Underwood: Gardens, Trails and Local History

Underwood in Nottinghamshire has several sides to it: the Hidden Valleys area brings signposted walking, cycling and horse-riding trails to the surrounding area, while gardens, animal experiences, church art and regional cuisine each add their own distinctive touch. This means you can shape your stay in different ways – with a walk, a cycling tour, a cultural visit or a relaxing meal. When choosing holiday accommodation or a holiday cottage, it is particularly useful to consider which of these aspects should define your trip.

Gardens, regional cuisine and animal experiences

The gardens at Felley Priory and the Tea Room are wheelchair accessible. Accessible toilets are located at the Tea Room and at the garden entrance. The Farmhouse Tea Room offers cakes, scones and light meals made with regional ingredients. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dietary requirements are also catered for. Anyone planning a trip with different dietary preferences in mind will therefore find a practical option here for taking a shared break.

Another facet is shown by Felley Animal Experiences, a small farm in Underwood, Nottinghamshire. Interactive animal experiences are offered there, including petting, feeding and brushing donkeys. This can be a varied addition to days spent exploring culture and walking, especially when different interests come together within the group. An important point for orientation: Haggs Farm is on private land and is not open to the public.

Church and local history

Underwood St Michael and All Angels was dedicated on 29 September 1890. The church features 14th-century-style architecture, including ashlar walls, a simple tiled roof, a shingle-covered spire and 14th-century-style lancet windows. St Michael’s is open every Thursday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 noon for the Chatterbox Cafe.

Inside the church, a war memorial commemorates the local officers and soldiers who fell in the First World War of 1914–1918. It consists of a clock, an east window and a plaque mounted on the outside of the east wall. Industrial history is also part of the village’s identity: the colliery in Underwood was initially called Selston Colliery and, in the early 1970s, Pye Hill No. 1 Colliery. A stay can therefore be explored not only through the landscape, but also through the area’s religious and industrial past.

Walks, cycling trails and getting there

The “Literary landscapes” walk passes through part of the historic Annesley Park estate, which was a major source of inspiration for Lord Byron and D. H. Lawrence. Direct bus services from Eastwood and Mansfield provide access to this walk; the stop is on the A608 in Underwood, at the top of Felley Mill Lane. Anyone planning to include this route can take the named stop into account when planning the day.

For cyclists, the Sutton and Eastwood Loop Cycling Trail passes through Underwood. The Broxtowe Country Trail also runs along Moorgreen Reservoir towards Underwood. Together with the many signposted trails in the Hidden Valleys, this provides various ways to make your stay active without limiting the area to just one type of excursion.

By car, Underwood can be reached via Junction 27 of the M1 and then the A608. For rail travel, the stations at Langley Mill and Hucknall are mentioned. When looking for accommodation, you can therefore first consider whether your trip is primarily organised around using your own car, access to the walk or arriving via one of the named stations. The specific location of the holiday accommodation you choose should fit this plan.

Compare more destinations

If you would like to consider other places for your trip planning in addition to Underwood, you can also view Misterton, Colston Bassett, East Retford, Calverton, Sutton In Ashfield, Dunham, Winthorpe and Worksop.

For the higher-level travel overview: Nottinghamshire.