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Feet Do Blogging

The Historic City of Nottingham

25/8/2017

12 Comments

 
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
What do you think of when someone mentions Nottingham City?

Maybe you think about the Robin Hood saga and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Perhaps you know it has the oldest Inn AND one of the oldest trees in England? Maybe it’s neither of these things – but you should definitely try and visit, and do so during Summer as there is a wonderful surprise; a purpose built beach with eateries, amusement park rides, a bar and music – something for the whole family!

We visited Nottingham for my birthday, but how did Feet Do Travel spend a beautiful sunny summer Bank Holiday in the historic City of Nottingham?

Sherwood Forest – better than your average forest!

Our visit to Nottingham began with a picnic in Sherwood Forest – I mean, why not eh! Sherwood Forest is a 40 minute drive from Nottingham and is famous as the hangout of everyone’s loveable outlaw … Robin Hood, his merry men and Maid Marion. It was the natural choice to check out this ancient forest when we were in this neck of the woods (sorry, pun intended!)
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
For families or hikers, there are plenty of walking trails in the Forest but I only had one place in mind – the Major Oak tree! As there are so many ancient oak trees here many have been given names, but none are as old or impressive as the Major Oak which is 1,150 year old – oh yes, that isn’t a typo, it really is that old and I cannot believe there are actually trees in England even older! 
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
The Major Oak is estimated to weigh 23 tonnes (no idea how they know that!!) with a girth of 33 feet (10 metres) and since the Victorian age, some of its huge branches have been supported by scaffolding.

There are a number of benches near the Major Oak which meant we were able to enjoy our picnic in comfort whilst looking at the Robin Hood/period stalls and demonstrations. Various fun days and activities are held here throughout the year so it’s worth checking out www.sherwoodforest.org.uk which also displays various walking trails you can take around the forest.
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel

Nottingham Castle

England is full of castles, and Nottingham Castle is wonderfully preserved. Unfortunately, we didn’t factor a trip to the Castle into our plan and, prior to our lunch time booking at a cat café, we had spent too much time on the beach enjoying some sunshine. From the outside, we could see the gorgeous landscaped grounds which looked very inviting, but we did thoroughly enjoy our leisurely stroll around the outside of the castle.​
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Oh I do like to be beside the seaside ...

In the City Centre there was a small fairground ...and a beach! It was awesome! During the day on Deliveroo Beach, children play in the sand or paddle in the “sea”, parents sunbathe in deck chairs, couples and friends sit on the beach enjoying traditional “seaside” favourites such as fish n chips, BBQ or Caribbean dishes from one of the beach huts. Deliveroo Beach is in its 9th year and generally runs during the July/August school holidays.  
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
​For me, I was super happy that I could spend part of my birthday in the sunshine on a beach! The previous year, I had been on a beach in Ayia Napa which was a bit of a contrast to a beach in the middle of a City but, nevertheless, I got to feel sand between my toes. My only regret is I didn’t know about Deliveroo Beach before our visit otherwise I would have brought shorts and sunglasses, it was definitely too hot for jeans!
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
In the evening, the place lit up – literally! Palm trees glowed green, pretty lights adorned the seating area, the Beach Bar served cocktails and live entertainment was music to everyone’s ears – bloomin’ fantastic! What a way to start your evening!
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
My first visit to a cat cafe!

The purpose of my birthday trip to Nottingham was to visit the cat café. I had read a blog about cat cafes and was intrigued, and decided I must go to one for my special day! I have since visited a few cat café’s in the UK and, if you are wondering which one to visit, please check out my Cat Café Comparison post.
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Kitty’s Cafe has 30 cats which live here, the majority of which are looking to be re-homed and loving families have been successfully found for 60 of these feline friends. It’s advisable to book a table online and in advance because you are only given a one-hour time slot. When we left at 1pm, walk-ins had to wait until 4pm. Upon entry, we paid a £5 “welfare charge” and were given a set of house rules to read and sign for the protection of the cats. 
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
The decor inside is very homely with sofa’s, cushions, cat pictures and quotes on the walls plus plenty of scratching posts, snuggle holes and adventure structures– for the cats of course! The menu isn’t extensive but is puuuuurfectly fine for a simple lunch; we ordered a ham Panini, tuna jacket potato, a pot of tea and a latte for £15.70. 
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It was lovely watching the cats and kittens running around which included Saffy, the beautiful white Persian. The star of the show had to be Heathcliffe; he is half main-coon, the largest breed of cat in the world and he is so big, his nickname is Aslan! He didn’t just walk into the room, he strutted and posed like a model for many photographs, he definitely wasn’t camera-shy unlike some of the other cats.
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
For the novelty value of eating lunch with cats running around, Kitty’s Café is worth checking out, however because we were reminded quite a few times that our time was coming to an end, this sadly gave us a very rushed feeling and we could never truly relax and enjoy the experience as much as we expected.

The oldest Inn in the UK

I had read that the UK’s oldest Inn was here in Nottingham about five minutes’ walk from the town centre next to Nottingham Castle. We walked down a pretty cobbled street and it was here we found Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem. 
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
This Inn was built into the foundations of Nottingham Castle way back in 1189 so there is no denying it’s old, however there are many contenders throughout the UK which claim to be “the oldest”. 
Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel

​​As this Inn has the accolade painted onto its white walls stating it is the oldest, and, when researching which truly is the oldest, other establishments have controversy surrounding them as to whether they are actually as old as they state, I’m going to believe that this inn in Nottingham is indeed the oldest. 
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We sat in the gardens supping a cold, refreshing pint of fruit cider, perfect for someone from the West Country on a beautiful summer’s evening …oh, and of course, let’s not forget it was my birthday!

hat a delightful way to end my special day and reflect on what a wonderful time we had had!

