Ancient woodland, a long-standing festival tradition and a programme of live performances: Corby appeals to travellers with a range of interests. When choosing a destination, it is worth considering which of these aspects you want to shape your stay—nature and trails, history or a particular event date.

Woodland and trails around Corby

Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods form a unique area of ancient woodland and open land in the centre of Corby. Together, they cover 76.86 hectares. The landscape also has a historical dimension: the woods once lay at the heart of an extensive network of semi-natural ancient woodland that stretched north and south to form Rockingham Forest.

Those wishing to explore different green spaces can follow the Corby Heritage Trail. It connects Coronation Park, East Carlton Country Park, Hazel and Thoroughsale Woods, Kingswood Nature Reserve, Weldon Woodland and West Glebe Park. The Love Exploring app offers a range of scenic routes for the trail. Before travelling, check whether the app is available and which routes it currently offers; specific routes may change.

Birdwatching and fishing at Corby Boating Lake

At Corby Boating Lake, nature-watching ranges from birdwatching to fishing. A wide variety of geese, ducks and other waterfowl can be found there; swans also live at the lake. The water is home to roach, rudd and carp. The fishing opportunities are suitable for young anglers and beginners too.

Fishing is permitted year-round from dawn to dusk. As access arrangements may change, it is advisable to check the current fishing rules before your visit. This lets you take the permitted hours into account when planning, without assuming a particular length of stay.

Discover Corby’s history and culture

Corby Heritage Centre offers talks about Corby Old Village and Corby Steelworks. St John the Baptist, a medieval church in Corby’s old village, stands in Church Walk. These two sites offer different ways to explore the town and its history.

The Corby Pole Fair is also part of this history: its tradition dates back to the 16th century, and the festival takes place only once every 20 years. It is therefore not an annual event. If the Pole Fair is the reason for your trip, check the next date separately before planning your journey.

For an evening of live performances, the theatre at The Core at Corby Cube has 445 seats across three levels. The programme includes music, comedy, dance, theatre and family shows. As the programme changes over time, check the performance dates if a particular show or type of event is important to your stay.

Active experiences and choosing what suits you

Adrenaline Alley offers an outdoor, covered pump track for cyclists, inline skaters, skateboarders and scooter riders of all ages and abilities. Access is weather-dependent. The facility also has a publicly accessible airbag landing area; check its operating conditions before travelling. These are practical details that may be relevant when planning a visit.

To decide whether Corby fits your travel plans, compare the different highlights: the woods and Heritage Trail offer landscapes and a range of routes; the Boating Lake is known for waterfowl and fishing; while the Heritage Centre, church and The Core appeal to those interested in culture. The Pole Fair and live performances are more closely tied to specific dates.

Discover more destinations: Woodford, Greatworth, Nassington, Roade, Towcester, Oundle, Weedon Bec, Staverton.

For the broader travel overview: Northamptonshire.