On my quest to visit all the cathedrals in England, I headed to the center of the country to tour around the cities that offer interesting histories and charming atmosphere.

Nottingham

Making Nottingham my base for the week, I stayed at my sister’s place in the centre of town where I could enjoy all that this historic city has to offer. Nottingham is probably best known for the legend of Robin Hood, where the tales of a hero from Nottingham that steals from the rich to give to the poor and hides out in Sherwood Forest, brings many tourists to the city. Whilst this romantic tale, provides a fairytale backdrop for the city, its current offering also has a lot to be proud of.

Nottingham offers historical charm in old pubs and underground city networks that can be explored, but also a vibrant shopping and entertainment experience. I stayed in the main high street areas, and each night there were the sounds of live music from varying pubs and a lot of activity to be heard. I wouldn’t doubt that some of this is because of the two thriving universities in the city. The city council seem to be very committed to creating free entertainment and events in the city, and I have seen festivities frequently within the main town squares.

My top picks of things to do in and near Nottingham city would be:

• City of Caves – entering from the shopping centre, you can pop on a hard hat and explore the ancient city under the streets of the city.
• Wollaton Hall – this historic estate and deer park is a beautiful location for taking a walk, and enjoying a picnic. It also hosts many free events to enjoy.
• Lunch in ‘Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem’: The oldest Inn in England – This pretty little pub is a lovely place for a bit of food amongst traditional decor.

Leicester

A short trip from Nottingham, is the city of Leicester. I was not sure what to expect of this little city but in an afternoon I explored the city and had a tasty dinner here. The claim to fame for Leicester is King Richard III.

This famous English King was long debated in history as either a deformed monster of a man, or a brilliantly talented soldier. He had been portrayed by Shakespeare and in many other writings. He had died in battle and his body was lost for centuries. Up until 2012, he was lost and debated, but then the news broke, that his remains had been discovered in a carpark in Leicester! His body was recovered and tested, and his story could finally have some evidence to coincide with it.

The car park, is now a visitor centre, and I spent several hours here, learning about his story. It was a really brilliant museum, and he is certainly an interesting character. He now lies to rest in the cathedral, which was unfortunately closed for restoration during my visit. That is okay though, as it gives me more reason to return!

Derby

I have visited Derby briefly a few times over the years, normally when I am between trains and travelling as it is such a central location in the UK, and often I have visited just the shopping area for a little retail therapy and food. This time round I made a choice to spend the morning doing a proper visit to the city, and I found a gem within the city.

As well as visiting the sweet and simplistic cathedral that Derby has to offer, I wondered along the river and came to a wonderful new attraction called the ‘Museum of Making’. Situated inside a building which is widely regarded as the world’s first modern factory, Derby’s old silk mill. This building draws you in as a curious visitor, and as I am also a keen crafter in my free time!

The museum is a very open space and has a restaurant, conference area, workshop space and exhibitions. It is all about learning about different materials and the manufacturing of goods over history, and links very well with the importance that the midlands had,in England’s industrial history.

There are huge examples like aeroplane and car parts taken apart to show the inner workings, but then also an entire section devoted to wood works for example. There is also a large space devoted to the regional train networks that were so important, and a large model train to admire, worked on by volunteers. The museum is a really lovely space to visit and does really well to demonstrate the history of the area and the pride people have in their trades here.

Birmingham

The last stop of the week was a visit to Birmingham. I’ve visited this huge city before for conferences with work, as they have a big meeting and conference offering for businesses in this modern city. On this occasion, I only visited the Cathedral.

The cathedral is full of colourful stained glass and is in the centre of a bustling city square.

Outside the cathedral, Birmingham offers plenty of museums, galleries as well as family experiences like the Sea Life Centre and Cadbury World.

Now the cathedrals around the midlands area have been taken in, I take my travels North East, as I head to the city of York, in the weeks leading up to Christmas!