Get Active

the best routes Newark has to offer.

A fantastic series of walks, of varying distances, in and around Newark is available to download:

Walking

Newark Seasons Walk – 2 miles (3.2km), 40 minutes

This is a great little walk, perfect for taking in many of the town’s sites and uncovering its vibrant history. Admire the range of stunning architecture, from medieval timber-framed buildings to a striking church steeple, and the impressive Town Hall to a 1920’s theatrical gem, not forgetting magnificent Newark Castle itself and the industrial heritage along the river. Visitors should allow 40 minutes to complete the walk, factoring in extra time to explore the wide range of attractions. Along the way, there is a great choice of places to have a well-earned break and enjoy the sights, from traditional pubs to vibrant riverside bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as the continental ambience of the Market Place.

Newark to Cotham Railway Ramble – Linear Walk – 9.6 miles (15.4km), 3 hours 30 minutes

This railway walk is perfect for all seasons and, being traffic free, it’s suitable for the whole family. Starting at Newark Northgate station, walkers can admire the architecture of the station building before heading along the track bed of the old Newark to Bottesford railway.  It’s the ideal route to take in the delights of the pretty Nottinghamshire countryside, with the tracksides attracting an abundance of wildlife. The destination of Cotham is a small village on the bank of the River Devon, and its splendid little church is a lovely place to enjoy a few moments’ rest before retracing the outbound route back to Newark.

Newark to Cotham Village Church – Railway Ramble – Circular Walk – 11 miles (18.8km), 4 hours 30 minutes

This railway walk is a slightly extended version of the Newark to Cotham Railway Ramble linear walk, with the opportunity to enjoy a circular route returning across the fields.

Walkers begin their journey at Newark Northgate station, a lovely station and worth taking a moment to admire the architecture of its buildings. The footpath then begins, following the track bed of the old Newark to Bottesford railway, with the tracksides a haven for an abundance of wildlife, flora and fauna. Upon reaching the destination of Cotham, the little village Church of St Michael is a worthwhile visit. Once recharged, walkers can start the return walk to Newark.

Riverside and King’s Sconce Walk – 2 miles (3.2km), 40-60 minutes

This is a super walk discovering wildlife and history, as well as taking in the diverse architecture of the delightful Castle area of Newark. Walkers won’t fail to notice the splendid Trent Bridge as they make their way to the river path towards The Wharf, before reaching King’s Marina. With its attractive riverside residencies, it’s the perfect spot to admire the many narrow boats and cruisers and enjoy the wildlife. History lovers will appreciate what was once the site of the King’s Sconce – one of the town’s defences during the Civil War – which, having made way for industrial growth, has been developed into retail outlets and residential housing. The trail provides an ideal opportunity to explore the magnificent Castle and gardens, before enjoying a spot of lunch and returning to the starting point.

Queen’s Sconce – Newark Circular – 3.5 miles (5.6km), 2 hours at a leisurely pace

This wonderful walk journeys around the town and along the banks of the River Devon and the River Trent, taking in the colourful history dating back to the Roman era. Starting at Queen’s Sconce and Devon Park, walkers can appreciate the remains of one of the finest examples of 17th Century military engineering in Great Britain – a Royalist stronghold for the town during the first Civil War, which saw tortuous bloodshed and violent battles. Walkers can also enjoy the history and eclectic architecture of the beautiful market town with the narrow alleyways and small cobbled streets before resting to soak up the café culture in the Market Place or relax with a picnic in the Castle gardens.

Farndon Circular Walk 1A – 4 miles (6.4km), 2 hours to 2 ¼ hours at a leisurely pace

This walk takes in the sights of the pretty village of Farndon, beautifully nestled on the bank of the River Trent just 2 ½ miles from Newark. Walkers can discover Farndon’s long and interesting history as well as enjoy its three environmentally significant nature reserves, including Farndon Willow Holt and Water Meadow – one of the last remaining sites of working willow holts. This is an historic feature of many Trent-side villages, where the willow is famously used for making cricket bats and basket weaving. With many tempting diversions along the way, not forgetting the picturesque Farndon Marina, there are some superb viewpoints and great places to stop for a drink, a bite to eat or a picnic along the way. There is the opportunity to extend this circular walk to Newark (see 1B Farndon to Newark Circular Walk).

