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Parks and green spaces

Nottingham is known for its beautiful green spaces. With over twenty percent of the city devoted to public parks and gardens, a relaxing stroll or bike ride is never too far away. From stunning nature reserves to rolling hills, here’s our pick of the best places to chill – in and immediately outside of the city.

In Nottingham

The Arboretum

Nottingham's oldest public park is also one of its best-kept secrets. Only minutes away from our City Campus, it's a great place for walks in every season – from springtime blossom blizzards, to some gorgeous winter snowscapes. Generations of artists and writers have drawn inspiration from this lush, serene park, including Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie. Rest your head on the Arbo's beautifully manicured lawns, and city life will quickly seem a world away.

Wollaton Park

Wollaton Park is a sprawling, deer-filled estate, capped by an iconic centrepiece — the 16th-century triumph of Wollaton Hall, which has been described as "the architectural sensation of its age." So impressive is the building that Batman Begins director Christopher Nolan adopted the Hall as Wayne Manor. This stunning park is a haven for dog walkers, joggers, picnickers, festival-goers, and – when it snows – sledgers and skaters. A true Nottingham icon!

Attenborough Nature Reserve

Named by BBC Wildlife magazine as one of the top-ten 'eco places in the world', the Attenborough Nature Reserve and Centre stands where the River Erewash meets the Trent. Opened (coincidentally) by Sir David Attenborough, this sprawling reserve of open spaces including lakes, wetlands, grasslands and scrub, is a hugely popular destination for Nottingham's runners, walkers and cyclists. Enjoy the wildlife, drink in the famous pink-skied sunsets, and then treat yourself to a slice of cake at the gorgeous Lakeside Café.

Holme Pierrepont

Built to facilitate the training of elite athletes, Holme Pierrepont Country Park has so much to offer. Enjoy a walk or cycle along the lakeside paths, tackle the river rapids with your new flatmates, or get involved in the adventure activities available in this 270-acre country park. Located just to the south of Nottingham city centre and only 20 minutes away from Clifton, it won’t take you long to connect to nature.

Our green campuses

If you're looking for something a bit closer to your new home, our campuses provide ample parks and open spaces. In fact, our beautifully green grounds are partly why we're the 4th most sustainable university in the world (UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2021).

From our hedgehog friendly campuses to carbon-negative buildings, we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to global challenges, and to maintaining our position as a pioneering university for sustainability.

Don't just take our word for it – explore Nottingham and our stunning campuses at one of our open days. One short walk around Nottingham and you'll fall in love.

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In Nottinghamshire and beyond

Sherwood Forest

The legendary Sherwood Forest’s most famous resident may be Robin Hood, but this beautiful ancient woodland is also home to hundreds of species of birds, insects, plants, and the UK's biggest oak tree. There’s plenty to explore and seasonal events are held throughout the year.

There's also Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire’s most tranquil attraction, where you'll lose yourself among a vast forest of soaring pine trees, dappled sunshine and constant, ankle-high mist. It’s also a only a short jump from the forest.

Newstead Abbey

The jaw-dropping ancestral home of Lord Byron, one of Britain’s most celebrated Romantic-era writers. The Newstead Abbey estate boasts a gardens and park, the historic building itself, and a man-made lake with cannon emplacements, where Byron would stage his own naval battles and flex over his poet pals.

Peak District National Park

What can we say about the Peak District that hasn't been said already? While it's actually in Derbyshire as opposed to Notts (well, we've got to give them something), the Peaks are only an hour's drive away, and a perennially popular attraction for our students, who've enjoyed the walking, riding and climbing on offer here for years. At the weekends, a number of NTU's outdoor societies head straight for the same rolling hills that inspired the Bronte sisters, Lord Byron, and – most importantly – the inventor of Bakewell tarts.