Much in little – that’s Rutland’s motto, and yet another proof of this is the new, bigger, even more exciting Aqua Park Rutland – thought to be the UK’s biggest Aqua Park! 2018 is its third season, and with the addition of a new obstacle, named the Rutland Mammoth, is better than ever – or perhaps that should be wetter than ever… What is an aqua park? It’s a series of inflatable obstacles and slides... Continue reading
Mill Street in Oakham is one of my favourite strolls. It is lined with some of the most interesting independent retailers in Rutland, but there was one threshold that I had never crossed: the imposing building that houses Mill Street Pub & Kitchen. So when I saw that they’d introduced a new autumn menu, that was all the excuse I needed to climb the steps* and poke my nose inside. And I was well rewarded!... Continue reading
Rise and shine for the 111th Uppingham Christmas Fatstock Show! When is it? On Wednesday 28 November 2017 What is the history of Uppingham Fatstock Show? This is a unique event, and – so Andrew Leech of local auctioneers & chartered surveyors Richardson tells me – has been cancelled only by the intervention of war and two national ‘foot and mouth’ outbreaks. It’s unique in being the only event of its kind still held in... Continue reading
Rutland is England’s smallest county and despite our tiny size (about 17 miles by 18 miles at its furthest compass points), Rutland tops national surveys as the best place to live in rural Britain, the happiest place (second only to the Orkney Islands), and the location of some of the prettiest villages in England. And of course the blue jewel in the green crown of our little county is Rutland Water: England’s largest reservoir (by... Continue reading
Rutland is tucked away in the the East Midlands, bounded by rural Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire. Driving to Rutland is easy: the A1 nicks the eastern edge of the county, and the M1 through Northants is another route. East-West routes through Rutland are the A47 and A606. Although Oakham is the only railway station officially in Rutland, there’s also a railway station in Stamford, and fast London trains (from St Pancras or Kings Cross) arrive... Continue reading
My-Rutland.com is a labour of love by Jane Williams. Rutland is my adopted county: I moved here in 2006 and love everything about living in England’s smallest county. My favourite things to do in Rutland include walking the dog around Rutland Water or along Rutland footpaths; our beautiful stone villages and historic towns; the weekly markets and our independent shops; cultural events in Uppingham, Oakham and Stamford; good food and dog-friendly pubs. Having spent 20... Continue reading
Oakham is the county town of Rutland, just a mile and a half from Rutland Water. Oakham is a proper market town on Wednesdays and Saturdays, while the monthly farmers market on the 3rd Saturday of each month is a celebration of local food producers. There are plenty of independent shops and restaurants in Oakham, as well as ‘high street’ brands. Rutland is famously McDonalds and KFC-free, although we now have one tax-dodging global brand... Continue reading
Uppingham is a pocket-sized market town, humming on a Friday (market day) and offering a surprisingly good mix of independent shops, from butchers to hardware stores, antique shops and art galleries to boutiques and lifestyle stores. Even the charity shops are a cut above! The town is perhaps most famous as the home of Uppingham School, founded in 1584 and now educating around 790 pupils. The school buildings are many and various (and not open... Continue reading
My first admission: Stamford is not in Rutland. Officially, it is in Lincolnshire, but the boundary with Rutland is just a stone’s throw from Sheep Market, so we are happy to adopt Stamford as our own! Stamford is famous for its unspoiled Georgian streets, so that the town has been a film location for many period dramas including 2005’s Pride & Prejudice, along with magnificent Burghley House on the edge of town. Enjoy a stroll... Continue reading
Few English counties boast such a high proportion of postcard-pretty villages of golden stone cottages clustering around a church, a ‘big house’ and a pub. When I first came to Rutland I was reminded of the Cotswolds, and no wonder, for Rutland sits on the same swathe of jurassic limestone. Every Rutland village has its own charm: here are my current favourites: Barrowden – highlighted by the Telegraph’s property pages in 2015 as one of... Continue reading