Farndon – Newark Circular Walk 1B – 9.25 miles (14.8k), 4 ¾ hours at a leisurely pace

This is an extended circular option to the 1A Farndon Circular Walk, allowing walkers to make a day of it and venture in to Newark to explore its intriguing history, eclectic architecture, many attractions and enjoy its historic pubs and restaurants. Starting out in the pretty village of Farndon nestled on the bank of the River Trent, just 2 ½ miles from Newark, walkers can discover its history as well as the abundant wildlife of the village’s three nature reserves. One of these is one of the last remaining sites of working willow holts – an ancient feature of many Trent-side villages, where the willow is famously used for making cricket bats and basket weaving. There are many tempting diversions as the walk makes its way along the River Trent, with the picturesque Farndon Marina attracting visitors and boating enthusiasts from far and wide. There are plenty of superb viewpoints, as walkers journey towards Newark where they can discover everything the historic market town has to offer, before heading back to Farndon.

Newark

town trails.

A series of insightful town trails has been produced by Newark Civic Trust, with support from the Newark Town Partnership and other local organisations. The routes all begin in the gardens of Newark Castle on Castle Gate and each focuses on a specific area of interest:

Civil War Trail: A 1.5km (45 minutes) walk around the town centre taking in many of the sites and buildings that relate to the English Civil Wars period.

Malting & Brewing Trail: A 2.2km (1 hour 15 minutes) walk around the town centre taking in many of the sites and buildings that relate to the malting and brewing industries.

Medieval Timber-Framed Buildings Trail: A 750 metre (1 hour) walk around the town centre passing by many of the town’s most interesting timber-framed buildings.

Georgian Buildings Trail: A 2.25km (2 hours) walk exploring many of the town’s most interesting Georgian buildings.

Historic Riverside Trail: A 1.4km (1.5 hours) walk covering the riverside area upstream of Trent Bridge.

Art Deco Trail: A 1.5km (1.5 hours) walk exploring many of the town’s most interesting Art Deco buildings and features. The walk can be extended by an optional 1.5km if desired.

Curiosities Trail: A 2.2km (1 hour 15 minutes) walk, mainly around Newark town centre, taking in many of the town’s curiosities.

Victorian Trail: A slightly longer 3 km (2 hours 15 minutes) walk taking in some of the town’s many diverse and interesting Victorian buildings.

National Civil War Trail

This unique trail enables visitors to journey back in time to explore Newark’s pivotal role in the deadly Civil War. By downloading a purpose-built app, users can tour the many historical sites of the town and see them brought to life through the fascinating stories of national and local historical characters including King Charles I and John Twentyman (a local eye witness).

Stories are told through dramatic, high quality film clips which can be accessed easily through smartphone or tablet devices with content triggered by Augmented Reality technology at each location along the trail. There is also an interactive timeline covering national and local events as well as an immersive 360 panoramic of Newark Castle during the Civil War.

Simply search for NCWT in Google Play or the App Store and install the app to get started.

A paper version of the trail is available from the National Civil War Centre on Appleton Gate.

Find out more

This unique trail enables visitors to journey back in time to explore Newark’s pivotal role in the deadly Civil War. By downloading a purpose-built app, users can tour the many historical sites of the town and see them brought to life through the fascinating stories of national and local historical characters including King Charles I and John Twentyman (a local eye witness).

Stories are told through dramatic, high quality film clips which can be accessed easily through smartphone or tablet devices with content triggered by Augmented Reality technology at each location along the trail. There is also an interactive timeline covering national and local events as well as an immersive 360 panoramic of Newark Castle during the Civil War.

Simply search for NCWT in Google Play or the App Store and install the app to get started.

A paper version of the trail is available from the National Civil War Centre on Appleton Gate.

