Outdoor activities in Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire is known for the great outdoors, and the area surrounding Thoresby Hall is no different.

Clumber Park

12-min drive from Thoresby Hall, S80 3AZ

The grade I listed gardens of Clumber Park feature the longest lime tree avenue in Europe, a gothic revival style chapel, four-walled kitchen garden, and easy walking routes across pristine, unspoilt parkland. The ornamental bridge has just completed a two-year restoration and almost glows in the sunshine.

Opening times are 9am-5pm.

Vicar Water Country Park

16-min drive from Thoresby Hall,
NG21 9AA

With woodland, grassland, heathland, a stream, a lake, and a duck pond, the walking routes of Vicar Water are suitable for all fitness levels. Keep your eyes peeled for a huge range of wildlife, with goldfish, woodpeckers, kingfishers, and even lizards dotted around the park.

Opening times are 9am-6pm

Rufford Abbey Country Park

13-min drive from Thoresby Hall, NG22 9DF

Just over two miles from Thoresby Hall, the almost 900-year-old Rufford Abbey is home to leafy woodland, a wildlife meadow, formal gardens dotted with modern sculptures, and a 250-year-old man-made lake. The grounds are largely flat, ideal for a casual stroll.

Opening times are 9:30am - 5pm.

Sherwood Forest

8-min drive from Thoresby Hall, NG21 9QB

Sherwood Forest is most famous for The Major Oak tree, legendary home of Robin Hood that produces 150,000 acorns every year, but it’s also Europe’s largest collection of ancient oaks and features woodland walking routes for all fitness levels.

Opening times are 10am-5pm (Nov-Feb 10am-4.30pm).

Walking in Nottinghamshire

We’ve partnered with Outdoor Active to create walking routes for all levels of ability – click below for more info and a selection of walks near our hotels.

View routes

In our grounds and gardens

Our grounds are as beautiful as they come, so we’ve picked out three of the best things to see in the gardens of Thoresby Hall.

Old House East Side View

Lovingly restored to their historic glory during the 1990s, our wrought-iron gates were featured in the 1999 BBC production of ‘Great Expectations’, and now form one of the most iconic photo ops Thoresby has to offer!

Thoresby’s Tallest Tree

Standing a quite incredible 100 feet tall, this towering Douglas Fir is the tallest tree in Thoresby Hall’s grounds. You’ll find it on the winding path that leads to our rose garden, a nice, easy stroll for all levels of walker.

Victorian Rose Garden

Our rose garden boasts 25 varieties of roses dated from 1100 to the 2000s, including our very own Thoresby rose that’s unique to our grounds. If you’re visiting us between July and November, it’s a must-see (and a must-smell) destination.