Visit Northamptonshire – a beautiful county in the East Midlands of England, also known as ‘The Rose of the Shires’.
The county offers picturesque views and various adventure opportunities for all ages. Read on to know more about the different ways you can explore Northamptonshire.
(We also have a post on Northamptonshire villages to read)
The Best 20 Things To Do In Northamptonshire
Here then are some of the places that make Northamptonshire such a lovely place to visit…
Kelmarsh Hall-&-Gardens
The glorious Kelmarsh Hall & Gardens make for a sublime trip when visiting Northampton. The house itself is not massive by stately manor standards but is very interesting and definitely worth a visit.
The house looks extremely impressive and the rooms live up to the high expectations as well. The gardens are just as beautiful, with plenty of benches and picnic tables dotted around.
Brixworth Country-Park
This beautiful park is enjoyable all year round and offers the perfect location to sit down, turn off your phone, take a deep breath, and unwind. Take your dog or bring your partner for a romantic walk or just go alone.
The relatively new park offers views of Pitsford Water reservoir (pictured)
The whole area has something for everyone and offers stunning opportunities for photography too.
Stanwick Lakes
No matter whether you are looking for a lovely walk, a fun picnic, a beautiful bike ride, or just some time to relax and unwind, the Stanwick Lakes is ideal for you.
The premises are always clean and tidy and there are tons of places for kids to explore. If the gorgeous views are not enough for you, there is also a delightful cafe and a gift shop in the park.
Althorp House
This is Princess Diana’s family home, and as you would expect, history abounds everywhere.
This stunning piece of history is one of the most beautiful great houses in Britain and promises an eventful and exciting time for the whole family.
The fact that this place hasn’t been commercialized in order to maintain the family honor only adds to the charm.
Coton Manor-Gardens
While the garden grounds themselves are not expansive, you could easily spend an entire day here appreciating the amount of work put into the maintenance and aesthetics of the place.
Flamingoes and bantams run free in this scenic garden and the nursery is also worth a visit too.
78 Derngate
If you have a fascination or appreciation for Scottish architect Charles Rennie Macintosh, then this place just might be a dream come true for you.
This wonderfully restored house features some superb pieces of furniture and decor. To get the most out of your experience, the guided tour comes highly recommended.
Royal & Derngate Theatre
This iconic venue has an amazing mix of entertainment from inspirational speakers, touring plays, comedians, and traditional bands playing everything from rock to classic.
The theatres themselves are delightful with classic decor, comfortable seating, and a great view of the stage. The staff is exceptional and the various levels are fully accessible.
Bugtopia Kettering
This splendid little gem ideal for kids is the place for if you are looking to get up close and personal with various bugs and critters. The sessions are not only interactive but very informative and engaging too.
You’ll find meerkats, armadillos, snails, scorpions, tarantulas, and stick insects among others here.
Rookery Open-Farm
With so much to do here, especially for the young ones, a day at Rookery Open Farm is guaranteed to be fun-filled. You can up close with all the friendly farm animals and pet or feed them too.
The lovely open area has pigs, chickens, donkeys, and even peacocks. The various tractors and play castles scattered around the place make it an adventure for the tiny tots.
The Pinnacle Climbing Centre
The people over at The Pinnacle Climbing Centre are passionate about all forms of climbing and encourage both beginner and experienced climbers to face challenges they present.
The massive arena features over 2000 routes for climbing and 70 bouldering problems. The instructors are very knowledgable and helpful in boosting the confidence of all climbers.
Abington Park
This community haven is a lovely large park with old fashioned values. It is a park with two halves, with the first one containing bowling greens, tennis courts, a bandstand, a cafe, an aviary, a museum, and a church as well.
The second half is much larger and has a children’s play area, lots of green space, three lakes, spinneys, and exercise equipment for all to use.
Delapre Abbey
The Delapre Abbey is a rare find – a historic estate which is in the early stages of being brought back to life. The guided tour is a must and covers the history of the house in vivid detail.
900 years of history has been beautifully preserved in this estate. The staff is very friendly and welcoming and has excellent knowledge of the entire property.
Phipps NBC – The Albion-Brewery
The Albion Brewery is one of the most exciting and unusual bars in Northampton. The Brewery tours are interesting, informative, fun and personal.
This place is an excellent way to spend a few hours well and has plenty of beer sampling options available all year round.
Heart-of-the-Shires Shopping Village
This lovely little village has quaint shops selling everything from beauty salons, sweets to clothes, hairdressers and a massive cook shop.
This is the perfect place to shop to your heart’s content away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The place also has a small play area for the kids to enjoy.
Aspers Casino
If you like the atmosphere of a casino, Aspers in Northampton serves outstanding meals with beautifully presented food.
The decor consists of beautiful lighting and exquisite mirrors all around that add to the appeal of this popular place.
Cottesbrooke Gardens
Cottesbrooke is an interesting place tucked away from the main roads that offers a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.
The house features several elegant rooms designed with delightful ceramics and paintings, mainly emphasizing on horses. The garden restaurant serves delicious cakes and tea for tourists to savor.
Whilton Mill Karting
The Whilton Mill is Northampton’s premier kart track that has much more in store than just karts. They offer activities like quad-biking and clay pigeon shooting too.
This is a great place to visit regardless of age, as there is something for everyone to enjoy. The staff is courteous and pleasant, and make the experience memorable even for first-timers.
Northampton Guild-Hall
This beautiful building in the heart of Northampton is a lovely example of civic architecture. The gorgeous staircase and stained glass make for stunning backdrops to photographs.
The courtyard also has lovely statues depicting people important to local history. The entire premises, overall, is a wonderfully maintained reminder of the past.
Northampton Museum & Art Gallery
This museum can truly be considered the hidden gem of Northampton. This place is a treasure trove which you will particularly enjoy if you are a history enthusiast.
There are interesting and informative displays for all ages with a special emphasis on shoes. There is a good mix of real artifacts, video presentations and voiced events like the fire of Northampton.
Castle Ashby Gardens
This place has so much to see and do including gorgeous walks, beautiful gardens, an adventure playground for kids and a small menagerie where you can interact with meerkats and giant rabbits.
The gardens are impressive and well-kept, you can also take a walk through the woods.
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