101 things to do in nottingham

101 Things to do in Nottingham

www.su.nottingham.ac.uk

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There’s loads of fun to be had in Nottingham during your time at university both on and off campus. To help you make the most of everything the Students’ Union and the city have to offer we’ve gathered together over 100 ideas into one handy booklet. Watching the pennies? Don’t worry - most of the things on the list can be done for free or for only a few quid and we’ve marked out the best value tips with the Skint? logo.

See how many you can tick off before you leave…

1. Learn a new skill. Whether it’s juggling or bell ringing, there’ll be a society or club you

can try something different with. Visit www.su.nottingham.ac.uk or come to Freshers’ Fair from 20th-22nd September to find out more.

101 Things to do in

Nottingham

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Explore2. Visit Nottingham Castle. Whilst it’s

not really a castle – more of a stately home – there’s a museum and art gallery in the grounds and it’s free for Nottingham city residents from Monday to Friday.

�. Grab a map of University Park and make it your mission to visit every

garden (not necessarily on the same day).

�. Get your hands on a car and head out to Newstead Abbey - former

home of the poet, Lord Byron - for the afternoon. It’s only a 20 minute drive from Nottingham and the pretty gardens are a great place to chill out for the day.

�. Go on a day trip to one of Nottingham’s neighbouring cities

or towns. Newark’s pretty, as is Lincoln if you’ve got the energy to venture that far.

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�. Eat toffee apples and candy floss ‘til you feel sick at the Goose Fair which

runs from 6th to 9th October 2010.

7. Go on a random tram journey.

8. Find the secret garden on University Park.

9. Enjoy the great outdoors on a day out to the Peak District. It’s not that

far from Nottingham and RamSoc runs trips there most Sundays.

10. Run around like Robin Hood and his merry men in Sherwood

Forest. (Green tights are optional.)

11. Head to City of Caves and explore the underground

network beneath the streets that’s been used by the people of Nottingham for centuries.


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12. Have a picnic in Wollaton Park. It’s absolutely free and only a couple

of minutes walk from University Park. Just don’t chase the deer - they get very cross!

1�. Go for a wholesome day out at Attenborough Nature Reserve.

Don’t forget to take your wellies!

1�. Take a walk around the Arboretum park on a sunny day and say hello to

the birds.

1�.Team up with a friend who has a car and take a trip to the Vale of

Belvoir. Then laugh at the fact that it’s actually pronounced ‘Beaver’.

1�. Take a wander around the lake on University Park and feed the ducks.

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17. Try your hand at archery. This is the home of Robin Hood after all!

18. Go for a round of Golf at Wollaton Park Golf Club. Stop for

a cream tea at the club house afterwards.

19. Try a new sport with the Athletic Union.

20. Go to Alton Towers. It only takes an hour or so to get to from

Nottingham.

21. Hop on your bike or take a stroll along the canal. You can

get a cycle map for Nottingham at www.nottingham.ac.uk/estate/environment/cycleroutes.html.

Activities


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22. Sign up for a project with the Student Volunteer Centre.

2�. Have a go at canoeing at the National Water Sports Centre.

2�. Go ice skating on the rink in the middle of Market Square at

Christmas.

2�. Take in the great outdoors. Hire a bike (or even a tandem) and cycle round

Clumber Park.

2�. Pick up loads of freebies at Freshers’ Fair from 20th-22nd September

including FREE PIZZA from Dominos.

27. And join at least one society…

28. …And an Athletic Union club.


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29. Go and play Quasar on the multi-level playing area at Quasar Nottingham,

22 Cranbrook Street.

�0. Come over all cultural and go to see one of the outdoor plays at

Nottingham Castle over the summer.

�1. Go and watch one of our sports teams give Trent a sound whooping at a

Varsity match.

�2. Check out the Lakeside Arts Centre on University Park campus for

theatre, dance, comedy, music and exhibitions.

