Local Area
Staying hidden away in the pure luxury and tranquillity of your Shepherd Hut for a few days will be very tempting but it would be a shame to miss out on the wide range of places to visit and things to do in the beautiful Vale of Belvoir.
Activities
WALKING
There is a myriad of footpaths throughout the Vale with scenery that will utterly delight you. From walks taking in Belvoir Castle, canal paths and quiet lanes to wooded hillsides and quaint little villages, there is something for everyone. The Visit Belvoir website lists a fine selection of walks ranging from a simple 1 mile stroll from the pretty village of Barkestone along the canal paths to a 14 mile hike that takes in Woolsthorpe, the Belvoir Estate, Plungar woods and Stathern.
CYCLING
Visiting cyclists are spoilt for choice with a huge range of routes ranging from flat and easy to rolling countryside and challenging hills. With lots of lovely stops along the way to take refreshments and enjoy the views, you are guaranteed to fall in love with the Vale. Take a look at The Visit Belvoir website for route inspiration and, don’t forget, we are able to provide you with secure bike storage at Shepherd’s Lodge.
OPEN WATER SWIMMING
Within a 25 minute drive, visitors can experience Open Water Swimming at Race Hub where there is a stunning lake with great facilities. It is open throughout the year.
SKYDIVING
For the brave amongst you, Skydive Langar which is only 8 miles away, offers Tandem Skydives.
ALPACA CENTRE
The Alpaca Centre is a mere 9 miles away and here visitors can walk the Alpaca Trail, go Alpaca Trekking, have an Alpaca Meet & Great Experience, or enjoy a lovely cream tree and then browse the Alpaca shop.
HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDES
DK Carriage Horses provide fabulous carriage ride experiences taking in the spectacular scenery around Belvoir Castle in the beautiful Vale of Belvoir.
CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING
Orston Shooting Ground is just a 5 minute drive away and offers Clay Pigeon Shooting and Air Rifle Shooting, which is under cover, so can be enjoyed all year round.
BOAT TRIPS
Enjoy a boat trip aboard The Three Shires with The Grantham Canal Society. Here you can book a variety of options including Canal trips ranging from 30 minute to 4 hours, Afternoon Tea and Cruise and Dine.
Places to Visit
BELVOIR CASTLE
Belvoir Castle which occupies a dominant position overlooking the vale, is the ancestral home of the family of the Dukes of Rutland and has appeared on screen in many productions including The Crown, The Da Vinci Code, Victoria and Adbul and Young Queen Victoria. Here you can visit the house and gardens, have a scrumptious Afternoon Tea or enjoy one or more of the fabulous events that take place throughout the year including Outdoor Theatres, Medieval Weekends, Festivals and Fairs.
THE ENGINE YARD
The Engine Yard is Belvoir Castle’s unique retail village, restored from old Belvoir Castle Estate buildings, now a centre of excellence for local food, drink and artisan shopping. They have an outdoor pizza kitchen, a café, bar, some superb shops and hold regular events such as pop-up markets and Jazz Nights.
BURGHLEY HOUSE
Burghley House is one of the largest and grandest surviving houses of the sixteenth century and a magnificent example of the great Elizabethan ‘prodigy’ houses. The house itself is magnificent and contains an extensive fine art collection as well as collections of both Oriental and European ceramics and furniture.
WOOLSTHORPE MANOR
Woolsthorpe Manor is the birthplace and was the family home of Sir Issac Newton. Here he performed many of his most famous experiments, most notably his work on optics and light. This is also said to be the site where Newton, observing an apple fall from the tree in his orchard, was inspired to formulate his “law of gravitation”.
HANWELL WINE ESTATE
Hanwell is definitely worth a visit and offers Tour & Taste Experiences, a wide choice of Creative Craft Workshops and you can even help to harvest the grapes during the month of October.
NATURESCAPE
Naturescape are the largest producer of British native wildflower seeds in the United Kingdom. Their site boasts a wildlife garden, wildlife ponds, a tea room and, of course, a plant sales area which offers over 200 different species of native wildlife flowers.
ALSO WITHIN EASY REACH
Sherwood Forest and Belton House are all also worthy of a visit as are the beautiful market towns of Newark, Southwell, Stamford, Oakham which are within easy reach.
Food & Drink
Even though you’ll loath to leave the comfort of your Shepherd Hut, you will definitely want to sample the wonderful selection of watering holes and eateries that the Vale of Belvoir has to offer its visitors.
PUBS
As to be expected in an area dotted with small villages, there are plenty of delightfully, quaint pubs to choose from. With lovely pub gardens for the warmer weather to roaring open log fires for autumn and winter.
The Windmill at Redmile is a 1.5 mile stroll from Shepherd’s Lodge and welcomes passers-by, cyclists and walkers with muddy boots. As well as great ales and lovely wines, The Windmill boasts delicious and innovative meals using locally sourced products.
The Chequers at Woolsthorpe by Belvoir is just a 10 minute drive away and is a quintessential English country pub that also happens to serve delicious food. In the winter enjoy glorious comfort food and winter warmers from the bar and in summer the pretty gardens are perfect for al-fresco dining and a glass or two of something chilled.
The Dirty Duck in Woolsthorpe is a relaxing retreat that quenches the thirst of the Vale of Belvoir. Here guests can enjoy good fresh food and a wide array of ales and beers, not to mention Prosecco on tap before taking a lovely stroll along the adjoining canal towpath.
The Thatch in Bottesford is a 20 minute walk from Shepherd’s Lodge and is a Grade 1 listed building that was built in 1621. It provides a warm, welcoming dining experience along with a contemporary wine lounge and tapas bar.
RESTAURANTS
As with some fabulous pubs, the Vale of Belvoir is also lucky to have a wide choice of superb eateries to please all tastes. There are so many to choose from but here are a few of our favourites: –
Paul’s Restaurant is a 20 minute walk away and has been serving contemporary cuisine for the last 19 years in the heart of Bottesford. Along with the restaurant there is also a wine lounge which is a lovely place to relax and spend the evening.
Venezia is based in Upper Saxondale in, what was once, the main entrance to the Saxondale Asylum that was built in 1902. It serves traditional Italian food prepared by an award-winning chef and offers a truly magnificent dining experience.
Katana in Grantham is a superb Japanese restaurant that offers both Sushi and Teppanyaki. Their passion is creating a unique dining experience where guests enjoy the healthiest and finest Japanese inspired modern Asian fusion cuisines.
Whittakers Bar & Restaurant in Long Bennington is a family run contemporary bar and restaurant. Whether you want fine dining, a light bite at lunchtime or a sharing platter in the bar area, you are assured of freshly prepared food using the finest locally sourced produce.