
Sights are 'thick sown' in the county of Nottinghamshire, wrote the great English man of
letters Horace Walpole, who was astonished at the great number of fine stately homes set in substantial parks.
It is still something of a rural paradise with plenty for visitors to enjoy: from admiring those ducal estates of the north, to exploring the Stilton dairies in the south and visiting pretty market towns bordered by rich farmland.
From dairies serving homemade ice cream in an array of flavours, to stunning snowdrop displays, rural Nottinghamshire is easily accessible and full of experiences for people to enjoy at their own pace. The north is home to a rural area known as the Dukeries, made up of a number of former ducal estates. The area benefits from open country spaces, artisan produce, B&Bs, luxury hotels and friendly pubs.
The Welbeck Estate is home to an artisan food school, dairy, bakery, brewery, farm shop, cafe and art gallery. A beautiful walk from here takes you to Creswell Crags – a limestone gorge that is home to Ice Age art. Stay nearby at the award-winning Browns B&B, just one of many in the area. Clumber Park is a former estate of the Dukes of Newcastle, now run by the National Trust.