Now that Freshers’ Week is over, you may feel the need to venture off campus and explore what else Nottingham has to offer. If you’re looking for a peaceful break away from uni but don’t fancy going too far, then Wollaton Park is the perfect place to visit.
Undiscovered by many Freshers, Wollaton Park is located right next to campus (behind Sherwood Hall) and just off Derby Road. The park is a beautiful location for getting some fresh air, going for a run, or just enjoying some time away from uni life. One of the great features of the park is that deer that roam freely through the grounds, giving you the chance to feel at one with nature just five minutes away from campus.
The main attraction of the park is the Elizabethan Hall, built in the 1580s and known in particular for being used as the location for the filming of Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises. It’s a fantastically grand building and entry is free to go inside. Within the house you can check out both the Natural History Museum and Industrial Museum, or just simply go in to say you’ve been inside Batman’s House. Surrounding the house there are also botanical gardens, a formal garden and the oldest cast iron glasshouse in Europe.
The house is set at the top of the hill, and in the summer months students can be seen dotted around on the grass, enjoying drinks and picnics. There’s also volleyball tournaments held on the grass, as well as summer film festivals, guided walks, charity runs, music festivals and even Segway tours.
Joanna Hill
Images courtesy of John Morris, Matt Buck, Alan Perryman and Natesh Ramasamy via Flickr