��. See a film at the Savoy Cinema in Lenton. It’s an independent cinema

and at only £3.50 for students (£1.75 if you team up with a mate and go on Orange Wednesdays) it’s a lot cheaper than the big cinemas in town. There’s even a bar so you can take a beer into the film with you.

Entertainment

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��. Go and see a show at Nottingham Playhouse. You can

get tickets from the Students’ Union Box Office in the Portland Building.

��. Watch an ice hockey match at the National Ice Centre.

��. See a New Theatre production (Nottingham’s totally student-run

theatre). There’s something on virtually every week during term and tickets are only a few quid.

�7. Go to an outdoor gig in Market Square. Check out www.

nottinghamcity.gov.uk for listings.

�8. See a film at fabulous independent cinema, Broadway.

Get there in time to have a nibble at the café beforehand or look out for one of their themed nights.


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�9. Go and see a concert at the massive Trent FM Arena.

�0. See a gig at The Malt Cross, an old Victorian music hall that’s been

reinvented as a pub, just off Market Square.

�1. Watch some cricket at Trent Bridge – it’s the world’s third oldest cricket

ground.

�2. Go to the dog racing. A bit random, but then that’s what uni’s all about.

Phone ahead and for just a tenner you can get a beer, a pie and a couple of free bets.

��. Break the ice with your new friends and make a treasure trail round your

halls or on campus with funny clues and silly prizes.

��. Tune into URN, the Students’ Union’s award-winning radio station.


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Eat

��. Pop into Lee Rosey’s Tea for a cuppa and a slice of yummy cake.

��. Try Edin’s Café for continental nibbles late into the evening.

�7. Head to Alley Café for delicious (and cheap) vegetarian and vegan food.

Even die-hard carnivores will be won over!

�8. Another treat for hungry vegetarians and vegans is Squeek in Hockley. It’s

a popular place for flavoursome meat-free food so it’s worth booking ahead.

�9. See how many bowls of food you can manage at all you can eat buffet, the

Flaming Dragon. Don’t forget to claim your 10% student discount.

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�0. Sample the fabulous Sunday roast at the Hand and Heart,

a lovely pub set into a cave near Canning Circus. Then pop upstairs for a browse around their art gallery.

�1. Drop by the Crocus Café, a not-for-profit, Fairtrade eatery in

Lenton.

�2. Go to Mooch - the Students’ Union bar in the Portland

Building - between lectures for a cheap and tasty bite to eat or a cheeky pint.

��. Visit Le Bistro Pierre on one of their taster menu nights for posh

French nosh at reasonable prices.

��. Have breakfast at the legendary Warsaw Diner in Canning Circus.

��. Take someone out for an intimate meal at the top floor of

the Falcon Inn.


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��. Nottingham is a haven for curry lovers with scores of great quality Indian

restaurants. If you fancy branching out from your usual chicken tikka masala, give Kayal a try. This gem of a restaurant specialises in South Indian cuisine and was listed by the Times as one of the UK’s top 10 Indian restaurants. The focus is on seafood, but there’s a good range of meat and vegetarian/vegan dishes too.

�7. Have a meal at French Living. There’s a shop and café upstairs and a

restaurant downstairs serving classic French dishes from a menu that changes with the season.

�8. If you can, persuade your parents or a rich friend to take you for a posh meal

at the World Service. If you’re rich, take someone else.

�9. Try and eat a whole plate of Nachos to yourself at Mooch. Not as easy as

it sounds.

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Drink �0. Drink pink champagne on a bed

in Tantra.

�1. Visit Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem for a pint of their very own ‘Olde

Trip’ ale. Set into a cave at the base of Nottingham Castle, it’s (allegedly) the oldest inn in Britain and has ghost stories and myths aplenty. Have a go on the funny hoop swinging game. Ladies should be careful not to inadvertently sit in the pregnancy chair!

