What's on inNottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire is a county thats good at spinning a yarn. So many myths and legends seem to spring from its ancient countryside youd be forgiven for thinking it was a county populated solely by poets and scriptwriters. It is, nevertheless, a county packed with tranquil and picturesque countryside, from lush arable land to old meadows, to ancient forests and from old castles to classic country pubs.Birthplace of writers such as Lord Byron and D H Lawrence this is the most English of counties, sat in the heart of the land and at the heart of English history too.

To glimpse some of that history one of the first places to go should be Newark, to visit both St. Mary Magdalene Church and the ruins of Newark medieval castle.Retford too, in the north of Nottinghamshire is packed with old Georgian buildings and for a more literary twist, it is worth checking out Newstead Abbey, home to Lord Byron and Eastwood, the town that inspired DH Lawrence. Best of all is Nottingham itself - from the Georgian Buildings dotted around Oxford Street to the elaborately gothic St. Barnabas Cathedral or the medieval Nottingham Castle, this is a wonderful city. Other exhibits worth checking out include Nottingham Castle Museum and Art Gallery, the Galleries of Justice and the Brewhouse Yard Museum.

Of course no description of Nottinghamshire and its countryside would be complete without mentioning the most famous part of all; Sherwood Forest. The forest, along with the Vale of Belvoir, lives up to its billing and is truly a beautiful spot. Once there, highlights include the Major Oak, home to Robin Hood and St. Marys Church in Edwinstowe, where he is said to have married Maid Marion. Sherwood Forest Country Park itself is worth walking around and contains hundreds of trails for walkers and cyclists. From vibrant city life to fantastic scenery and living legends, Nottinghamshire has it all.