Cherry Tree Cottage is a fantastic place to come to if you are looking for serenity and a countryside experience but it also the perfect spot to access everything the Vale has to offer, as well as the excitements and history of nearby Nottingham, Melton Mowbray, Grantham, Leicester, Newark and Lincoln – all within 20-50 minutes by car. Come for a weekend or a week and you’ll never have an excuse to be bored – or hungry!
We have packed these pages with links to help you find places of interest but our top tip is simple: we recommend you take time to explore the area. Even a short walk through Barkestone’s streets has surprises in store…
Jump to: Shopping, Food & drink, Walks, Things to see and do, Barkestone Hub
Shopping
For essential groceries we recommend the village shops at Bottesford (9 mins by car) or Bingham (12 mins). Both are lovely rural spots. Bottesford has a sleepier feel, Bingham is bigger and has better supermarket options. Note for sat-nav purposes you want the Leicestershire Bottesford not the one in Lincolnshire. Stathern also has a village store and coffee shop to look out for if you’re going that way.
For fine local produce within minutes we suggest you check out The Country Victualler and Jorge Artisan Foods up at the Belvoir Estate’s Engine Yard.
For an extended shopping trip I think we’d recommend the town of Melton Mowbray (24 mins) over Grantham (20 mins). Melton is a more pleasant drive with less traffic and is the regional food capital, known for its pork pies and cattle market. On the way back from Melton you can detour to the renowned Long Clawson Dairy to try their Blue Stilton and Red Leicester cheeses. But if you need something more prosaic – screen wash, lightbulbs, a carpet (!) – Grantham has it.
If high street shopping’s on your list of must-do’s then Nottingham‘s the place to head. Known for its wide choice of big brand and independent shops as well as refreshment choices, it’s less than 20 miles away and easy to drive to along the A52. Note the centre is notoriously tricky to navigate for newcomers so you might prefer to check the train timetable from Bottesford or Bingham.
Food and drink
Fine dining and pubs are both within a short walk of the cottage door.
Walk, cycle or drive west out of the village and you’ll quickly find yourself at Dickies Farm Dining (0.7miles) and only a few minutes more away from The Anchor Inn (1.1 miles). If you don’t fancy walking along Plungar Lane you can reach The Anchor via the canal towpath. Please book in advance to secure a table.
Alternatively you can walk, cycle or drive east to the Windmill Inn at Redmile for a drink or a tasty meal. If the weather’s good and you can manage stiles and the occasional cow then the walk is very much recommended. From the cottage, nip over the road into Fishponds Lane, take the style just past the cow byre on the left and head along the marked path towards Redmile church steeple, to the left of Belvoir Castle.
For the finest of dining the restaurant at Langar Hall is under 6 miles away. Highly recommended for a special meal.
Walks
Belvoir is a fabulous place to experience tranquil English countryside, from woodlands and waterways to hills and pastures, and no visit to Cherry Tree Cottage is complete without at least once walking the stretch of canalside that runs just 500m from our door.
This section of the Nottingham to Grantham canal is no longer navigable by boat and has become a wonderful natural sanctuary, a real hidden gem. You can walk a 30-40 minute loop taking in the canal, church and old schoolhouse or use the canalside as a convenient path to the neighbouring villages – and pubs – of Redmile and Plungar.
We are building up a data bank of walk descriptions with maps for guests. Please feel free to follow these (and it would be great hear how you got on) or to use the map on our kitchen wall to plan your own walks. If you’d like your own maps of the area, try Ordnance Survey Explorer maps 246 and 247.
Things to see and do
- Belvoir Castle
- Harlaxton Manor
- Belton House
- Newark Castle and National Civil War Museum
- Nottingham Castle
- Dove Cottage adventure playground and cafe
- The Hangar go-karting
- Skydive Langar
- Dovecote Farm Equestrian Centre (and alpaca trekking!!)
- Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, Nottingham Forest Football Club and Notts County Football Club
- Regal Cinema Melton Mowbray and Savoy Cinema Grantham
Barkestone Hub
From the cottage walk to the right along New Causeway, left down the alley, right on Middle Street and left into Rutland Square and you’ll find Barkestone Hub, also known as Chequers, the old village pub name.
The Hub is open to all at certain times of the week and it’s a nice spot to have a coffee, snack or beer – depending on time of day – and say hello to the friendly folk of the village. The Hub’s a community non-profit so every £1 spent supports social activities and people in need in the village and surrounding areas, and occasionally national charities. Currently (June 2023) you can go along for coffee on Wednesdays 10am to 12pm, soup lunch on Fridays 12pm to 1.30pm and drinks/social on Friday evenings from 6pm.
It’s well worth checking out the Hub’s facebook page or the noticeboards at the bus stop (up near the old school house) and outside the Hub for up to date timings and special events. It’s not uncommon for the Hub to organise gigs with touring musicians and worth watching out for other special events and fairs.
And if you’d like to rent space for your own party or event then the Hub may be able to help.
Hub facebook page: facebook.com/BarkestoneHub