Nottingham City, Heart of England, land of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, Feet Do Travel
Inside Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
We really enjoyed our time Nottingham. It had a wonderful mix of history, culture, cats and the novelty factor of a beach in a city! If you are looking for a weekend away, then look no further than Nottingham!

Are you a history buff or Robin Hood fan?  Will you consider making your way to middle England sometime soon? Let me know in the comments section below if you plan to visit Nottingham.

You can book your Nottingham hotel, any weekend break or holiday through our website as we have an affiliate partnership with Booking.com. Visit our Hotel Booking Page then search as normal. There is no extra cost to you but you will be helping us!
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This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity and download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

Pin this post for future reference!
Nottingham City in the heart of England is full of history. The land of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Nottingham Castle, the Old Oak tree in Sherwood Forest, a beach in the City ... yes, a beach in the City! Find out what other surprises Feet Do Travel uncovered in the Historic City of Nottingham. #Nottingham #Englandroadtrip #englandbucketlist #uk #eastmidlands #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #traveltips #travelling #travelguides #traveladvice
Nottingham City in the heart of England is full of history. The land of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Nottingham Castle, the Old Oak tree in Sherwood Forest, a beach in the City ... yes, a beach in the City! Find out what other surprises Feet Do Travel uncovered in the Historic City of Nottingham. #Nottingham #Englandroadtrip #englandbucketlist #uk #eastmidlands #travel #travelblog #travelblogger #traveltips #travelling #travelguides #traveladvice
Check out these related posts on England!

My London Bucket List
Cat Cafe Comparison
A Quirky Afternoon in Bristol
Cheese Rolling Anyone?
Top 5 UK Food Festivals To Visit This Summer
12 Comments
Shona @ paraphernalia.co link
25/8/2017 11:43:38 am

Love Deliveroo Beach, a fun and quirky thing to do in the middle of a city. How could you resist a picnic in Sherwood Forest? The cat cafe, I still can't get my head around but I can get it around an old pub. Looks like you had a great day. Cheers to your birthday! :-)

Reply
Ruth link
25/8/2017 04:38:21 pm

I am not sure if I knew Nottingham was areal city (I knew the forest was real). Now, that I know I need to visit since I am a big fan of Robin Hood (love the movie with Kevin Costner). I was not expecting a cat cafe there. That was a good surprise! #feetdotravel

Reply
Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler) link
26/8/2017 01:01:53 pm

The historic city of Nottingham looks very interesting. How massive that oak tree is and how much history I am sure has happened around it. The castle would be very interesting to visit. A beach in the city center how fun! I must include this location on my next trip to England. Pinned this for later use 😊 #feetdotravel

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Tracy link
28/8/2017 10:02:03 am

You know I lived a few miles from Nottingham and visited once only in my 18 years in the Midlands!!!! It's funny how we explore distant shores but don't see things right on our own doorstep!

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Carmen Baguio link
28/8/2017 04:44:54 pm

I teach history so a picnic in the forest and a castle visit would be heaven to me. The inn looks full of atmosphere! Would love to stay there. Pinning this!

Reply
Marcelle link
28/8/2017 07:51:19 pm

Nottingham - the first thing which popped in my mind was Robin Hood indeed ;) What is it that all these places look like cut out of a fairy tales book?

Reply
Travel Lexx link
29/8/2017 10:03:51 pm

I quite like Nottingham - have been a few times to see friends and stuff but didn't explore it that much. Pretty sure I've been to Nottingham Castle - really like that place. Sherwood Forest still retains an air of mystery! Great post!

Reply
Scarlett Begonias link
30/8/2017 07:13:43 pm

Happy birthday Angie!!! What a perfect birthday trip. I would love to go hug some trees in Sherwood Forest one day. The cat cafe is just adorable, I'm so happy you finally got to enjoy one! Maybe we should make a dog version. The dog house or something, haha!

Reply
Barry link
31/8/2017 04:52:03 pm

Totally gutted that I didn’t get to visited Nottingham when I was back in the UK a few months back. Was meant to catch up with an old friend but run out of time in the end. Would have loved to see the oldest pub in England and Sherwood Forest. The cat café looks cool too!

Reply
James link
1/9/2017 01:01:47 pm

Very interesting article on Nottingham! Nottingham is not so far from me yet I've never visited. I would love to photograph Sherwood Forest and the oak trees, The oldest inn in England and the castle. The cat cafe is interesting, I've not yet been to one.

Reply
Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net) link
2/9/2017 03:27:52 pm

A beach is pretty much the last thing we'd expect to find in Robin Hood's fair city! How great to have a beach every summer though. Having grown up with Robin Hood stories, we'd love to have a picnic in Sherwood Forest, and see Nottingham Castle. In fact, I can't believe that hasn't been on our bucket list! (We fixed that now. :) Thanks for sharing your day, Angie, and a belated cheers to your birthday!

Reply
Kreete link
3/9/2017 01:22:21 am

Every time I read about an amazing place in England, I end up cursing myself for not travelling around more when I lived in London. It would have been so easy! You had me at hiking and with the cat cafe haha! Love it! I can't believe how old the tree is and yeah how would they know how much it weighs? Worth a visit for sure!

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