Oakham

Oakham is a town of 11,000 people (2011) in Rutland. Tourist attractions in Oakham include All Saints' Church and Oakham Castle. Another popular and historic feature is the open-air market held in the town's market square.

Understand
Oakham is the county town of Rutland, England's smallest county.

Get in
From the north traffic usually comes along the A606 via Melton Mowbray. Traffic coming from Leicester in the west is generally directed via the A47 before travelling north on the A6003 with Uppingham to the south. Traffic from Peterborough in the East comes either via the A1 and the A606 through Stamford and along the north bank of Rutland Water.

is located near the centre, and is served by CrossCountry Rail. Services travelling west call at Melton Mowbray, Leicester, Nuneaton, Coleshill and Birmingham New Street on an hourly basis. Hourly services travelling east call at Stamford, Peterborough, March, Ely, Cambridge, Audley End and Stansted Airport.

On foot
Being a small market town, Oakham is easily navigable on foot. The Oakham Chopper services the town and is free with a pass for those over 60.

By taxi
Berridges Taxi company are a reputable and local firm who frequently have cars waiting outside of the station and can arrange longer distance journeys and airport transfers.

By bike
Cycling is a popular means of transport around Rutland and Oakham is no exception with the bypass proving to be a popular cycling diversion en route to the Rutland Water circular.

By car
On market days (Wednesday and Saturday) the traffic can be particularly heavy around the town and as the market is held in one of the town centre car parks, parking can be tricky. Traffic on the High Street can also jam when the level crossing barriers go down.

Buy
An open-air market held in the town's market square every Wednesday and Saturday, near the ancient octagonal Buttercross with its pyramidal roof and wooden stocks, a Grade I listed building.

Eat
Although it is only a small town, Oakham is lucky enough to be the home of many excellent and varied restaurants. Whether it is a country pub lunch you are after or a five-star gourmet celebration, Oakham can cater for all tastes.

Go next

 * Melton Mowbray
 * Stamford (England)
 * Uppingham