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History & Heritage Trails
Our selection of history and heritage trails celebrate a variety of architectural styles and Nottinghamshire’s rich history. Follow the footsteps of the English Civil War heroes and villains with the Nottinghamshire Civil War trail, tour around the city with Watson Fothergill Architect Trail featuring many of the architect’s finest buildings including places where you can sample and enjoy Castle Rock’s Watson Fothergill celebration beer, or take a journey through the heart of D. H. Lawrence country with the Blue Line trail. Now you can also take a deeper look into Nottingham’s past than ever before - discovering the city’s hidden history - thanks to the new Cave Trail.
Nottinghamshire's Civil War trail includes sites and landmarks across Nottingham, Southwell and Newark. Nottinghamshire played a pivotal role during the tumultuous years of the English Civil War as King Charles I’s Royalist army and Oliver Cromwell’s Parliamentarians fought to control the country. Embark on a journey across the county and discover sites related to this crucial period in the history of Nottinghamshire.
Why not go for one of the Curious About heritage trails to discover both the infamous landmarks and lesser known hidden treasures of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Learn some interesting facts and uncover the heritage and great historical past of Newark and Southwell. To add an extra element of fun, the trails have a quirky treasure hunt theme - detect answers to addictive clues and match pictures to places as you uncover the sights!
Along the Watson Fothergill Architect Trail you will discover a range of buildings from grand banking and newspaper offices to warehouses and of course the magnificent showpiece that was Fothergill’s office on George Street. All have their own story to tell and each will surprise you with their detail and their carvings.
Walk in the steps of one of the most controversial novelists of the 20th century. D. H. Lawrence was brought up in the small mining community of Eastwood, in Nottingham – referred to as D. H. Lawrence’s country. Key points along the route include the likes of the D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum, Vine Cottage and Haggs Farm, just to name a few, and all with a significant relation to the writer’s life.
For more Literary Tours & Trails in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, click here.
Nottingham’s riddled with manmade caves, which date back as far as the Medieval period and beyond. The Nottingham Cave App is the perfect way to explore the wonders which stretch below the city’s streets, featuring stunning flythrough videos that give virtual access to the city's sealed off sandstone caves.
Join Nottingham Castle's Cave Tours and descend into the remarkable caves that snake through Castle Rock on a 25-minute tour exploring the foundations of the medieval Castle. Suitable for families and young children, you will hear tales of Nottingham and its historic Castle in the atmospheric underground caves where the stories actually took place. Pre-booking is highly reccomended for these popular tours!
Zig Zag Bike Tours are a tour company specialising in urban exploration and sustainable holidays by bike, foot, and train. They offer a range of experiences around Nottingham and the Midlands combining local history and curiosities, art and architecture, politics and culture, food and drinks – all at a leisurely pace. The opportunities to explore and celebrate meaningful local history are endless! Anything can become a micro adventure, from a stroll around the Lace Market to train hopping up the Derwent Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site.
For more information, click here. Or see a list of all their upcoming events here.
We all know that Sherwood Forest was the hiding place of Robin Hood, but did you know that it was also used to hide tanks, ammunition and even a whole railway system during the Second World War? The Sherwood Forest and Newark area is steeped in modern history as well as medieval which is the focus of the Spirit of Wartime Sherwood Trail. A collection of seven heritage sites with a connection to the Second World War have come together, including the Newark Air Museum and The National Holocaust Centre and Museum.
Why not explore the history of one of Nottinghamshire's most beautiful Abbeys and Parks? Enjoy exploring Rufford Abbey on their Abbey Tales tour and discover 800 years of history is brought to life. You will walk through the interactive experience, encounter characters through the ages, hear stories from the past and even pick up on the smells and sounds from a time gone by.
Go Quest Adventures offer a self-guided treasure hunt adventure through the streets of Nottingham! The Nottingham Quest is a fun, challenging and engaging way to explore the city centre from a whole different perspective. It's like no treasure hunt you've done before and stops at notable landmarks like Old Market Square and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem.
During your Quest, you will unlock a hidden trail by finding clues, solving puzzles and completing group challenges, earing points along the way all self-guided through the Go Quest Adventures app. See the city's highlights, explore its hidden gems and learn some fun facts along the way. Conquer the Quest and be in for a chance to win a prize in the monthly drawings. It's like a walking tour with an escape room twist!
For more tours, trails and guided walks around the city and the county including Robin Hood and the LQBTQIA+ trail, please go to our Walking Trails page.
