Hidden Gems Near Derby
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The hidden gems near Derby are The Park Tunnel, Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror, The Arboretum, Ye Olde Salutation Inn, Bromley House Library, Stonebridge City Farm, Green's Windmill and Thorpe Cloud.
Derby sits within easy reach of some wonderfully varied days out, and most of these hidden gems lie a short hop east in and around Nottingham. There you can duck into the sandstone Park Tunnel, catch the sky reflected in Anish Kapoor's mirrored dish outside the Playhouse, or wander the Victorian paths of the Arboretum.
History lovers might linger over a pint in Ye Olde Salutation Inn with its caves below, or take a guided tour of the galleried Bromley House Library. Families often make for Stonebridge City Farm in St Ann's, while Sneinton holds Green's Windmill, still grinding flour where a pioneering mathematician once worked.
For something wilder, head northwest into the Peak District instead, where Thorpe Cloud rises steeply above the stepping stones at the mouth of Dovedale. Whether you fancy quiet reading rooms, working machinery or a bracing hilltop view, there is plenty to tempt you out of the city.
Here are eight hidden gems to seek out near Derby.
The Park Tunnel
Photo: Stephen Craven via Geograph.org.uk
Step down through the Park Tunnel Cut through a sandstone cliff in Nottingham, this road tunnel links the Derby Road area down to the private Victorian estate called The Park. It runs around 125 metres, mostly unlined, with an open shaft in the middle letting in daylight and a stone spiral staircase at one end.
It was built between 1844 and 1855 for the Duke of Newcastle to a design by Thomas Chambers Hine, but it turned out too steep for carriages and now serves as a footpath. It is a listed structure, and well worth the trip east from Derby.
Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror
Photo: Andrew Abbott via Geograph.org.uk
See the sky in Sky Mirror Standing outside Nottingham Playhouse at Wellington Circus, this Anish Kapoor sculpture is a concave dish of polished stainless steel about six metres across and weighing around ten tonnes, tilted up toward the sky. Its curved, mirror-bright surface catches the sky, the theatre and passing people in an upside-down reflection that shifts with the weather and the light.
It was unveiled in 2001 and is free to see at any hour, a quick and rewarding stop on a day out in Nottingham.
The Arboretum
Photo: Alan Murray-Rust via Geograph.org.uk
Wander the Arboretum Nottingham's first public park opened in 1852, a Victorian green space laid out with lawns, a lake, flower beds and a broad collection of trees. Winding paths lead past an ornate bandstand, aviaries, a rose garden and a Chinese bell tower built to house a bell brought back from China.
A listed historic park, it is free and open, sitting close to the city centre and the university. Locals treasure it for walks and unhurried afternoons, and it makes a gentle contrast to the busier streets nearby.
Ye Olde Salutation Inn
Photo: John Sutton via Geograph.org.uk
Ye Olde Salutation Inn Two levels of caves lie beneath this Nottingham pub, cut into the sandstone and fitted with rock benches and a deep well, once put to use keeping stores cool. Above ground it holds the corner of Hounds Gate and Maid Marian Way, its oldest wing a timber-framed medieval range with Georgian brick and 1930s additions layered over it.
Something has occupied this spot since at least the fifteenth century, and it has poured drinks since around the 1720s, though the painted date of 1240 and the boast of being the city's oldest inn do not stand up. These days it trades as a rock and biker haunt with live music.
Bromley House Library
Photo: David Hallam-Jones via Geograph.org.uk
Tour Bromley House Library Tucked into a Georgian townhouse of about 1752 on Angel Row, by the Old Market Square in Nottingham, this independent subscription library was founded in 1816 and keeps the air of a private collection. A spiral staircase climbs to a galleried reading room, there is a walled garden at the back, and a meridian line set into the floor in 1836 marks the moment of solar noon.
Full use is reserved for members, but regular guided tours are open to anyone. It is a listed building, and a quiet delight if you enjoy old libraries.
Stonebridge City Farm
Photo: DS Pugh via Geograph.org.uk
Stonebridge City Farm Pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and poultry share pens and paddocks with vegetable plots, an orchard and a greenhouse on around three acres in St Ann's, a short walk from the middle of Nottingham. Free to visit and kept going largely by volunteers, the farm has been here since the late 1970s.
A cafe and a shop selling its produce round out a visit, and beyond meeting livestock in the city you will find volunteering, education and wellbeing programmes running throughout. A friendly, low-cost outing where children can wander among the animals.
Green's Windmill
Photo: David Lally via Geograph.org.uk
Green's Windmill Before 1841, the mathematician George Green worked out his pioneering ideas in mathematical physics inside a working windmill in Sneinton, on Nottingham's eastern side. He lived here and ran the brick tower mill his father had built, and it still grinds wheat into flour sold at the door.
A free science centre beside it explores his discoveries through hands-on exhibits. The mill fell derelict and was damaged by fire before a rebuild returned it to work in 1986, and today its sails and cap turn again whenever the wind allows.
History and machinery in one breezy stop.
Thorpe Cloud
Photo: Mark Percy via Geograph.org.uk
Climb Thorpe Cloud above Dovedale A steep, cone-shaped limestone hill standing at the mouth of Dovedale in the Peak District, on the Derbyshire and Staffordshire border between Thorpe and Ilam. This one is a longer trip northwest of Derby, but a rewarding one: its rounded 287-metre summit is a short, sharp climb from the dale and a much-loved viewpoint up Dovedale and across the surrounding country.
It is National Trust land, and the well-known Dovedale stepping stones cross the River Dove at its foot.
FAQs
How far is Nottingham from Derby?
Most of these gems sit in and around Nottingham, roughly 21 to 23 kilometres east of Derby city centre, which makes for a straightforward day trip by road or rail.
Which of these gems suits families?
Stonebridge City Farm in St Ann's is a natural choice for younger visitors, with animals, an orchard and a cafe, while Green's Windmill in Sneinton pairs a working mill with a free hands-on science centre.
Can I visit Thorpe Cloud in a day from Derby?
Yes. Thorpe Cloud lies about 25 kilometres northwest of Derby in the Peak District, so it is an easy half-day out, with a short but steep climb from the Dovedale stepping stones to the summit.
Conclusion
From the sandstone passages of Nottingham to a windswept hill above Dovedale, these eight spots show how much variety sits within a short journey of Derby. Head east and you can lose an afternoon in the Park Tunnel, the Arboretum, Bromley House Library or the caves beneath Ye Olde Salutation Inn, then meet the animals at Stonebridge City Farm or watch the sails turn at Green's Windmill.
Art lovers should not miss Anish Kapoor's Sky Mirror by the Playhouse. When you fancy fresh air and a view, point yourself northwest instead and climb Thorpe Cloud above the stepping stones.
Whether your taste runs to history, wildlife or high places, these are the hidden gems to seek out near Derby.
