The Historic City of Nottingham

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?

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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!)

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! 

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 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.​

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.  

​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!

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!

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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”. 

​​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!

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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!

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.

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