Bored of Notts? Here’s all the best day trips to do on a budget

Reading week is quickly approaching and we can’t all have weekend getaways to Paris and Florence, given that our student status entitles us to living off scraps and debt. However, this shouldn’t prevent you from living your nomadic dreams, as there are a plethora of places within the Notts’ vicinity worthy of taking a day trip to – all of which being under £15 with a railcard.

The UK is full of gorgeous getaways and exceptional excursions, which you don’t have to break the bank to be able to enjoy whilst at uni. Just because you’re living off a budget doesn’t mean you can’t be the main character and explore all these amazing places. Here is a rundown of the five top places to visit on a budget:

Matlock

Train time: 1hr 15mins

Price: £7 return

Matlock is a quaint little town situated Northwards from Nottingham, and if you fancy yourself a little retreat from the sleepless city we study in, look no further. When you arrive you are instantly blown away by the views as it is cradled amongst the Peaks and so is surrounded by sublime mountainous greenery, upon which lay Riber Castle – an impressive display of 19th century aristocracy. Whats better than becoming one with nature?

As well as the stunning views it is the  perfect place to enjoy a frosty Sunday morning with many lovely cafés on offer. As well as that, Matlock has plentiful amounts of charity shops, at a far more reasonable price than the ones in Notts’ city centre, so you can stuff your pockets silly with tat. It even has a funky Potter-themed shop called Punnydukes – it was truly magical.

Punnydukes

Sheffield

Train time: 54mins

Price: £7 return

This gem of a place sits just above Matlock, and literally boarders the Peak District, which is why it has gained popularity within the climbing community, however the city itself has a lot to offer too.

With so many amazing places to grab a bite to eat with friends or even an amazing hot chocolate in one of the cut and cosy cafes. Pom Kitchen in perticular, on Sharrow Vale Road, not only holds the position of fanciest and tastiest hot chocolate in the world but it’s also entirely vegan.

There is also so much on offer in this city from free galeries and lovely botanical gardens which all the plant lovers can admire. Why not try it on a Sunday instead of dealing with overdue assignments?

There’s no way you aren’t salivating…

Birmingham

Train time: 1hr 10mins

Price: £14 return

In spite of the stigma, and in spite of the slightly pricier travel costs, Birmingham is a grand contender for this list. If you visit around Christmastime, you’ll be met with the largest Christmas market outside of Germany and Austria, which attracts millions of visitors annually.

Yearlong things worth checking out include the grungy canals, which have the Peaky Blinders, bad boy aesthetic. As well as this, Birmingham is home to a lot of culture, with its Museum and Art Gallery, Gay Village, and the Library of Birmingham, which inside is undeniably impressive, and is even the largest regional library in Europe – Brum likes to do things big.

Merry Christmas, guys

Derby

Train time: 20mins

Price: £5 return

The easiest and quickest on this list, but not without its charm, Derby can even be reached via the indigo bus network in Notts. It is one tiny little spot, but the origins of hot dogs can be accredited to a Derbeian, so it is worth checking out if not merely to pay respects.

Yet still, the Derby Museum and Art Gallery is an amazing attraction, for it manages to cram a lot of art, history and culture into a compact space without overwhelming you, and it is also very woke. There are also lots of alleys full of sweet shops of all sorts, and more cafés to keep you caffeinated, like the lovely Book Café, BEAR, and Sacred Bean.

Can’t resist a dress up

Leicester

Train time: 40mins

Price: £8 return

If the National Space Centre is not enough reason for you to visit Leicester, who even are you? Leicester offers much more than merely that such as he Golden Mile, an area in the city riddled with authentic goods of all sorts from India.

They also have a lovely park, a magnificent football stadium and some historical ties to King Richard III with a visitor centre to accompany – he was even found buried under a car park in Leicester back in 2012.

Like a giant alien egg

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