Nottingham is often referred to as the ‘Queen of the East Midlands’ because the English kings held court there when they went hunting in its surrounding forests. It’s also famous for the legendary Robin Hood so we thought it was about time that we explored the city for ourselves.
Nottingham is easily accessible from all parts of the U.K. being 129 miles from London, 80 miles from Manchester and only 55 miles from Birmingham. As is often the case on our weekends away, we decided to travel by train, arriving into Nottingham station at midday, in a little under three hours.
We were feeling peckish so headed off to the nearby Canalhouse pub which we’d read about. The pub is located on the lower floors of the former Canalhouse museum and is unique as the canal actually extends into the building, complete with two full size narrowboats and a bridge creating an extra special atmosphere.
As we were quite early, we managed to secure a table overlooking the internal canal where we were able to watch the narrowboats gently move from side to side in the water. The pub also has a large beer garden overlooking the Nottingham and Beeston canal but as it was a cold day, we enjoyed the convivial atmosphere indoors.
Not only is the pub famous for its internal canal, it’s also renowned for having the largest selection of world beers in the East Midlands as well as an extensive bar menu of reasonably priced dishes. We were spoilt for choice but finally settled on steak and ale pie and a reindeer burger from the specials board along with tankards of German Pils.
The food arrived promptly and tasting my steak pie which contained large chunks of tender beef in a rich dark beer gravy, I knew instantly that I had made the ideal choice on a cold winter’s day. My son was also in raptures over his large reindeer burger served with apple relish, chips and salad, pointing out that venison was a healthy option, but perhaps not his chips!
After enjoying our lunch our next stop was to our hotel to drop off our luggage. We had reserved a room at the Holiday Inn Castle Marina one mile from the city centre. Although the hotel is on the outskirts of the city, it is easily accessible by public transport. Located on the Karlsruhe Bridge just above Nottingham railway station is the tram line, Nottingham Express Transit. On Saturdays and Sundays, a ‘group of 5 ticket’ is available at £5 which allows unlimited travel for up 2 adults and 3 children (minimum 2 adults) so this was perfect for our requirements.
It was only a five minute journey (one stop) to the Meadow Ways West tram stop and then an easy 7 minute walk to the Holiday Inn. We did notice a bus stop outside the door which would have cut down the walking but we were happy using the tram. The hotel is located on the edge of a retail park with shops, a supermarket and restaurants nearby.
We received a warm welcome from the receptionist who soon checked us in and handed us our keys to a room on the first floor. The hotel has undergone a major refurbishment and our spacious room featured contemporary styling with twin double beds, a 49″ smart television and a luxury bathroom. After quickly unpacking, we made ourselves some cups of tea from the well stocked hospitality tray before setting off to explore the city centre.
Trams are frequent and we only had to wait a couple of minutes for one to appear, staying on two stops this time before alighting at Lace Market. Nottingham was once the centre of the lace making industry and the Lace Market district is one of the oldest parts of the city with its Victorian architecture. The lace making industry has long since gone but some of its red brick warehouses and buildings are now listed and home to offices, bars, restaurants and shops.
Not far from the tram stop at Weekday Cross stands the Nottingham Contemporary which is one of the largest contemporary centres in the U.K. The gallery has been open since 2009 and its iconic green and gold exterior celebrates the Nottingham lace heritage with a nineteenth century cherry blossom lace design embedded into the concrete facade. The gallery offers free admission and its aim is to offer international art to everyone.
Taking place during our visit was the final weekend of Act One of the exhibition ‘Still I Rise: Feminisms, Gender, Resistance’ so we picked up a brochure and strolled through the galleries. The exhibition explored the history of resistance movements and alternative forms of living. We viewed more than 100 thought provoking exhibits examining resistance across the world from domestic to large scale uprisings spanning the late 19th century to the present. Although the exhibition in Nottingham has now ended, Act Two will be running until 2 June 2019 at the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea, further details available here.
After leaving the gallery we continued our stroll through Lace Market and onto neighbouring Hockley. The narrow lanes of Hockley exude bohemian charm and are filled with an array of vintage clothes shops, second hand bookshops and independent boutiques.
