About Bassetlaw
- Overview |
- Directions|
- Living and Working |
- Tourism
Overview
Bassetlaw is situated in the north-east of the county of Nottinghamshire. It borders Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. Bassetlaw has two main population centres in the towns of Worksop and Retford, and between them the area offers a wealth of shopping, leisure and entertainment facilities.
Bassetlaw is a fast developing area. Employment rates have risen over the last three years and the district has a diverse local economy. Major employers include Wilkinson, Hazlewood Chilled Foods, Solway Foods, Northern Rubber and Courtaulds Textiles. The main economic activities in Bassetlaw are centred on retail and wholesale distribution, transport and communications, food and drink, manufacturing and engineering and construction. A variety of light industrial firms are established in the Worksop, Retford and Harworth areas and new businesses have been attracted to the area via the Manton Wood Enterprise Zone.
Sporting activities are well catered for in the district. The leisure centres at Worksop, Bircotes and Retford provide a range of recreational activities. The Bassetlaw Leisure Centre offers facilities for indoor bowls, snooker, indoor tennis and athletics. Golf is played at Worksop, Lindrick and Kilton Forest Golf Course. International horse trials are held at Clumber Park and Osberton. Kings' Park in Retford is an ideal recreational venue with formal gardens, tennis courts and a bowling green. Langold Park provides facilities for fishing, sailing and canoeing. Leisure activities include boating on the Chesterfield Canal and two sources of interest are Wetlands Water Fowl Reserve and North Leverton Mill. Facilities for the theatre and arts can be found at the Regal Centre in Worksop, the Majestic Theatre in Retford and the Retford Little Theatre.
Directions
Bassetlaw’s central location means that over half of the population of the UK live within three hours drive.
The M1 skirts the western border of Bassetlaw, and is only a few minutes from the heart of the District via the A57. This puts Bassetlaw in close touch with the major towns and cities of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Yorkshire. The M1 also provides access to the M62 Trans-Pennine route. The A1 national highway runs through the District and links into the M18 and the M180, which gives easy access to Humberside, Lincolnshire and East Anglia including East Coast ports and holiday resorts. The site of the channel tunnel rail terminal, south of Doncaster, is also just a short drive away.
The District has excellent rail links, both north-south and east-west. The GNER East Coast Mainline runs north-south through Retford, linking Edinburgh, York, Newark, Peterborough and London. East-west rail links between Lincoln and Sheffield also connect Retford and Worksop.
The Robin Hood Line provides a direct rail link, from Worksop through Mansfield to Nottingham. From Nottingham and Sheffield, rail links are available to all the major cities in the UK, including Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester.
Bassetlaw is very well served for air travel. The new Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport, on the border of the district will be operational from 2005, with long and short haul passenger flights available to many popular destinations.
Sheffield Airport is within half an hour’s drive and East Midlands Airport to the south is within easy access of the District. Leeds-Bradford Airport and Humberside Airport are less than an hour’s drive away. Birmingham International Airport and Manchester Airport are both within 90 minutes’ drive. Gamston Airport, used for private, charter aircraft, is located to the south of Retford.
A comprehensive local bus network exists, linking Bassetlaw’s towns and villages. People travelling from further afield are well served by longer distance coach and rail services.
Living and Working
Further information on living in Bassetlaw and its surrounds can be found on the following websites:
- Visit Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire tourism information)
- Up My Street
Tourism
Bassetlaw boasts many sites of historic interest and has been the home of many famous legends. From the Mayflower Trail, tracing the origins of the 17th centrury Pilgrim Fathers in Bassetlaw, to the legends of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest, there is a lot to be explored in the district. Other tourist attractions include Clumber Park, Cresswell Crags, and Sundown Adventureland. You may like to download the Bassetlaw Visitor Guide for more information.
Visit Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (Nottinghamshire tourism information)
