Southwell
With its chic independent shops and breezy high street, Southwell is wonderful for a wander. Begin early at the Little Brunette Bakery (littlebrunettebakery.co.uk) to snag fresh breads and cakes (they sell fast), as well as to sip on tea, coffee, or even its Earl Grey matcha. Near to this is the Grade I-listed Southwell Minster, which can be visited simply for its beauty or for the Spring Craft Fair (April 11, £3pp, southwellminster.org) or Plant Hunters’ Fair (May 17, £2pp, southwellminster.org).
Switch up your wardrobe with a spree at Love at First Sight Vintage (loveatfirstsight.com), which has pretty shirts and jackets. Then, complete your look by visiting the dreamy Last Night I Dreamt, which has spring jewellery such as bumblebee necklaces (lastnightidreamt.co.uk) and daisy earrings (lastnightidreamt.co.uk), as well as a gorgeous themed window display perfect for selfies.
Do if: You love Instagrammable, photo-worthy locations and would love to find unique pieces.
5. Sneinton Market
This vibrant spot has so many fun things to do in and around it. Start the day with a loaded cob or fry-up breakfast at Avenues Cafe (facebook.com/theavenuescafe), before browsing shops such as Luisa’s Vegan Chocolates for its adorable Easter eggs and bunnies (luisasveganchocolates.co.uk) and Megan Crook Textiles for funky floral dresses (megancrook.com).
Take a short break from the market by heading to Victoria Park, where the colourful row of houses is a beautiful backdrop for the spring cherry blossom, which tends to bloom from March onwards. Afterwards, loop back around to Bustler (bustlermarket.co.uk) for a seasonal cocktail like its chocolatey egg hunt martini, which comes complete with a treasure hunt around the bar.
Do if: You’re looking for an escape without straying far from the city centre.
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