GPS Cycle and Walking Routescycle iconwalk icon

Rockingham Castle

0.62 miles (1 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap The grounds and pretty gardens surrounding this castle near Corby are ideal for an easy afternoon stroll. The castle is in an elevated position giving wonderful views over the Welland Valley and five surrounding counties of England. There are 18 acres of beautiful gardens to explore with herbaceous borders, a rose garden, ornamental statues, yew hedges and yew pillars. There are also woodland trails, a pond and a tea room for refreshments. You can purchase a ticket for the grounds and gardens only to enjoy the walk. See website below for details.
If you would like to continue your walk then you could pick up the long distance Jurassic Way trail and follow it to the nearby East Carlton Park.

Postcode

LE16 8TH - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Please click here for more information

Rockingham Castle OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Rockingham Castle Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Dog Walking

Only assistance dogs are permitted inside the castle. They are allowed in the gardens on a lead though. A water bowl is available in the Courtyard.

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

A few miles to the east you can try the Rockingham Forest Walk which will take you from King's Cliffe to Barrowden through the ancient woodland of Fineshade Woods and Wakerley Woods. Near the woods there's also the noteworthy Harringworth Welland Viaduct. The Grade II listed viaduct is about a kilometre long, and was completed in 1878. It contains 82 arches and is notable as the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in Britain.
Just to the east of Fineshade you'll find the pretty village of King's Cliffe where you can pick up the Kings Cliffe Railway Walk. The easy trail runs along a now disused railway line to the east of the village. King's Cliffe is also a pleasant place for a stroll with a Norman church, picturesque 17th century almshouses and nice views of the Willow Brook, a tributary of the River Nene. There's also a fine old 18th century pub for refreshments afterwards. Near here there's also Blatherwycke Lake to explore. There's some lovely waterside trails with lots of birdlife to see on the water at this scenic spot.
To the north there's some nice waterside trails to follow around the pretty Eyebrook Reservoir near Uppingham.
A few miles to the west there's Hallaton to explore. The village includes a particularly picturesque pond, a 13th century church and quaint thatched cottages. Hallaton is also the location for the famous annual bottle kicking contest which takes place on Easter Monday.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Northamptonshire Walks page.

Photos

Rockingham Castle entrance

Rockingham Castle entrance. Formerly a royal castle and hunting lodge, now the family home of the Saunders Watson family, in Rockingham Forest on the northern edge of the English county of Northamptonshire a mile to the north of Corby.

Rockingham Castle - tea rooms - geograph.org.uk - 2498935

Tea rooms from above.

Rockingham Castle Wall Geograph-4481904-by-Richard-Humphrey

View over the castle wall to the surrounding countryside.

South Lodge at Rockingham Castle - geograph.org.uk - 564131

South Lodge. This lodge is at the Uppingham Road entrance

Herbaceous borders in Rockingham Castle grounds - geograph.org.uk - 2028097

Herbaceous borders in the grounds

Rose garden at Rockingham Castle - geograph.org.uk - 2028073

Rose garden

Street inside Rockingham Castle - geograph.org.uk - 31554

Street inside the castle grounds

In the Wild Garden - geograph.org.uk - 31761

In the Wild Garden

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Rockingham Castle.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Rockingham Castle.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)