Walks near Nottingham by train
Nottinghamshire · East Midlands
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Nottingham and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Nottingham.
Derby Circular via Allestree Park (Derbyshire)
30 minutes direct from Nottingham.
Parks, river and heritage trail.
Museum of Making (30m in)
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
6 lunch spots: Darley Park (1h15 in) — Darley Park Terrace Cafe, the Little Darley in the Park, the Abbey Inn, or the Darleys; plus the Joiners Arms (3h in), or the Orangery Café (4h in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Victoria Inn, or the Waterfall
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Similar walk: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership.
Duffield Circular via the Chevin (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Undulating countryside with several steep climbs.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Several steep climbs.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Similar walk: Visit Amber Valley (PDF).
Belper Circular via Kilburn (Derbyshire)
45 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Hilly countryside with several steep climbs. Alport Heights — a 314 m peak five miles away — is visible from the route on clear days. Route passes Holbrook.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Several steep climbs.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Similar walk: Visit Amber Valley (PDF).
Ambergate Circular via Pentrich (Derbyshire)
45 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Mixture of hilly and flat terrain with stiles along the way. Telling the story of the Pentrich Rising of 1817, exploring the local men who took part. Route passes through Fritchley and South Wingfield.
Time: 3h30 (2h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Oakham Circular via Manton (Rutland)
1 hour from Nottingham, with one change.
Villages, churches and views across the Vale of Catmose.
Time: 7h (5h walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
2 lunch spots: the Horse and Jockey Pub (1h45 in), or the Blue Ball (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: the Royal Duke, or the Grainstore Brewery
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Cromford Circular via Lea Bridge (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Nottingham, with one change.
Historic cotton mill, former railway track to High Peak Junction, canal towpath, deer park, bluebell woodland in Lea Wood, riverside fields and crossing of the River Derwent.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Visit Amber Valley (PDF).
Similar walk: East Midlands Railway.
Matlock Circular via Nine Ladies Stone Circle (Derbyshire)
1 hour from Nottingham, with one change.
Nine Ladies is a Bronze Age stone circle constructed between 3300-900 BCE; legend associates stones with women punished for Sunday dancing.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Walk Midlands (tips, photos and local insights).
Derby to Long Eaton (Derbyshire)
30 minutes direct from Nottingham.
Waterways — River Derwent, Derby & Sandiacre Canal and Erewash Canal.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: Canal Cottage Cafe (2h45 in), or the Navigation (3h15 in)
2 end-of-walk rewards: Peking House, or the Sawley Junction
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Derby to Peartree (Derbyshire)
30 minutes direct from Nottingham.
Largely urban walking on pavements and a riverside path, through parks and along the line of the Derby Canal.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
1 lunch spot: Waterside Café
Warnings: Only a few trains a day call at Peartree.
Walk details: North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (tips and turn-by-turn directions).
Duffield to Derby (Derbyshire)
30 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Repurposed railway track along the Great Northern Greenway.
Duffield Castle (National Trust)
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Bell and Harp (1h in), or the Three Horseshoes (2h15 in)
4 end-of-walk rewards: the Alexandra Hotel, the Brunswick, the Waterfall, or the Merry Widows
Warnings: Follows a busy road for a sixth of the walk.
Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.
Belper to Ambergate (Derbyshire)
45 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Footpaths, wooded valley paths, fields, stiles and tracks and a ridgeline route.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Knee-trapper stiles; two steady climbs make this a more demanding route.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).
Belper to Duffield (Derbyshire)
45 minutes from Nottingham, with one change.
Superb views over open country. Footpaths through ancient deer park, farm tracks, a tarmaced lane and bridleway across fields and river-bank path. Passes through the historic settlements of Bargate and Holbrook and follows the Midshires Way for part of the route.
Time: 4h (2h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: The right of way cuts straight through the front yards of a row of cottages — this is the right of way.
Walk details: Derwent Valley Line Community Rail Partnership (local insights).