ABOUT

A rural swathe of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire has been named as one of the best places to live in Britain - but what makes it so appealing?

The Vale of Belvoir, a name derived from the Norman-French for 'beautiful view', has been awarded the high accolade by the Sunday Times, and was just one of ten places in the Midlands to make the list.

It stretches from the far reaches of south-east Nottingham and Bingham, towards Grantham, and is on the border of three different counties including Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.

Those living and working from within the towns and villages said they believe the area deserves the accolade, with many describing it as "picturesque" and a great place to raise a family.

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Scalford is a village and civil parish in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It lies 4 miles to the north of Melton Mowbray at the southern end of the Vale of Belvoir. In the 2011 census the parish had a population of 608. It has its own pub, post office and shop selling groceries and other essentials.

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Melton Mowbray is best known for its culinary speciality, the Melton Mowbray pork pie, and it is one of the six homes of Stilton cheese. Melton Mowbray is promoted as the 'Rural Capital of Food'

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One of the most notable of landmarks in the region is Belvoir Castle, a Grade I-listed Gothic-revival styled hilltop citadel which overlooks around 16,000 acres of Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire villages and farmland.

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