Getting outdoors into fresh air is an amazing way to help your mental health and wellbeing. Especially over the next few months, the decreased hours of daylight and greyer skies can have large impacts on our energy levels and mental health. Therefore, it is important to make the extra effort to get outside. I really enjoy visiting green spaces and think Nottingham has some great options to choose from. Walks and natural spaces can reduce stress levels, offer inspiration, help you re-energise and regain perspective, and be a great break from studying.
However, particularly as a student, it can be hard to find natural spaces and walking routes that are close by and not too expensive to reach. This list offers 7 recommendations which are easy to get to by foot or public transport, aren’t too far from the university campuses in Nottingham, and how to get to them.
Attenborough Nature Reserve
This is my top recommendation on the list. It’s a beautiful reserve not too far from Beeston with many walking routes, lakes, wildlife and greenery, Part of it runs alongside the River Trent. If you want to feel really immersed in nature, this is an excellent choice as it’s not too far from towns and shops but really feels like a complete breather from the city! There is also a visitor centre, which has a café on the lake.
How to get there: the easiest way is to take the indigo bus towards Derby or Briar Gate and get off at the Barton Lane stop. It’s about a 5 minute walk from there. However, there are multiple entrances to the reserve which are quite easy to find with online maps.
Wollaton Park
Wollaton Park has a lake, many walking paths and lots of deer which you can often spot! Within the park you can visit the picturesque Wollaton Hall (to which there is free admission and natural history museum collections inside), the Hall’s gardens, cafés and shops. Sometimes there are also events going on within the park.
How to get there: there are several entrances to the park. It is a walkable distance from University Park campus, or you can take several buses, including the 35, 36 and i4 to Wollaton Park Gates bus stop, and the 35 to Wollaton Rise bus stop. Â
The Canal
The Canal runs through Nottingham into and out from the city, and is a good choice if you want a singular route to follow. You could take it into the city centre or out towards Beeston and greener areas, where it joins the River Trent.
How to get there: there are many places to join onto the canal. This includes steps on the bridge near Gregory Street tram stop, in Dunkirk, the city centre and by Beeston Lock.
Beeston Lock
The Lock is near Beeston Marina and the Weir Field Recreation Ground which are also great places to walk around. There is also a Canalside Heritage Centre and café there you can visit. The views of the hills around the Lock are gorgeous.
How to get there: Take the CT4N 18 bus towards Beeston and get off at the Roy Avenue stop. Or, as it is near the Attenborough Nature reserve, and if you’d like to do a longer walk, it’s easy to access if you walk through the reserve.
The Arboretum
This historic garden is a great choice for an option in the city, and one which is nearer Jubilee Campus. It has an interesting variety of species and plant displays, and includes a bandstand, lake and several trails.
How to get there: it’s a 7-minute walk from the Nottingham Trent University tram stop. You could take the indigo bus to Wollaton Street stop, or the 36 bus to Clarendon Street, and it’s around a 12-minute walk from both.Â
Beeston Sidings – Miniature Nature Reserve
This mini nature reserve is a good choice for a short walk and is also very close to University Park campus (it is right behind the University Sports Ground and Hockey Centre).
How to get there: It’s about a 5 min walk from the South Entrance (Stop UN04) bus stop and the University of Nottingham tram stop.
Highfields Park
Last but by no means least – this one may be obvious but Highfields Park (the area including and surrounding the University of Nottingham Park Campus lake) is gorgeous to walk around in all seasons!
How to get there: there are entrances to get to the lake all around it, including by the Trent Building, near University Boulevard Tram stop, and by the Lakeside Arts building.