Rutland Nursery has become one of the Notswolds’ standout destinations. The View restaurant enjoys sweeping views across Rutland Water, while more relaxed coffee and cake options are available from The Hut to be enjoyed in the courtyard or in the new cosy Bothy. With beautifully curated spaces to browse, it is an easy place to linger. Alongside generous plant areas, you will find homeware brands such as Bergs, Nkuku and Musango, and a dedicated children’s shop filled with toys and books. Plus… E-bike hire to help you explore a little further.

Easton is best known for its restored walled gardens, brought back to life by Ursula Cholmeley over the last two decades. Conveniently placed just off the A1, the Courtyard is open to guests without a garden ticket for coffee and their famous homemade cakes and is fast becoming a destination in its own right. You will also find the Courtyard Shop selling homewares, gardening finds and their popular sweet pea seeds, alongside Griffin of Easton for iconic stationery, serious art supplies and expertly chosen books.

Hambleton Bakery is something of a local institution, the much loved sister café to Michelin starred Hambleton Hall. Known for its slowly made bread and interesting bakes, the Exton Cafe is a popular stop for breakfast, lunch or a mid walk treat, often paired with a stroll through the Exton Estate. The seasonal menu focuses on freshly prepared sandwiches, soups and salads alongside warm scones and sweet treats from the bakery, with a dog friendly welcome for well behaved four legged visitors too.

Woolfox is a members wellness space with a café that is open to everyone, making it a great stop whether you are coming from a class or just dropping in for brunch. The menu focuses on modern, feel good food, with standout brunches and vibrant lunches alongside good coffee and interesting cakes. Conveniently located just off the A1, it is a relaxed, contemporary spot to meet friends, refuel and enjoy a slower moment in the day.

The Great in Great Easton is a stylish village café set in the former post office, created by artist Imogen Owen, known for her luxury stationery and modern calligraphy work. It serves excellent coffee alongside sought after cakes and pastries from the Garage Bakehouse, which many people travel across the region for, plus homemade treats and artisan gelato, making it a standout countryside stop between Caldecott and Rockingham.

Rutland Watermill is more than just a café stop, combining great food with a growing wellness scene that includes padel courts, a run club, sauna and ice baths. The menu focuses on seasonal plates, bold brunches and familiar café classics with a Watermill twist, built around fresh flavours and thoughtful combinations, making it an easy place to refuel after a walk, workout or time by the water.

Picks Barn is a popular countryside café serving great coffee alongside bakery treats, homemade cakes and a generous breakfast and lunch menu. Set in a converted barn overlooking the Chater Valley, there is space to sit inside or out on the heated veranda and patio, making it a lovely stop in all seasons. The focus is on fresh, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, with a relaxed, welcoming feel.

Braybrooke Beer & Co’s taproom is the home of their much loved lagers, brewed on site with a focus on quality, flavour and drinkability. Set beside the brewery, it is a relaxed place to stop for a beer, coffee or bite to eat, with weekend brunch, street food from the airstream trailer, pastries and cakes through the week, and an outdoor play area that makes it easy for families to linger.

February is a month of gentle shift. The light lingers a little longer, the countryside begins to stir, and winter slowly loosens its hold. This reading list sits between seasons, thoughtful and hopeful in equal measure, with books for quieter days, brighter evenings, and the first sense of change in the air.

February sits between winter and spring, defined by small but steady change. Frost clears earlier, light stretches further into the day, and water begins to move again across the landscape. It has long been recognised as the point when the year begins to turn, not through sudden growth, but through subtle release.

A curated guide to what’s on across the Notswolds. Standout dates and regular happenings at some of our favourite venues, gathered to help you plan the months ahead in this corner of the countryside.

Travis and his owner Gary Curtis are a regular sight in the photogenic streets of Stamford. As the aesthete behind @theoldbuilding, Gary documents the town’s historic corners and changing light. Together they cover the town day after day, capturing the weathered stonework, painted doors and layered architecture that gives Stamford its character.