Continuing our tour of the city centre we arrived at the Old Market Square, a large pedestrianised square at the heart of the city with shopping streets leading off in each direction. Dominating the eastern end of the square is the Exchange Building which was constructed between 1927-1929. Wandering indoors, we admired the magnificent 200ft dome and glanced in some of the arcade’s exclusive stores. It’s certainly the place to go for designer shopping and dining in Nottingham’s city centre.
From there, it was just a few steps across the road to another smaller designer arcade known as the Flying Horse Walk. This contained a range of stylish boutiques and galleries and where we found an independent cheese shop and deli filled with delicious savoury foodstuffs.
Some more shopping followed before we made our way back to the Lace Market for something to eat. We had worked up an appetite after our traditional English pub lunch so thought it would be nice to have tapas for dinner. Tucked away down a narrow lane lies Baresca and as soon as we walked inside, the cosy atmosphere made us feel as if we had been transported into an authentic Catalan bar in Barcelona.
We were shown to a window table and with some suggestions from our friendly waitress chose a selection of tasty dishes. To begin, we shared a cocas which is a Catalan style flatbread which we accompanied with glasses of house wine. Our tapas dishes were then brought to the table as they were prepared which I prefer, as if all the dishes are served at the same time they have always gone cold before we have finished.
The attention to detail with presentation and quality of each dish was impressive and we feasted on garlic and chilli prawns, lobo beer battered cod, lamb koftas and a Moroccan chicken and chickpea stew accompanied with an aubergine, tomato and cheese gratin dish called an aubergine tumbet.
I often find it difficult to work out how many tapas dishes to order but this selection was just perfect for the two of us. If you are visiting Nottingham I’d recommend a meal at Baresca for some delicious Spanish tapas and a warm, friendly welcome.
It was then back on the tram a couple of stops over to the Royal Centre as we had planned to complete our first day in Nottingham with an evening at the Theatre Royal. Built in 1865, we entered the Victorian building through its columned portico feeling a sense of occasion in this beautiful venue. From our seats in the front stalls we were treated to some Shakespeare with a National theatre production of Macbeth. The acting and sets were first class and it was interesting to see a modern interpretation of such a classic play.
A tram was approaching as we came out of the theatre which meant that it didn’t take us very long to return to our hotel after such a lovely start to our weekend in Nottingham.
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I enjoyed my visit to Nottingham. It definitely has much more to offer than just the legacy of Robin Hood in films. I could have sat all day in canal pub because of its comfortable and rustic atmosphere.
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Thank you for your kind words. Nottingham is indeed an excellent city to visit in the U.K. with so many interesting things to see and do.
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Sounds like a fantastic day. I knew that the canal ran through that pub but I didn’t realise there were boats on the water too! How cool! Definitely going to have to pay a visit next time I go to Nottingham, overdue a return!
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That pub looks really cool with those narrow boats inside!
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The Canalhouse is certainly unique and the food and beer delicious! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
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You’re very welcome! I enjoy reading your posts
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My husband went to Nottingham University, we got engaged there! My niece is studying there now. It’sa great City.
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I definitely agree! Thank you for your much appreciated thoughts on my visit to Nottingham!
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I loooooooooove Nottingham. I used to study there.
https://capturingmadrid.home.blog/
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I can see why you love Nottingham, it’s such a nice city. Thanks for your much appreciated thoughts.
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Mmmmm you make the food sound wonderful! I have to say that Nottingham has never been on my travel list, but it is now!
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Thank you for your kind words. I hope you manage to fit in a visit to Nottingham before too long.
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As usual minute attention to the detail of your journeys. Excellent! You make us want to visit every place you venture into. Too bad we don’t have the money to do that but we can at least accompany you on your trips. 🙂
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Thank you Ian for your ever welcome thoughts on the first of my series of posts on Nottingham. It really is a lovely city!
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it’s so much fun!!!
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Thank you, Nottingham definitely makes for a fun filled short break!
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I lived in Britain for 6 years and thought I would spend the rest of my life there. Felt I had so much time to see everything. Then I was offered an opportunity somewhere else and left. Never got round to Nottingham. From your post, it’s a shame! So many places to see….
