Rufford Abbey Country Park
Rufford Abbey Country Park
Rufford Abbey Country Park
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
A beautiful country park set around the 12th-century ruins of Rufford Abbey. Gardens, lakeside walks & woodland, shops, cafe, restaurant, tea shop, and a small exhibition about the life of the medieval monks who once lived here. Play area for young children. Good access for prams, pushchairs, mobility scooters and wheelchairs. Accessible loos. We open every day except Xmas Day and it's free to enter. Car park charge. Dogs welcome on a lead. A relaxing and magical place to visit.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingFull view
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
67 within 5 kms
Attractions
32 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Ian C1 contributionMulti Featured ParkRufford Abbey is a great day out. The Coach House Café serves lovely food and delicious drinks. The sculpture garden area is beautiful and so is the Orangery garden centre. This venue can always be guaranteed to satisfy the visitor, wether a young family or an old couple. Ample car parking £5 per day.Many thanks for your feedback.Written 10 May 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 8 April 2023
- Mumof3rascals12 contributionsBrill day with family.What a lovely day out. The lake is a pleasant walk not too long with a cafes along it. Other playgrounds is large with lots of things to do. I would bring food however as the restaurant near the entrance doesn’t have a lot of choice and is on the costly side.Many thanks for your feedback. Just so you are aware for future visits, we have several outlets where you can get food and drink. The Coach House Cafe which is located in the main courtyard, we also have a pizza van (open weekends and school holiday's) Lord Savile's Kitchen ( open for Saturday breakfast and brunch and Sunday's for a traditional carvery) There's also the Mill Tea Shop, The Boat House near the lake and our kiosk at the Adventure Play Area. We are so pleased you enjoyed your visit and we hope to see you again soon.Written 10 May 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited April 2023Written 5 May 2023
- rhodes48149 contributionsGreat placeLoved this place. We walked around the lake & on to the arboretum which was great. Some great plants in the garden center which were quite cheap. We played the crazy golf & did the archery, both which we thought were excellent value. Can't comment on the food as we didn't have anything to eat. The place was well kept & would visit again if in the area. Well worth the £5 to park the car. You could spend all day here with a picnic. Plenty of seating as well.Visited May 2023Travelled with familyWritten 3 June 2023
- Sarahtaylor23Battle, United Kingdom34 contributionsGreat family funLovely venue, incredibly helpful staff, reasonably priced shops and cafes. Plenty of options for all to eat inc kids and dietary requirements. Shop has a fab selection of lower priced items to satisfy the kids pocket money but also some beautiful gift ideas! The walk around the lake is also a lovely chance to explore for the children, however the highlight of the visit for them was DEFINITELY the play area this is one of the best I’ve seen for a long time and entertained my kids 11&8 for a very long time! Added bonus of there being a coffee/cake shake in the play area too ☺️Visited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 13 August 2023
- David SAshbourne, United Kingdom547 contributionsGreat place to visitGreat place to visit and free with just £5 parking. Lovely fresh pizzas and great ice cream shop too. Some lovely walks and dog friendly. Wish we lived nearer.Visited August 2023Travelled with familyWritten 24 August 2023
- RJBandRDBCamdenton, Missouri354 contributions"A walk in the park" that is very enjoyable.This is where we met up as family to have time together as siblings after 8 years in different countries. It was enhanced by the nice weather, but was a great 'walk in the park' and we enjoyed the café as well! To be recommended to families as friends.Visited July 2023Travelled with familyWritten 2 September 2023
- Rob_in_MansfieldMansfield, United Kingdom122 contributionsA visit to Rufford Country ParkWe have been to Rufford Country Park before but having reviewed Newstead Abbey recently we thought we should review Rufford Country Park again. Me and my wife visited the Park on a Wednesday morning. Parking was £5 - £1 less than Newstead and it was busy whereas at the same time two days earlier Newstead was quiet. Rufford is a vibrant Park. There are great walks, lovely gardens, a garden centre, two cafes, a restaurant that is lovely, a lake, a large play area for children and so it goes on and on. We like Rufford and we will be going back. We visited Newstead and we will not be going back again. Rufford is a great place for a family to have a great day out for just a parking fee of £5. Lovely place for couples, friends, etc.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 13 September 2023
- sandra139Sheffield, United Kingdom3 contributionsWe planned on a lovely walk in the Autumn sunshine with our dog Maverick but…Planned a lovely walk at Rufford but on arriving realised we had unfortunately forgot our dog lead. I walked to the gift shop to ask the lovely gentleman who was working there if they sold dog leads, but unfortunately they only had dog collars. This gentleman was so helpful and immediately got on the radio to ask the groundsmen if they had any spare rope we could use as a temporary lead. Thankfully they did and a groundsman arrived after about 20 mins wait. I just wanted to say a big Thank You to the gentleman in the gift shop and the groundsman who went out of his way to locate and then bring the rope so that we could enjoy our walk around Rufford Abbey.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 September 2023
