Entry to Rufford Abbey and its park and gardens is free. We're open every day except Christmas Day.
How to get here
If you are travelling by car you may find the AA Route Planner helpful in planning your route website: www.theaa.com/route-planner.
For public transport to the park contact Traveline on tel: 0870 608 2 608, or visit their website: www.traveline.org.uk.
Car parking
Admission to the park is free. Car parking charges apply at Rufford Abbey every day during Nottinghamshire’s school holidays. Charges also apply at weekends and Bank Holidays from Saturday 31 March 2012 to Sunday 6 January 2013.
The normal charge is £3, and applies to all cars (including blue badge holders) and motorcycles. Coach parking is free.
However, a Special Event Car Parking Charge of £5 will apply for two major events: The Earth and Fire Ceramics Festival and the 1940s Weekend (1st & 2nd Sept 2012).
Save money with a season ticket: a £20 season ticket allows parking at both Rufford Abbey and Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre as many times as you wish (including during the Robin Hood Festival 2012.) Season tickets cover one car only.
Special offer! Spend £15 in a single transaction in one of our onsite shops, café or restaurant and present your ticket to claim a refund of your parking charge.
The main car park is at Rufford Abbey (off the A614). There is a second car park at Rufford Mill (Wellow Lane - signed for Rufford Mill and Rufford Golf Course.) Both car parks are locked at 5.30pm.
Getting around the park
The site is flat and so is easy for pushchairs, prams, wheelchairs and mobility scooters to get around. Take a look at our plan of the park including accessible routes [PDF 247KB].
Need more information about about getting around? Download our access statement [PDF 30KB].
Push wheelchairs are available for loan from the Craft Centre Shop, tel: 01623 821 346. We will shortly have two special 'off road' wheelchairs available, designed to allow children and young people with mobility restrictions to better explore the park.
We also offer electric mobility scooters for loan at £2 per hour. Please ring before your visit to check availability and make a booking on tel: 01623 821 338, 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Please note that scooter hire is available at weekends only during the winter low season.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome in our park, but please keep them on a lead.
Cycling
Cycling is not allowed in the park, but we provide bike racks so you can park up and enjoy the paths and woodland walks on foot.
Shops
At Rufford Abbey there is a gift shop and a craft shop, and an Outdoor Living Shop at Rufford Mill.
Gift shop and craft shop opening hours:
Outdoor Living Shop opening hours:
Craft Centre Gallery opening hours:
Open from Tuesday to Sundays inclusive:
Opening Hours
We have recently changed our opening hours. For full details of when our facilities are open, see the table below:
Rufford Abbey Country Park Opening Hours
| Facility |
Winter Opening Hours |
Summer Opening Hours |
|
Main (Abbey) Car Park
Rufford Mill Car Park
|
9:00am to 5:30pm daily
|
9:00am to 5:30pm daily
|
|
Visitor Information Office & Mobility Scooter Hire
tel: 01623 821328
|
From 2 January 2012
to 9 February 2012:
CLOSED
From 13 February 2012
to 19 February 2012:
10:30am to 1:00pm then
1:30pm to 4:30pm daily
From 20 February 2012
to Easter:
10:30am to 1:00pm then
1:30pm to 4:30pm
WEEKENDS ONLY
|
From Easter
to 1 January 2013:
10:30am to 1:00pm then
1:30pm to 4:30pm daily
|
|
Abbey ruins
Orangery
Maze
Camera Obscura
|
10:00am to 4:30pm
(or dusk, if earlier) daily
|
10:00am to 5:00pm daily |
| Toilets at Rufford Abbey and Rufford Mill |
10:00am to 4:30pm daily |
10:00am to 5:00pm daily |
|
Coach House Café
at Rufford Abbey
tel: 01623 82135
and
Mill Tea Shop,
Rufford Mill
tel: 01623 827314
|
From 31 October 2011
to 8 January 2012:
10:00am to 4:30pm weekdays
10:00am to 5:00pm weekends
From 9 January 2012
to 9 February 2012:
10:00am to 4:00pm daily
From 10 February onwards:
10:00am to 5:00pm daily
|
10:00am to 5:00pm daily |
|
The Savile Restaurant
tel: 01623 821350
|
From 9 January 2012
to 10 February 2012:
CLOSED
From 11 February 2012:
11:00am to 3:00pm daily
|
11:00am to 3:00pm
Monday to Saturday
11:00am to 4:00pm
Sunday
|
|
Rufford Craft Centre Gallery
tel: 01623 821314
During exhibitions (please note that on some weeks the gallery is closed whilst preparing for the next exhibition)
|
10:30am to 1:00pm then
1:30pm to 4:30pm (5pm on weekends)
Tuesday to Sunday and all Bank Holiday Mondays during exhibitions
|
10:30am to 1:00pm then
1:30pm to 5:00pm
Tuesday to Sunday and all Bank Holiday Mondays during exhibitions
|
|
Rufford Abbey Gift & Craft Shop
tel: 01623 821346
|
From 31 October 2011
to 8 January 2012:
10:30am to 4:30pm weekdays
10:30am to 5:00pm weekends
From 9 January 2012
to 10 February 2012:
10:30am to 4:30pm daily
From 11 February 2012:
10:30am to 5:00pm daily
|
10:30am to 5:00pm daily
|
|
Rufford Mill "Outdoor Living" shop
tel: 01623 827311
|
From 31 October 2011
to 8 January 2012:
10:30am to 4:30pm weekdays
10:30am to 5:00pm weekends
From 9 January 2012
to 10 February 2012:
10:30am to 4:30pm daily
|
10:30am to 5:00pm daily |
