A break in the UK's Vale of Belvoir: rustic charm and royal ties in the East Midlands

The Normans named this valley ‘bel voir’, French for ‘beautiful view’, for its sprawling pastures and gentle hills. Between the bluebell fields of Stathern Wood and the gothic architecture of its eponymous hilltop castle, this network of quaint, rural villages in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire is just as charming today as it must have been a millennium ago.

Last year’s opening of the Adventure Playground at Belvoir Castle helped raise the destination’s profile as a countryside getaway for families seeking woodland walks, mountain biking and play. Yet, Belvoir isn’t just one for the kids. Four of only six UK creameries licensed to produce blue stilton are found here, while culture vultures can swing by Woolsthorpe Manor, formerly Sir Isaac Newton’s family home, where the apple tree that inspired his eureka moment regarding gravity still stands.

What to do

Explore the hallways, state rooms and galleries of Belvoir Castle, the ancestral home of the Duke of Rutland. While the history of the site dates back 1,000 years, today’s mansion — rebuilt in the early 19th century over the ruins of three previous fortresses — impresses with opulent Regency-era decor. There are 16,000 acres of greenery to explore, with highlights including a landscaped rose garden and dappled woodland. Stay a while for afternoon tea or an evening tipple and live music at the playfully decorated Balloon Bar, open on Fridays and Saturdays.

You’ll find more nature at Rutland Water, with 4,200 acres of parkland set around a reservoir. Explore on foot or two wheels, or head to the visitor centre for sailing and kayaking lessons year-round for all skill levels. Keep an eye on the sky — this is one of only two places in England with nesting ospreys, which were successfully reintroduced after becoming locally extinct in the 19th century.

Where to eat

Set in an 18th-century, Grade II-listed manor house-turned-hotel, Langar Hall is an elegant option. Expect a large wine list to accompany seasonal dishes, such as assiette of Langar lamb and tartlet of wild duck — although the standout order is the twice-baked cheese souffle. For a relaxed alternative, the Vale has a range of traditional English pubs. Recent renovations make the Windmill Inn in Redmile and the Wheel Inn in Branston standout choices.

Don’t miss

Head to Melton Mowbray for a taste of rural England. Dickinson and Morris’ Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe has been producing award-winning, hand-crafted pies for over 170 years and is credited with the invention of the Melton Mowbray pork pie, a British staple. If you’re left inspired, get involved with Brockleby bakery’s pie-making workshop, which includes a ploughman’s lunch or afternoon tea. Don’t leave without visiting Tuxford & Tebbutt’s Stilton Creamery to sample local blue stilton.

We like

Stopping for a bacon ‘butty’ at The Coffee Shot in Stathern village. This small cafe with outdoor seating is a popular option among hikers and cyclists, serving homemade cakes, meat from the local butcher and iced pressé drinks from Belvoir Fruit Farms. Once you’re suitably energised, take on the Vale’s own Jacob’s Ladder or stroll the two-mile route to Harby for a pint at the Nag’s Head, a pub that dates back to the 14th century.

Where to stay

Located at the foot of the castle and freshly refurbished as of 2022, Vale House is the Duchess of Rutland’s guest home turned five-star boutique hotel. Named after the estate’s green areas, from ‘Hermit’s Garden’ to ‘Blackberry Hill’, the nine bespoke guest rooms have a retro, homely decor — think ruched headboards and wooden furniture. Doubles with en suites from £110, room only.

For the best bel voirs, try glamping on the estate’s grounds in a fully furnished bell tent, which sleeps up to four. Toast marshmallows at the fire bowl and sip a fizzy glass in the hillside hot tub before bed. From £245 for a two-night minimum stay, room only.