But Not in Nottingham

Ok, I’m sure I’m not alone here but everytime I think of Nottingham I think of good old Robin Hood and his band of merry men who stole from evil men like the Sheriff of Nottingham to feed the poor. I know you all know exactly what I’m talking about and if you had any type of childhood worth remembering then you will have spent a lot of it watching Disney’s version of the story where Robin Hood is aptly portrayed as a fox and King John as a male lion with no mane.

Anyway I am completely digressing, and tales of Robin Hoodand Sherwood Forest aside, I had the pleasure of spending a weekend in Nottingham not too long ago and before you ask me, yes it is completely dominated by tales of the man who stole from the rich to feed the poor. If you really want to dig deep into the historical part then a trip to the castle, which can be found just off Maid Marian Way (no joke), will provide you with all you need to know.

Nottingham itself however, is a great little city full of hidden treasures and cool little alleyways and shops. If I had to describe it in one word then it would be: quirky.

It was great; we didn’t eat in a single known restaurant, or shop in a chain. Instead we opted for random tapas bars and little vintage shops which seemed to be around just about every corner. There was a market going on throughout the weekend in the city centre which was great. I managed to find a great elephant shaped candle holder and some actual homemade mead! Great Stuff, I highly recommend it!

The coolest things about Nottingham though were the bars. Unfortunately we only had one night there so definitely not enough time to visit loads but just about enough to get a feel for the nightlife.

Afternoon drinking had to be done in what claims to be the oldest pub in England. Whether it is or not is down to speculation, but Ye Old Trip to Jerusalem Inn claims that it was there first, back in the days when people would gather to drink homemade brews and hope the concoctions wouldn’t kill them. Now it's a little bit of a tourist trap, but being built on the edge of the Nottingham castle, you can’t really give it a miss.

If you are looking for something a little different then there are a couple of places to try. First, Canal House Bar which is a little further out but has an actual canal running through the venue, with a canalboat moored there. It a beer house boasting beer from around the world (though when I got there they had run out of non-alcoholic beer *cry*). Still it's worth a visit just for the atmosphere, and if the choice is too much you can always opt for a taster round.

If you fancy some further drinking and maybe some dancing then head to Pitcher and Piano which is just up the road. I can hear you all internally groaning at the thought of going to Pitcher and Piano, but hear me out – this on is in a church. Yep an actual refurbished church, and it’s pretty cool. I’m not religious so it didn't bother me at all, but if you do have an issue with drinking in the eyes of thelord so to speak then give it a miss.

Until Next Time

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