There are a whole cluster of nature reserves in Rushcliffe to visit over the spring and summer. Obvious candidates are Skylarks, Bingham Linear Park, Sharphill Wood, Bunny Wood, Rushcliffe CP, Cotgrave CP + smaller sites such as Wilford Claypits, Gotham Sandbanks, Wilwell Farm Cutting.

For more information you might want to follow these links For a list of local sites http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/?page_id=228

Alternatively this link is for  an RBC leaflet Nature in Rushcliffe http://www.southnottswildlife.org.uk/content/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/NatureInRushcliffe_leaflet_artwork.pdf

Another area to explore is Charnwood Forest just over the border in Leices. There is a cluster of Leic Wildlife Trust sites namely Lea Meadows, Ulverscroft and Herberts Meadow and in addition the County Council manage Outwoods, Beacon Hill, and Broomriggs Farm and of course there is also Bradgate Park and Swithland Wood. Although the footpath network is very limited in the area it is perfectly possibly to put together a days walk taking in Beacon Hill,

Ulverrscroft/Herberts Meadow, Lea Meadows, Bradgate Park and Broomriggs – although to be fair such a circuit is more about passing through. But it is a fine walk taking in National Forest plantations. Outside of Charnwood there are nature reserves at Holwell/Browns Quarry and also Wymeswold Meadow and Loughborough Big Meadow all just over the border. See LRWT web site for more info https://www.lrwt.org.uk/nature-reserves

PS not sure if exotic places like Leicetershire has left the EU, so you might need to take your passport !