Nottingham Arboretum Running Route

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Length: 4.3 km (2.7 miles)

For the other Nottingham route, click here.

Here's another Nottingham route, shorter than the main Nottingham Sights route. This one loops through a couple of quiet areas on the north side of town. It starts at the same spot as the other route, at the old market square, then takes you by the castle, heading downhill into the elegant "Park" neighborhood, west of downtown. Then it heads northeast, past the cemetary to the Arboretum park before heading back downtown.

Nottingham's old market

By now, you should be used to the starting point: the Exchange building at the old market. We'll follow the same first street as used in the other run, Friar Lane, running west to the castle.

View into the castle grounds

In just 2 blocks, you'll come to the castle gates. After taking a look into the castle grounds through the gates, follow Lenton Road as it goes downhill along the castle wall into the Park neighborhood.

The Park is a restricted-access neighborhood full of nice villas. It was once a deer park, developed in the 1800s by the dukes of Newcastle. There were a lot of ill-feelings at the time, because the townspeople regarded the area as public land.

It's a really nice area to run through, though, with its circular layout of homes bordered by some athletic fields on the east edge (lawn tennis and squash).

Tennis courts in the Park

When you come to a small, irregular roundabout, head diagonally to the right on Park Drive. This takes you to the center of the neighborhood, which consists of two small circular parks connected by Duke William Mount street.

Head north through both circles and keep running northwards along North Road. North Road ends at Derby Road, where you run out the neighborhood gates. Turn right here.

Run eastwards on Derby Road until you get to the big intersection at Alfreton Road. What looks like a small white train station straight ahead is the main entrance into the general cemetary. Turn left here and run to the first turnoff on the right side, Cromwell Street, where you turn right.

You will run along the cemetary wall for the entire length of the street. Cromwell Street ends right at the entrance to the Arboretum park. Cross Waverly Street and go into the park.

Arboretum pond

The Arboretum, Nottingham's oldest, is one of those beautiful little English parks that seem to have about everything packed into one small space: a flower-bordered pond with a fountain, a bird aviary, rolling lawns, a bandstand, formal gardens, pavillions, stately trees.

View back into the Arboretum from the tunnel

Let's do a loop of the park to return at the main entrance again. Run with the pond to your left, and the aviary on your right. This main path then runs between two small hills towards the back end of the park. When you come to the tunnel that leads out of the park, turn right and follow the path along the south edge of the park.

The Chinese Bell Tower

You'll come to a strange-looking pavillion, the Chinese Bell Tower, surrounded by cannon. The tower has a collection of Chinese and Russian writing on it, belying its mixed theme as a memorial to the wars against China and Russia during the mid-1800s. The bell is from Canton, the cannons captured in the Crimea.

The formal flower garden

After the pavillion, you'll go through the formal rose garden, then down the hill to the main exit on Waverly Street.

Turn left on Waverly and run straight back into the downtown. The street name will change to Goldsmith Street, going along the tram tracks past the main Nottingham Trent University building. The tram tracks will lead you right to the market square again along Market Street.

Nottingham Trent University