What's on in Rutland

Rutland’s motto is ‘Multum in Parvo’ (or much in little), a motto that the smallest county in England has surely embraced. Bounded by Peterborough and Northampton in the south east, Lincolnshire in the north east, and Leicestershire in the north and west, Rutland is only 18 miles in length and 17 miles wide and consists of two historic market towns, Oakham and Uppingham and 54 tiny villages peppered around the rolling, bucolic landscape.

For a small county there are still quite a few beautiful attractions. For history buffs there is the wonderful Great Hall of Oakham Castle, one of the best examples of 12th century architecture in all of the UK. Also worth seeing are Normanton Church, with its semi-circular tower and portico (designed by Thomas Cundy), Burghley House, Rockingham Castle and Belvoir Castle as well as the 400 year old Uppingham School and the Bishops Palace at Lyddington.

For those who want to get out and about, there are miles and miles of hiking, biking and riding trails, but the center of the county offers the best spot, with Rutland’s massive artificial reservoir (the largest man made lake in Western Europe), Rutland Water, almost as large as Windermere. Rutland Water has gained an international reputation as both a center for sports, offering sailing, canoeing, windsurfing and rock climbing; and as an important nature reserve, providing an overwinter site for ospreys and wildfowl. Small it may be, but Rutland is well worth visiting.