Peggy's Adventures: Mystery, History and Motorhomes in Nottinghamshire

After our lovely stay in Beeston, Peggy carried us on to our next overnight stop – the Bridge area in Nottingham. As always, half the fun of motorhome travel is finding new places to park up and explore.

Once settled, we headed to the Ferry Boat Inn for a few well-earned drinks. Situated beside the River Trent, the pub has long been a favourite stop for travellers and locals alike. The River Trent itself has played a huge role in Nottingham's history for centuries, acting as one of England's most important trading rivers. Before the age of railways and motorways, goods travelled up and down the Trent connecting Nottingham with Hull and the North Sea.

After a relaxing evening and a peaceful night's sleep in Peggy, we were up bright and early for the highlight of the weekend – a Mystery Guides tour of Nottingham. This had been a wonderful Christmas present from my mum, and it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable ways we've ever explored a city.

Armed with clues, maps and plenty of enthusiasm, we set off to solve puzzles while discovering parts of Nottingham we would never normally have noticed. The tour encouraged us to look up, look closely and pay attention to architectural details hidden in plain sight. We spotted carvings, unusual stonework, historic plaques and fascinating features on buildings that thousands of people probably walk past every day without a second glance.

Nottingham is packed with history. The city dates back to Saxon times and became one of England's most important medieval towns. It is, of course, forever linked with the legend of Robin Hood, whose stories have been told for hundreds of years.

One of the most fascinating stops was Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem. Nestled beneath Nottingham Castle, it claims to be one of England's oldest inns, with parts dating back to around 1189. The pub is built directly into the sandstone caves beneath the castle and is full of quirky rooms, historic artefacts and tales of knights supposedly stopping for refreshments on their way to the Crusades. It was incredibly busy during our visit, but it was easy to see why so many people wanted to experience such a unique piece of Nottingham's history.

After completing our mystery adventure and learning far more about Nottingham than we ever expected, we pointed Peggy towards the village of Kelham.

Our destination was the Fox Inn, where we enjoyed a tasty meal before heading out to explore. Kelham may be a small village, but it has a surprisingly grand history thanks to Kelham Hall. The impressive hall was designed by the famous Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott, who also designed London's St Pancras Station. With its stunning Gothic Revival architecture, towers and ornate stonework, it feels more like a castle than a country house.

We were lucky enough to wander around the grounds and admire the building before trying our hand at a bit of magnet fishing. We weren't expecting much, but we managed to pull out a teaspoon and a screw from the water! Not exactly treasure, but every find adds a little excitement to the day.

The Fox Inn proved to be another excellent motorhome stop. The pub car park was quiet overnight, and we noticed several other motorhomes parked up too, suggesting it is a popular stop for fellow travellers exploring the area.

Sunday morning brought another treat – Newark Autojumble. Anyone who enjoys classic vehicles, tools, collectables and all sorts of mechanical treasures would have been in their element. We spent a happy few hours browsing the stalls, never quite knowing what interesting item might appear around the next corner.

Before heading home, we took a scenic drive through Southwell. Dominating the town is the magnificent Southwell Minster, often described as one of England's most beautiful Norman churches. Built nearly 900 years ago, its famous stone carvings known as the "Leaves of Southwell" are regarded as some of the finest medieval carvings in Europe.

From Southwell we took the slower route home, winding through Nottinghamshire's charming villages and countryside. The quiet roads, rolling fields and picturesque villages provided the perfect ending to another wonderful weekend adventure.

From solving clues in Nottingham's historic streets to discovering hidden treasures in Kelham and admiring Southwell's magnificent Minster, this trip reminded us that some of the best adventures are found right on our doorstep.

Until next time,

Peggy's Crew