Oakham

Oakham is the county town of Rutland, England's smallest historic county, and it wears that status lightly. A tangle of golden-stone streets, a busy Wednesday and Friday market, and a medieval great hall in the middle of it all give Oakham the feel of a market town that has simply carried on as it always has, largely untroubled by the passage of the centuries. It sits almost exactly in the middle of the county, a short drive from the vast expanse of Rutland Water, and close enough to the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire borders that it makes a sensible base for exploring the wider East Midlands countryside.

The town grew up around its castle and market, and both are still very much its heart. Oakham School, founded in 1584, occupies a cluster of handsome buildings along the High Street and Church Street, and the parish church of All Saints, with its tall spire, is a local landmark visible for miles across the flat Rutland countryside. Beyond the town centre, Rutland's gently rolling farmland and its famous reservoir give Oakham a genuinely rural setting, making it a popular choice for walkers, cyclists and watersports fans as much as for anyone interested in its history.

Top things to do in Oakham

Oakham packs a surprising amount into a small town, and Rutland Water is only a few minutes away by car, so a short stay here can easily combine history, nature and the water.

• Oakham Castle — Not a castle in the turreted sense, but the surviving great hall of a late 12th-century fortified manor house, and one of the best-preserved Norman halls in England. Its real claim to fame is the horseshoe collection lining the walls: for over 500 years, peers of the realm visiting Oakham for the first time have been required to present a ceremonial horseshoe to the Lord of the Manor. The oldest dates from a visit by Edward IV in 1470, and members of the Royal Family have added to the collection in recent years. Admission is free, and the grounds include a sensory garden and lawn games.
• Rutland Water — One of the largest reservoirs in Europe by surface area, a few miles east of the town centre. A 17-mile cycle and walking trail circles the water, with bike hire available at Whitwell and Normanton, and there's sailing, windsurfing and fishing for those who want to get out on it.
• Rutland Water Nature Reserve — Run by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust at the western end of the reservoir, this is one of the best birdwatching sites in the Midlands and the place ospreys returned to breed in England after Rutland's reintroduction project. Hides and waymarked trails make it easy to explore.
• Rutland County Museum — Housed in a former Georgian cavalry riding school on Catmose Street, the museum tells the story of Rutland's farming, rural life and archaeology, from Roman finds to agricultural machinery.
• Oakham Market Place — The town's outdoor market has run since a charter was granted in the 13th century, and still trades on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, with stalls set out around the medieval Buttercross and its stocks.
• Normanton Church — A striking domed church that appears to rise straight out of Rutland Water, having been partly flooded when the reservoir was created in the 1970s. Now home to a small museum on the story of the reservoir, it's one of the most photographed spots in the county.
• Barnsdale Gardens — Created by the late gardening broadcaster Geoff Hamilton as a series of themed demonstration gardens, this is a short drive from Oakham on the north shore of Rutland Water and popular with keen gardeners.

Getting to Oakham

Oakham sits just off the A606, which connects it to Melton Mowbray and Leicestershire to the west and Stamford in Lincolnshire to the east, with the A1 a short drive beyond. The A6003 runs south towards Corby and the A14, useful for anyone approaching from the south or from London. Oakham railway station, on the Birmingham to Peterborough/Stansted line operated by CrossCountry, has direct services to Leicester, Peterborough and Birmingham, making the town reasonably easy to reach without a car. The nearest larger stations for East Midlands and long-distance connections are at Peterborough and Leicester, both around 20-30 minutes away by train.

Best time to visit Oakham

Late spring through early autumn suits Oakham best, when Rutland Water's trails, watersports centres and the nature reserve are all in full swing and the market town itself is at its liveliest. Summer weekends bring sailing regattas and outdoor events around the reservoir. Ospreys are typically present at Rutland Water from late March to early September, so birdwatchers should aim for that window. Autumn brings quieter trails and good colour around the water, while a crisp winter visit still has plenty to offer thanks to the castle, museum and the town's pubs and cafes, with the added draw of the Christmas market on the Market Place.

Where to stay in Oakham

Oakham has a handful of independent hotels and inns in and around the town centre, along with well-regarded country house accommodation nearby, including Hambleton Hall on a peninsula overlooking Rutland Water. Bed and breakfasts and guest houses are dotted around the town and surrounding villages, and self-catering cottages are common in the countryside towards Rutland Water and beyond. For those touring the wider area, Oakham makes a convenient base within easy reach of Stamford, Melton Mowbray and the reservoir itself.

Food and drink in Oakham

The Market Place and surrounding streets hold a good spread of pubs, cafes and restaurants for a town of Oakham's size. The Grainstore Brewery on Station Road brews its own ales on site and serves them in its taproom, a favourite with real ale fans. The Lord Nelson, tucked just off the Market Place, and The Hornblower both offer solid pub food in central, historic settings. The Angler, on Northgate, combines wood-fired pizzas and hand-rolled pasta with British classics using produce from Rutland suppliers. For something more special, Hambleton Hall's dining room, overlooking Rutland Water just outside town, has long held a Michelin star. Oakham's weekly market and the shops around the Buttercross are worth a browse for local produce, including cheeses and baked goods from Rutland farms.