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Thank you for your kind words. Perhaps one day you might have an opportunity to visit the U.K. again and be able to explore Nottingham.
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Looks like you had so much fun. The internal canal in the pub is such an unique touch. If I ever get to go I will definitely check out this pub.
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Thanks Nikki, we had a lovely day and the Canalhouse pub was certainly unique.
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Much like Robin Hood, you give to this poor across the pond, a chance for a journey through Nottingham. Thank You.
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It’s my pleasure, great to read that you enjoyed the first instalment on my trip to Nottingham.
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All my Paternal roots go back to Manchester, should I get another trip to GB, I’ll head north. Cheers!
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That sounds a good idea. Manchester is also a really good city to visit!
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You really fill in the day Marion…loved reading about this trip.
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Thanks Sue. We had a lovely weekend in Nottingham. I’d only been once before and that was just for a few hours whilst my husband was attending a meeting there so I didn’t get to see much on that occasion.
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Really enjoyed this – I was a student (long ago) at Nottingham University – many things have changed!
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Thanks Linda for your much appreciated thoughts. We visited the university on our final day and were very impressed with its setting.
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Great post! I’d love to visit the Canalhouse Pub, the boats, the food and beer. 😍🇬🇧😍
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Thanks John, I hope you get an opportunity to visit Nottingham and it’s Canalhouse pub one day soon!
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Thanks for the tour and interesting photos. Also thanks for visiting my blog! Cheers!
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It’s my pleasure, thank you!
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Thanks pls check my blog when you get a chance.
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Looks great, the pub with the canal boats is a real novelty! I’m on a mission to rediscover the UK while we are back on British shores, I must add Nottingham to the list. It’s not somewhere that would spring to mind for me, but your post paints it so beautifully.
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Thanks Helen for your kind words. I think you would enjoy a weekend in Nottingham as we found it to be very attractive with plenty of nice things to see and do.
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Ah, my old home town! I trust the Castle and Trip to Jerusalem will feature in future episodes.
When I were a lad, the Flying Horse were a notorious drinking hole. I recall trolley buses and then the pedestrianised centre (one of the first places to do so) making ‘goin dahn tahn’ quite a pleasure, but not the waiting for ruddy hours by the lions for my very tardy girlfriend (now ex-wife).
Hockley, now the cool place to be (Hartley’s Coffee Bar are lovely people), was also a part of town our Mams (we were ‘nice’ kids from West Bridgford) told us to keep away from.
And a tram system that was delivered well and works well. Makes us in Edinburgh seethe with envy and indignation (at our ‘Cooncil’ mainly)
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Thank you for your interesting observations about the first instalment on my series of. Nottingham posts. Sadly, the castle is closed for long term renovation but we found lots of other nice things to do. Edinburgh is another of my favourite places but I agree that the tram doesn’t really go anywhere!
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The views from around the castle are kinda iconic for Nottnmites. But sad the place is closed, as it’s a fascinating take on museum, very democratised.
As you say, plenty to do anyway. I await future instalments.
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Thank you!
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Hey, it’s where we live ❤ Nottingham does have a lot going on for it. If you get a chance to come back in May/June I would recommend Wollaton Hall as it's lovely in springtime.
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It’s lovely to read your comments and to hear that you live in Nottingham. We had such a lovely weekend there and would really like to return before too long and perhaps visit Wollaston Hall then.
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Sounds like a fun weekend with your son! Thanks for such great detail in your post, as usual!
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It’s my pleasure Sandra. Thank you for your ever welcome thoughts.
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Great to know that there are all these wonderful things to do in Nottingham. It’s on my list.
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Nottingham makes for a splendid short break, I’m certain you will enjoy visiting the city!
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My adopted home town! I love it’s secret bars and tucked away spots. Fantastic food at The Larder and Annie’s Burger Shack in the Lace Market Area.
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Thanks Nick for your much appreciated comments. I’ll take a note of your eating options for a future visit.
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I never realised Nottingham had so much going for it. You have made me see it with new eyes.
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We had a splendid three days in Nottingham with lots of nice things to see and do each day. Thank you for your much appreciated comments.
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