- Chrissy316Leeds, United Kingdom44 contributionsGreat day outMe and my son visited on a coach trip here and we had such a wonderful day. We went on the pedalo’s, we did archery and played mini golf. The cafe was nice and we even did some rock painting. The playground is brilliant and we had a lovely walk around the lake and in the wood.Visited September 2023Travelled with familyWritten 1 October 2023
- kirstyNewark-on-Trent, United Kingdom4 contributionsMickey and Minnie Mouse visitCame with my friend and her son today to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse and complete the Halloween trail and have had a lovely day. The trail is very good and plenty to see along the way. The line to see Mickey and Minnie was quite long but went down quickly and they interacted so well with the children, you didn’t feel rushed at all. The cafe food was also very good and a very good price. We didn’t get to go in the park u unfortunately the rain came at the end, but other than that a lovely day was had by all.Visited October 2023Travelled with familyWritten 30 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,049 reviews
Excellent
653
Very good
279
Average
64
Poor
26
Terrible
27
Vikinglongboat
Derby, UK143 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Really disappointing that the Abbey was not accessible or open to visit which ruined our visit somewhat. Parking was £5 which is very reasonable considering what is on offer at the park; however, forcing visitors to pay this fee by card payment only at the gate is neither reasonable nor legal.
Extensive grounds which are well kept, play areas for kids, lakeside walk, gift shop, cafe and toilets (not great).
Well worth the parking fee but I won't be going again on principle due to the refusal to accept cash throughout the site.
Extensive grounds which are well kept, play areas for kids, lakeside walk, gift shop, cafe and toilets (not great).
Well worth the parking fee but I won't be going again on principle due to the refusal to accept cash throughout the site.
Written 17 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diane M
Sutton on Trent, UK25 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
Visited today with a friend, we had a lovely walk round . Beautiful views stunning countryside autumn colours. Nice lake area well kept and maintained. Happy helpful staff lovely little garden centre. Nice cafe serving dinners , lunch cakes and beverages. A lovely day out £5 for the carpark but lots to do when inside and the Abbey is very pleasant building.highly recommend great foot paths for prams and wheelchairs and great for dog walks.A nice place for families and friends to meet up and enjoy.
Written 1 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robb C
Nottingham, UK26 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
We've been here many many times. A really lovely place for a walk around the grounds and lake. Excellent day to visit today as I'd never seen it this quiet before.
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SouthYorks
Barnsley, UK397 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Lovely walk in the country park but disappointing to find no indoor or covered cafe for dog walkers. After all the recent rain all the outdoor benches were very wet so our only option was to stand up to eat our lunch whilst we tied our dog to a near by table. Not very satisfactory at a time when virtually everywhere you visit these days either allow dogs into a cafe or provide covered and sometimes heated seating for dog owners. Come of Rufford get your act together and meet the needs of approx 50% of your visitors!
Written 15 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Suzanne S
3 contributions
Nov 2023 • Family
We always love the seasonal trails for kiddy entertainment, there’s not loads of decorations but enough for a little walk and a happy 6 year old, plus the dog enjoys it too. Shop has lovely quality stuff in it too. The playground has had a facelift too, a little more play equipment.
Only down side is when it’s freezing there’s no indoor doggy friendly seating for eating. We went to the Rose Cottage pub down the road though which was brilliant.
Only down side is when it’s freezing there’s no indoor doggy friendly seating for eating. We went to the Rose Cottage pub down the road though which was brilliant.
Written 25 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue S
Newark-on-Trent, UK68 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Always a pleasure to go to Rufford.
Have been going for over 40 years and it just gets Betty and better.
Have been going for over 40 years and it just gets Betty and better.
Written 13 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon Bailey
Nottingham, UK147 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
We visited here in July, after coming back from a night stay in Doncaster, & decided to visit a few Heritage sites.
Next time we visit, we will definitely allow more time, as it is such a large place to get round. There is various things to do, from the museum experience, to walking the grounds, visiting the play park, or even having a bite to eat in the cafe.