�2. The Bell also claims to be the oldest pub in Britain. You’d

better go for a pint there too, just in case!

��. Take your pick from over 500 top-notch beers and ciders at

the Robin Hood Beer Festival which runs from 14th-17th October at Nottingham Castle.


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��. Sample one of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ at the gothic looking Pit and

Pendulum. Don’t forget to visit the toilets – you’ll understand why when you get there!

��. Make friends with a Trenty at The Orange Tree.

��. Have a cocktail looking out over the city at Saltwater.

�7. Go for a drink at the stunning Pitcher and Piano. It’s located in a converted

church complete with stained glass windows behind the bar.

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Party�8. Go to Dogma on a Thursday. It’s

free to get in and you’ll be treated to music by some great DJs.

�9. Go raving at Firefly - a firm favourite with Nottingham

students. Visit www.ilovefirefly.net for more info. You can get tickets from the Students’ Union Box Office in the Portland Building.

70. Boogie the night away to cheesy tunes at Ocean.

71. Go to at least one ball.

72. Head for the main dance floor in Oceana, but be prepared to lose

everyone you came with - the place is like a maze!

7�. Go to Stealth vs Rescue on a Saturday.


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7�. The Bodega Social Club is only £2 for students on Wednesdays and there

are cheap drinks all night too.

7�. Play hide-and-seek in a club.

7�. For a party with a difference head to Sounds on the Downs in June.

It’s the Students’ Union’s FREE one day festival powered entirely by renewable energy.

77. Be the first person on the dance floor at least once.

78. Dance the night away with a squeaky-clean conscience at Demo,

Nottingham’s one and only charity night club.

79. Check out one of the more quirky one-off events at The Venue.

80. Get your glad rags on and celebrate the end of exams at the Summer

Party in June.

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81. Be a true local. Dress in full red gear, paint your face and go to see

a Nottingham Forest football match.

82. Join a Students’ Union committee or network.

8�. Have an article published in Impact, the Union’s student-run magazine.

8�. Run your own private film screening at the world’s smallest cinema, the

Screen Room. With only 21 seats it’s available for private hire (for not too much money per head) and as long as you have the DVD they’ll show anything you want!

Only in Nottingham

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8�. Vote in the Exec elections in March – the biggest student

elections in the country.

8�. Have your picture taken riding one of the lions in Market

Square.

87. Do something immature/embarrassing under the guise of

raising money for charity.

88. Go on a Rag Raid.

89. Vote in your JCR elections in October. If you’re feeling keen,

run for a position on the Committee.

90. Check out a Students’ Union market day in the Atrium in the

Portland Building.


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91. Sing in the street with a busker.

92. Submit a motion to NUS (National Union of Students). Their Annual

Conference is in the spring and it’s a unique opportunity to get your voice heard on a national scale.

9�. Start your own show on URN, the Union’s student-run radio station.

9�. Become a Karni rep.

9�. Find out where the Nightline office is by training to be a Nightliner and

keep it a secret.

9�. Buy a University of Nottingham hoodie from one of the Students’

Union shops.

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97. Go on a Nottingham Ghost Walk. If you’re really brave, go at

Halloween.

98. Get in the festive spirit and visit the German Christmas Market

held in Market Square in December.

99.Submit a motion to Union Council.

100. Borrow something you’d never normally listen to

from the Students’ Union’s CD and Record Library.

101. Get your picture taken doing a silly pose with the Robin

Hood statue by Nottingham Castle.

This booklet is available in large print, Braille, tape, electronic and disk versions.

Please contact the Publicity Coordinator on 0115 846 8726.

FSC

The University of Nottingham Students’ Union (company limited by guarantee) Company Registration No. 7229624Charity Registration No. 1136986Registered Office: The Portland Building, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD.

2010

101 things to do in nottingham

Documents

map of university park

people of nottingham

arboretum park

day trip

nottingham city residents

wollaton park golf club

wholesome day

sunny day