Rutland is England’s smallest county (apparently depending whether the tide is in or out on the Isle of Wight!) Situated in the landlocked East Midlands, it used to be part of Leicestershire, but is now its own independent county.
How Rutland Water Conserved Ospreys
Rutland Water is the main attraction here, a manmade reservoir that you can walk or cycle round. What it’s mostly known for however, is a successful conservation program that brough fish-eating ospreys (birds of prey) back from the brink of extinction. Today you can see them here (the only other place in England where they are abundant is Cumbria).
Nearby is wonderful walking country, through numerous countryside trails and villages.
Always follow the Countryside Code, to keep dogs and livestock safe.
Very Few Supermarkets and Fast Food Chains
Due to being so small, it was the case until recently that the county had no supermarkets or McDonald’s. Unfortunately that is no longer the case, although you won’t find too many major superstores, unless you go over the border to another county.
The argument given for new fast food restaurants etc, is always ‘to create new jobs’. But actually small indie shops provide more obs proportionally and tends to pay and treat them better. There were just 55 objections to the new McDonald’s, with one person saying how proud Rutland could be, not to have a fast food chain (and of course that means less litter).
The opposite happened in the Devon town of Tavistock. Known as a ‘foodie town’, the local eat so well here that McDonald’s had to close down and move staff elsewhere. One man said ‘we feed our children properly here, so they were not needed’.
