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Discover Newark, Southwell & Sherwood Forest this Spring!

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Spring officially arrives at the end of this week, on the 20th March, and we are incredibly excited! In the last couple of weeks we’ve noticed the days have been getting longer, the sunshine has started to appear and the birds have begun to sing again.

The best thing about spring is the beauty that begins to re-emerge from its winter slumber, including in Newark, Southwell & Sherwood Forest. With our gorgeous countryside, stunning woodland and beautiful towns and villages, there is so much to explore during this time of the year.

For example, Sherwood Forest is not just the home of Robin Hood, it is also home to the ancient woodland with its stunning wildlife. From birds to creepy crawlies, the forest comes alive as it wakes up from its winter slumber. This ancient woodland is a lovely place to spend a couple of hours, basking in the spring sunlight, recharging amongst nature and exploring one of the many trails or walks curated by the RSPB.

Additionally, the RSPB Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre have also organised a number of events to welcome in the spring months. Including family friendly guided walks to discover certain species of birds as well as trails for you to discover some of the forest’s smaller inhabitants. Have a look at their website for more information.

EDIT (24/03/2020): Due to government advice around Coronavirus Covid-19, RSPB Sherwood Forest have made the difficult decision to close all visitor facilities, including the car park.

Not too far from Sherwood Forest is Rufford Abbey Country Park, known for its romantic ruins set within acres of beautiful countryside. Rufford Abbey is a great place to explore during the spring time, especially if you have little ones – their Adventure play area is the perfect opportunity to let their imagination run wild!

Rufford Abbey also have beautiful walks and trails around their park, where you can enjoy the fresh spring weather in a lovely atmosphere. They also have a number of eateries on site, for those all-important pit stops! They also have adventure golf, a boating lake which will open in April as well as the opportunity to discover the 870 years of history of the abbey ruins. It’s guaranteed to have something for everyone in your family to enjoy.

EDIT (24/03/2020): Due to government advice around Coronavirus Covid-19, Rufford Abbey have made the difficult decision to close all visitor facilities, including the car park.

Continue to surround yourself in nature at Thoresby Park! At the Park you can hire a bike (or bring your own) and explore the beautiful estate, exploring their woodland and discovering their varied wildlife. You can also get closer to the action by enjoying these trails on foot too. Don’t forget to have a wander around their Courtyard, where they have shops you can grab a little something from, from ladieswear to jewellery and a café where you can grab a yummy bite to eat.

EDIT (24/03/2020): Due to government advice around Coronavirus Covid-19, Thoresby Park have made the difficult decision to close all visitor facilities, including the car park.

You also can’t forget our lovely towns including Newark and Southwell, both look absolutely lovely in the sunshine. Newark Market Town is one of the best preserved Georgian market places in the UK, with a traditional cobbled market overlooked by our impressive town hall. When you visit, we also encourage you to look up and observe some of the impressive buildings flanking the town centre, from Tudor to Victorian and even an famously thin house next to the Town Hall!

Surrounding the town centre are a number of lovely cafes and tearooms where you can enjoy this lovely weather outside with a bite to eat. The market also host a Farmers Market every first Saturday of the month where you can buy good quality, fresh, produce. And every last Sunday of the month they also hold an artisan craft market where you can pick up a wide range of products including woodwork and jewellery.

Just a short walk from Newark town centre is Newark Castle and Gardens. Newark Castle has stood on the banks of the River Trent for over 900s years and is affectionally known as Our Grey Lady by residents. In the spring sunshine, the castle, now partially ruined, looks incredibly impressive. The castle also boasts beautifully-restored and award winning gardens that are starting to bloom. It sounds like a lovely idea to spend an hour or two wondering around the castle learning about the history and observing the beautiful gardens under the canopy of trees that will soon be in blossom.

Southwell is just a 20 minute drive from Newark and is often referred to as the ‘jewel in Nottinghamshire’s crown’ due to its picturesque nature. It’s a beautiful town to explore for an hour or two, with the stunning architecture of the Southwell Minster in the background and the charming independent shops dotted around the town. We highly recommend you spend a day exploring this lovely town this spring, popping into some of the 50 independent shops or enjoy a warm cup of something in one of the many tearoom of cafes.

If you are in the Southwell area, we suggest a visit to the Museum of Timekeeping, located at the British Horological Institute at Upton Hall, which is opening its doors once again this spring on April 3rd! This means that spring is the perfect opportunity to browse their impressive and extensive collection of clocks and watches. Additionally, with the clocks going forward on the 29th March, the museum are also hosting their annual Spring Forward show. It’ll also be an opportunity to see their newly designed and refurbished Watch Gallery

We hope we’ve convinced you that Newark, Southwell & Sherwood are some of the best places to visit this spring! Do remember to have a look around our websites for more inspiration on what to do when visiting the area.