The Local Area
Rutland is well known for being the smallest county in England but delivers greatly on activities, pubs, restaurants and history. The Haybarn is situated between 3 market towns; Uppingham, Stamford and Oakham - all lovely towns to explore, well equipped with independent shops, cafes and bars all within 20 minutes of The Haybarn. We also have Leicester, Cambridge and Peterborough just a stone’s throw away.
Rutland Water is one of the largest manmade lakes in Europe, and offers so much - bird watching, fishing, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, cycling, Aquapark - at it's four main centres, as well as 26 miles of offroad cycle and walking tracks and a golf course. There is cycle hire available, along with crazy golf, an adventure playground and even a beach in the summer.
Barrowden is a picture postcard village centred around a village green and duckpond, and has a pub, community shop and recreation ground with children's play area, cricket and football pitches. There are numerous local walks and a river to explore; we are on the edge of Wakerley and Fineshade Woods, both known for mountain biking and walking. Fineshade also has a cafe and two children's play areas.
For more walking and mountain biking, Wakerley and Fineshade woods are both within a 5 minute drive. Fineshade has a café, visitor centre and bike hire. The Rutland round is a circular walk of 65 miles which can be broken down into sections.
Golf is available at Manton (beautiful views over Rutland Water), Greetham Valley and Burghley Park.
Shopping
Stamford, Oakham and Uppingham are all lovely market towns within a 20 minute drive of The Haybarn. Stamford is the biggest and is a beautiful Georgian town with many beautiful buildings, well worth a visit. It has many independent shops including Sophie Allport and Hambleton Bakery and also Space NK, the White Company, Jack Wills, and Neal’s Yard, to name but a few. Oakham and Uppingham have lovely independent shops, notably Goodwin & Belle (small interior items plus cards etc) in Uppingham (plus many antique shops and the well known Goldmark Gallery), and Cavells (clothing) and Elizabeth Stanhope (interiors) on Mill St, Oakham.
Burghley HOUSE
Each year, the famous Burghley Horse Trials take place only 9 miles away from The Haybarn. This weekend attracts many visitors to the area so it’s worth booking well in advance if you wish to stay at The Haybarn during this event. Click HERE for information on this event.
Burghley House is also lovely for walking in the grounds; there is a sculpture garden, garden of surprises (water features), house tours and a restaurant. For information about the house and gardens, click HERE.
15 minute drive for The Haybarn.
Rutland Water Nature Reserve
With a huge amount to do, this is the perfect day out for walkers, bird watchers and nature lovers alike. There’s always a wide range of activities for all the family, along with a jam packed calendar of year-round events if you’re looking for something a bit different. The Rutland Water Visitor Centre can provide you with any information you might want, or you can see what’s on during your stay at The Haybarn by clicking HERE.
16 minute drive from The Haybarn.
Aqua Park Rutland
Aqua Park Rutland is open throughout the summer providing fun for all with their extensive range of climbing walls, trampolines, balance bars and all sorts of other obstacles. To find out more, click HERE.
18 minute drive from The Haybarn.
Rutland Watersports Centre
This is a wonderful hub of watersports including canoeing, sailing and windsurfing, also offering a range of events, tuition, and a shop for those wishing to stay dry! Click HERE to find out what’s on.
22 minute drive from The Haybarn.
Rutland County Museum
A small but perfectly formed museum all about rural Rutland life through history. Suitable for all ages with free admission, it’s well worth a visit if you can squeeze it in! Click HERE for more information.
15 minute drive from The Haybarn.
Bugtopia The Zoo
This family-owned zoo provides a fully interactive experience for all the family, and it’s all about bugs! The perfect activity for a rainy day, or any other day for that matter. Have a look what’s on by clicking HERE.
15 minute drive from The Haybarn.