Empingham offers two distinct themes to consider when planning a trip: circular walks through the countryside around Empingham and Rutland Water, and historic buildings and landscape features. Both circular walks start at The White Horse. The red Empingham circular walk is 2.5 miles long. There is also a moated site listed as a Scheduled Monument and the 17th-century Cobbler’s Cottage. If you are looking for somewhere to stay, you could first consider whether you would like to devote more of your time to walking, historic places, or both. The location details and route information offer clearly defined points of interest for each.

The moated site on the River Gwash

The moated site lies on the north bank of the River Gwash, west of the village. Its location can therefore be pinpointed using two specific landmarks: the riverbank and the village. The site is listed as a Scheduled Monument and includes a manor house, fishponds and garden terraces. The complex is therefore not described by the manor house alone. The water and garden areas are also part of the site and add to our understanding of its historic character. If you are interested in historic places, this is a unified complex with several distinct features rather than just one named building.

Cobbler’s Cottage on Church Street

Another historic point of interest is Cobbler’s Cottage on Church Street. The cottage dates from the 17th century. Empingham therefore has two different types of historic place: a moated site with several features and an individually named cottage with a specific street address and a date. The date connects it with the village’s building history, while the street name pinpoints its location within Empingham. This distinction is useful for planning if historic architecture is one of your interests: you can consider both a complex and a single building as local points of interest.

Circular walks near Empingham

For getting out into the countryside, there are two circular walks through the countryside around Empingham and Rutland Water. Both start at The White Horse. The red Empingham circular walk is 2.5 miles long; this distance applies to this particular route only. This means you can factor the distance into your day’s plans without applying it to the second circular walk. Before setting out, consider how much of your stay you want to devote to a circular walk and whether the stated length of the red route suits your plans. It is a good idea to check current path conditions before setting off, as local conditions can change. Both walks have a clear starting point in common; the red route is further defined by its stated length.

Which themes suit your trip?

To decide whether Empingham fits your travel plans, you can weigh up the themes according to the kind of experience you are looking for. The walks focus on the landscape and being active; the moated site and Cobbler’s Cottage offer two different historic points of interest. There is a choice of both an outdoor activity and places with cultural significance. If you enjoy both, you can include these themes in your stay and then look for hotels in Empingham.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lyddington, Ashwell, Cottesmore, Clipsham, North Luffenham, Seaton, Morcott, Langham

For the main travel overview: Rutland.