Find out more

Leaflets are available to download or printed copies can be obtained from the Visitor Information Centre on Appleton Gate, as well as the Library, Town Hall and Ann et Vin shop: Find out more

Cycling

National Cycle Network Route 64 Newark to Cotham

This 4.8 mile/7.7 kilometre route offers picturesque views and a scenic ride between Newark and the nearby village of Cotham.

The route starts from Newark Northgate station, and follows the track bed of the old Newark to Bottesford railway which closed in the 1980s. It offers both cyclists and walkers a great alternative to busy roads, providing a peaceful and traffic-free green corridor between the two communities.

Once in the village of Cotham, there is the choice to turn around and ride back to Newark, or continue the journey further along quiet lanes to the railway station at Aslockton with the option to return to Newark via an indirect train service.

Find out more

National Cycle Network Route 64 Newark to Harby

After exploring Newark, cyclists can discover the Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire countryside along this 15 mile/24 km cycle route to Harby.

The route heads under Newark’s bypass and the A1 and through Winthorpe before a traffic-free section passes the future site of an RSPB reserve, which is being developed on the worked-out areas of Langford Quarry.

The village of Collingham, boasting two churches and two pubs, provides a perfect spot to take a break en-route.

Continuing on, the route follows rural lanes through attractive villages to reach Harby and the start of a 6.5 mile/10.5 km, traffic-free path to Lincoln.

Cyclists can enjoy a circular ride, via an unsigned route taking in several Lincolnshire villages along the way, or an on-road, linear option is also available.

Find out more

Running

Newark Parkrun

This friendly Parkrun takes place every Saturday at 9am in Sconce and Devon Park.

Visitors to Newark are welcome to come along to race against the clock in this 5km run, at whatever pace they like. It’s free to join but entrants are reminded to register before their first ever Parkrun and bring their barcode!

Sconce and Devon Park is Newark’s largest open space and runners can take in the sights of one of the finest remaining Civil War earthwork fortifications, the Queen’s Sconce, before enjoying post-run refreshments in Rumbles Café.

Find out more

Newark Half Marathon

The ever-popular Newark Half Marathon is a (relatively) flat, fast and scenic summer race. It has become a well-established event and provides an excellent road race for runners of all abilities at both local and national level. Organisers are keen to ensure that prizes on offer do not simply recognise the fastest runners but, instead, reward fairly with respect to gender and age category.

Runners can experience Newark’s strong community spirit with volunteers, local businesses and organisations coming together to host this first-class sporting event.

Find out more

Other activities

Swimming / Gym

Visitors to Newark are welcome to take full advantage of the excellent facilities on offer at Newark Sports and Fitness Centre including two swimming pools, fitness suite, squash courts, sports hall and studio.

Based in the heart of the town, it couldn’t be easier to go for a swim, work out in the gym or hire a court for a game of squash or badminton.

There is something for everyone, with a vast range of fitness classes including cardio and strength activities alongside gentler well-being classes.

Find out more

Go Karting

Located in Newark, Elk Motorsport is renowned as the best all-weather and outdoor go karting circuit in the East Midlands.

The outstanding go karting track is a 1200m circuit with long straights and fast flowing bends making it the perfect track for budding racers of all abilities, whether a beginner or professional. With twin-engine karts able to reach speeds of 60mph and state of the art electronic timing technology, racers can choose from timed sessions, sprint or endurance racing. Work on a personal lap time or challenge friends and colleagues to see who is crowned the winner!

All go kart equipment, clothing and tuition is included in the price. Suitable from age 8 years upwards.

Find out more

Have you thought about places to…

Willoughby House Newark

Willoughby House

Willoughby House, Main Street, Norwell, Newark, UK

The River Trent Lock, Newark

Riverside Park & Garden

22 Great N Rd, Newark NG24 1BN, UK

Main exhibition at the National Civil War Centre

National Civil War Centre

14 Appleton Gate, Newark NG24 1JY

The Hunger Barn Newark

The Hunger Barn

Hunger Barn B&B Caunton Road Bathley Nottinghamshire, NG23 6DN

Elk Motorsport

Drove Ln, Coddington, Newark NG24 2RB, UK

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