A Freshers’ Guide to Nottingham

A Fresher’s guide to Nottingham

Freshers, Impact’s Lucy Woodward has shared some of the best Notts spots for you to impress your friends with. You can thank us later.

The first few weeks of university have the potential to be pretty overwhelming. With so many exciting things to do, new people to meet and cool places to explore, it’s easy to see how being a fresher could feel a bit like being a kid in an ice cream shop staring at an enticing display of extremely appealing choices. How on earth do you work out which decisions will lead to The Best Possible Freshers Experience?!

Of course, just like ice cream, everyone has their own preferences, so doing whatever you’re most drawn to is most likely going to be what’s right for you. But, for those of you still feeling perplexed by the seemingly endless ways to have a good time, here’s my guide to the top things to do as a fresher in Nottingham that will help you get a feel for the city.

Let’s start with the daytime: it’s lunchtime and you’re in the city centre with a few friends looking for somewhere to eat. The Fox Café on Pelham Street does some of the best sandwiches and paninis you’ll find, with plenty of veggie, vegan, gluten-free and meat options available. Once you’re done in Lace Market, continue down the road past the Pride rainbow on the road towards Hockley. There’s an incredibly aesthetic plant shop just across Lower Parliament Street called the Watered Garden. You won’t find anywhere better for satisfying all your dreams of that Pinterest-inspired bedroom overflowing with succulents and cacti. For anyone questioning their abilities to juggle fresher life with plant parenting, however, just browsing the amazing array of greenery on offer is still lovely (and a safe bet if you’re keen to avoid your new room turning into a houseplant graveyard!). If navigating your way back to halls from town feels daunting, don’t worry. Something I’ve grown to appreciate about Nottingham is that transport is so straightforward – it’s almost impossible to get lost on your way to and from campus on the trams, trust me. The closest stops to Uni Park campus are University Boulevard and University of Nottingham (depending on your hall). Just hop on the trams heading towards Hucknall, when you’re going into the city centre, and Toton Lane when returning to campus.

Nottingham’s second-hand fashion scene is amazing. A short walk up the road from Market Square brings you to the Lace Market, where there’s an array of cool independent charity and vintage clothes shops, such as COW and White Rose. It’s a fun way to update your wardrobe more sustainably, whilst also getting to know the city as you walk from one shop to the next.

On a sunny afternoon, nothing beats a walk around Wollaton Park. There’s a big, beautiful lake and green open spaces that make you forget you’re in a city, as well as over 200 wild deer. It’s a great place to de-stress, and is especially close for those in halls by David Ross Sports Village; plus, it’s completely free to walk around! For green spaces closer to Lenton and the city centre, the Arboretum or the parks within the Park Estate are hard to beat. And whilst you’re there, a cool spot to tick off your Notts bucket list is the Park Tunnel, a 125m pass carved from the natural Nottingham Castle Sandstone that was originally designed for horse-drawn carriages headed to the castle. It’s a little hidden away, but there’s easy access down a staircase on Derby Road.

Another trail worth exploring is along the River Trent. I’ve enjoyed many a bike ride, run or walk along these cycle paths, with Trent Bridge, Victoria Gardens and Green’s Windmill being note-worthy sights to tick off along the way. The first time I headed down to the Victoria Embankment in my second year, I was surprisingly reminded of the gorgeous French city of Lyon. I think it was the combination of the beautiful suspension bridge covered in love locks, the sunset reflecting on the river and the bustle of people enjoying evening walks. Who knew Nottingham could be so beautiful?

Of course, Nottingham is well-known for being a good night out. For cocktails or evening snacks, Bunk, Pepper Rocks and Las Iguanas all have great energy, good music and those cool neon lights a lot of us are suckers for. For pubs, I suggest the Ned Ludd, Angel Microbrewery or the Organ Grinder, which all offer a friendly atmosphere and decently priced drinks. In terms of clubs, my favourites are Rock City and, admittedly, Ocean. I know, I said it, but you just can’t get better than never-ending cheesy hits and a sticky carpet.

It goes without saying that this guide only scratches the surface of the many things to do in Nottingham but, hopefully, it can serve as a starting point for making your Freshers exploration that bit easier.

By Lucy Woodward Illustrations by Gemma Cockrell Page Design by Chiara Crompton