Although the abbey is managed by English Heritage, the surrounding buildings & grounds are managed by Nottingham County Council, & therefore expect to pay parking on arrival.
Next time we visit, we will definitely allow more time, as it is such a large place to get round. There is various things to do, from the museum experience, to walking the grounds, visiting the play park, or even having a bite to eat in the cafe.
Although the abbey is managed by English Heritage, the surrounding buildings & grounds are managed by Nottingham County Council, & therefore expect to pay parking on arrival.
Written 31 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kirsty
Newark-on-Trent, UK4 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Came with my friend and her son today to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse and complete the Halloween trail and have had a lovely day. The trail is very good and plenty to see along the way. The line to see Mickey and Minnie was quite long but went down quickly and they interacted so well with the children, you didn’t feel rushed at all. The cafe food was also very good and a very good price. We didn’t get to go in the park u unfortunately the rain came at the end, but other than that a lovely day was had by all.
Written 30 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chrissy316
Leeds, UK44 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
Me and my son visited on a coach trip here and we had such a wonderful day. We went on the pedalo’s, we did archery and played mini golf. The cafe was nice and we even did some rock painting. The playground is brilliant and we had a lovely walk around the lake and in the wood.
Written 1 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
sandra139
Sheffield, UK3 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
Planned a lovely walk at Rufford but on arriving realised we had unfortunately forgot our dog lead. I walked to the gift shop to ask the lovely gentleman who was working there if they sold dog leads, but unfortunately they only had dog collars. This gentleman was so helpful and immediately got on the radio to ask the groundsmen if they had any spare rope we could use as a temporary lead. Thankfully they did and a groundsman arrived after about 20 mins wait. I just wanted to say a big
Thank You to the gentleman in the gift shop and the groundsman who went out of his way to locate and then bring the rope so that we could enjoy our walk around Rufford Abbey.
Thank You to the gentleman in the gift shop and the groundsman who went out of his way to locate and then bring the rope so that we could enjoy our walk around Rufford Abbey.
Written 23 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerrypatsy
23 contributions
Are there areas where dogs can be off the leads
Sorry for the delay in coming back to you. The park operates a dogs on leads policy throughout the park.
J C
Sheffield, UK179 contributions
Can kids (3 to 7 years) bring their scooters ?
Thank you
Hi, yes scooters are fine, although we are no cycle park.
Joy H
13 contributions
Where do you find disabled buggie hire?
angelics54
Nottingham, UK195 contributions
As you park walk straight through the courtyard the first building you see the disabled buggies are against the right hand side archway as you walk through the info shop is on your left sorry don’t know the prices hope this helps.
shl980
Leicestershire33 contributions
Can you BBQ here?
bc2016232
Buxton, UK56 contributions
Hi there, sorry about the delayed reply.
As I recall there were no signs, or at least I didn't see any signs to say that you could or could not bbq, but there are Rangers there and Rufford is a special place, particularly around the old abbey area).
Rigsby83
2 contributions
Hello! We are wanting the come to your fairy trail tomorrow.. are dogs allowed on site?
Thanks!
Nicholas H
Sheffield, UK14 contributions
yes dogs are welcome ,but i think they need to be on leads
Can you feed the ducks?
Linda H
Ollerton, UK9 contributions
Yes, the ducks can be fed. Like us, birds suffer when they eat only "junk food" so may we suggest that instead of bread, peas, sweetcorn, lettuce and other items are healthier options. We also sell duck food. So that's a good way to feed the ducks with kindness.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingRufford Abbey Country Park, Ollerton - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about Rufford Abbey Country Park
- Rufford Abbey Country Park is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Hotels near Rufford Abbey Country Park:
- (0.27 km) 1 bedroom accommodation in Rufford, near Newark
- (0.52 km) Center Parcs Sherwood Forest
- (6.56 km) Bridleways Guest House & Holiday Homes
- (2.94 km) Maun River Cottage
- (4.27 km) The Sherwood Hideaway
- Restaurants near Rufford Abbey Country Park:
- (0.32 km) The Rose Cottage
- (0.33 km) Lord Savile's Kitchen
- (0.32 km) The Coach House Cafe
- (1.50 km) Bella Italia Sherwood Forest
- (1.62 km) The Pancake House
- Attractions near Rufford Abbey Country Park:
- (0.00 km) Rufford Abbey
- (1.03 km) Aqua Sana Sherwood Forest
- (1.28 km) Centre Parcs
- (2.35 km) The Adrenalin Jungle
- (3.08 km) Go Ape Sherwood