Dr Megan Wang (née Kelleher)

Hello again!

This month, I wanted to try something a little bit different. One of my favourite things to do is to recommend places to visit to people, so I thought I’d pick my top 5 places to visit in the East Midlands. I’ve chosen this geographical area as I have lived here for the last 3 years. When I moved up here, I had no idea where to go, so decided to do some exploring. Being a student on a tight budget meant that I had to manage my money carefully, so I had to make sure these places were either free or nearly free. This list is not definitive; I still have plenty of places to visit on my to do list!

1.Bradgate Park, Leicestershire

Bradgate Park is a favourite with dog walkers, and when you visit you can understand why! It has some beautiful views of the Leicestershire countryside, and has some incredible walks to go on. Located in a historical forest, it has a rich history. Most famously, the land and nearby Bradgate House has a connection to the Grey family. The Grey family owned the estates between the 15th and 19th centuries, and the surrounding area loves to highlight its connection to Lady Jane Grey. If you visit nearby Loughborough on your way back, you’ll even see a mural dedicated to her!

2.Wollaton Hall and Park, Nottinghamshire

For those of you who are fans of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, this place is a must-visit! Wollaton Hall is located just outside of the city centre, and is an idyllic Elizabethan country house within a beautiful parkland. The Hall houses a number of museums, including the Nottingham Natural History Museum and the Nottingham Industrial Museum. Deer roam freely around the parkland, so you may be able to get fairly close to these beautiful creatures.

Now, you may be wondering why I mentioned Batman. As some of you may know, there is a village called Gotham (pronounced Goat-am) just south of Nottingham. There is local lore that suggests that DC comics got the name for their own Gotham after hearing the story of this village. In the middle ages, the villagers are alleged to have feigned madness in order to avoid a Royal Highway being built through the village, as they would be expected to build and maintain this route. As madness was believed to be contagious at this time, King John’s knights decided to re-route the road to avoid the village.

The DC Universe and Nolan wanted to highlight this connection, so when choosing a place to represent Wayne Manor in some of the films, they used Wollaton Hall in the exterior shots!

3. The Peak District, Derbyshire

I am cheating slightly with this one, as part of the Peaks go into Cheshire, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester and parts of Yorkshire, but the Peak District is a beautiful part of the world! You can choose to go on day-long hikes, or just take a stroll through the villages that can be found within this area.

Some of my favourite walks to do are Kinder Scout, made famous by the mass trespass of 1932, and Dovedale, which has seen continuous human activity since around 13,000 BCE. Some of the places I plan on visiting Derwent Reservoir, notable for its use as a place where 617 Squadron (the “Dam Busters”) practised the low-level flying needed for Operation Chastise, and the High Peak.

4. Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire

Newark has a rich history and lots to see and do that works for a range of budgets. Famed for its role in the English Civil War, Newark Castle is one of its main historic attractions. Nearby is the National Civil War Centre, or you can choose to follow the Nottinghamshire Civil War trail which includes locations around Newark. There is also Newark Air Museum nearby, as well as the National Holocaust Centre and Museum.

Newark also have a large Polish community, many of whom are descendants of those who served with the Polish forces during the Second World War. Newark-Upon-Trent Cemetery includes a large Second World War plot, cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This includes 400 Polish service personnel, as well as three Presidents of the Polish Government-in-exile. General Sikorski, the Polish wartime Prime Minister and Commander -in-Chief of the Polish Forces, was originally laid to rest here in 1943 prior to being returned to Poland with full military honours in 1993.

5. Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire

If, like me, you are slightly disappointed to find that Sherwood in the heart of Nottingham is not in the middle of Sherwood Forest then you are not alone. Much of the remaining Sherwood Forest, made famous by the folk tales of Robin Hood, exists in the north of Nottinghamshire. Rufford Abbey is near to Sherwood Forest, and is a former Cistercian abbey that was converted into a country house in the 16th Century. The remains of the house are beautiful, and again this is a perfect place to have a picnic and walk. It is also not too far from Sherwood Forest itself, so you could perhaps include the Abbey as part of an adventure discovering the story of Robin Hood!

I hope this initial list is helpful. Let me know the places you like to visit in the East Midlands in the comments!