... I live in Sheffield which is ideally located between the hilly, rocky Peak District National Park to the West and the contrasting flat, wooded area of Sherwood Forest to the East.
Sherwood Forest covers a vast area, which occupies approximately one third of the County of Nottinghamshire. ... Read review
Location. Crossland Baton Rouge Sherwood Forest is located in Baton Rouge, La. ... more
Less than two miles from the Mall of Louisiana Less than two miles from the Drusilla Recreation Center Hotel Features. Pets permitted for a fee Laundry facilities Business services Guestrooms. Kitchens Wireless Internet access for a fee Separate bedroom and living areas
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. Crossland Baton Rouge Sherwood Forest is located in Baton Rouge, La. ... more
Less than two miles from the Mall of Louisiana Less than two miles from the Drusilla Recreation Center Hotel Features. Pets permitted for a fee Laundry facilities Business services Guestrooms. Kitchens Wireless Internet access for a fee Separate bedroom and living areas
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: Plenty to see and do Disadvantages: Can get quite crowded at busy times
...contrasting flat, wooded area of Sherwood Forest to the East.
Sherwood Forest covers a vast area, which occupies approximately one third of the County of Nottinghamshire. This is an area characterised by its patchwork of Woodland interspersed with ancient heath lands, which are scattered with settlements and farms, many of these have survived the ages and even today remain largely unchanged. Within its geographical location within ... ...ninety Royal Forests of which Sherwood was the largest. In their heyday of the thirteenth Century these Forests covered about a third of the total area of England. Sherwood Forest covered an area from near Mansfield in the North southwards towards the present day boundaries of the City of Nottingham. This is an area of about 25 miles long, whilst in the other direction it stretched for upwards of 10 miles.
I am very fortunate to live within a 45-minute drive of some of the finest Countryside to be found anywhere in England. I live in Sheffield which is ideally located between the hilly, rocky Peak District National Park to the West and the contrasting flat, wooded area of Sherwood Forest to the East.
Sherwood Forest covers a vast area, which occupies approximately one third of the County of Nottinghamshire. This is an area characterised by its patchwork of Woodland interspersed with ancient heath lands, which are scattered with settlements and farms, many of these have survived the ages and even today remain largely unchanged. Within its geographical location within England this habitat is unique and is similar to that found in the New Forest of Southern England and the Brecklands of East Anglia.
I visit this area several times a year and would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting the area, as there is plenty to see and do.
The History of the Forest
William the Conqueror created ninety Royal Forests of which Sherwood was the largest. In their heyday of the thirteenth Century these Forests covered about a third of the total area of England. Sherwood Forest covered an area from near Mansfield in the North southwards towards the present day boundaries of the City of Nottingham. This is an area of about 25 miles long, whilst in the other direction it stretched for upwards of 10 miles.
The word Sherwood means Shire Wood and this Forest was sometimes referred to as Nottingham Forest. It was a private hunting ground for the Royal Family of the day who used the area to hunt Game as a Pastime. It was a popular area for all of England's Kings from Henry 1 through to Richard 111. During the middle of the 12th Century, Henry II built a hunting lodge in the heart of the Forest near to the village of Clipstone, this lodge was named King John's Palace in honour of one of King Henry's sons. The remains of this lodge can still be seen today off the B6030 in Old Clipstone.
Richard the Lionheart spent several days at the hunting lodge at Clipstone after capturing Nottingham Castle from the supporters of his brother John in 1194 and he entertained the King of Scotland here. Documents, which still survive today, show that they were both very impressed with the forest.
Quite close to the lodge stands the remains of an ancient Oak tree. Edward I is said to have held a meeting of parliament under the branches of this Oak tree in 1290, hence its name today - The Parliament Oak. Sherwood Forest is however much more famous for another Oak tree, the Major Oak with its association with the legendary outlaw Robin Hood.
The Forest Today
From the 16th Century onwards, successive monarchs became less obsessed with hunting than their predecessors and many trees were felled to make way for farming. In the years that followed large proportions of the Royal land was sold off to the rich families of the day who built vast Country Houses and cleared large areas of the forest to create landscaped parks with fantastic private lakes.
Many of these private Estates still exist today and these areas are the main hub of what is the Sherwood Forest today. The largest of these private Estates are the Welbeck Estate, Thoresby Estate and Clumber Park which is now in the hands of the National Trust and the only Estate of this type which is open the public.
Close to Clumber Park, near the village of Edwinstowe 37 acres of Forest were set aside for public enjoyment during the 1950's and this became known as The Sherwood Forest Country Park. Successful leasing agreements regarding adjoining land within the Thoresby Estate and surrounding areas has created a Country Park which now covers 448 acres of land with Public Footpaths, Cycle-Ways and Bridle Paths.
The Sherwood Forest Country Park was given a Grade 1 site listing for its ancient woodland and heath land in a Nature Conservation Review of 1977, and was re-designated as an area of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act. In 2002, Sherwood Forest Country Park was also designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR) and the whole area is now being considered as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under new European law.
The Legend Of Robin Hood
This is the main reason why tourists flock to this area to discover more about the legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Most people will have learned about the tales of this famous outlaw from their schooldays and more recently from the TV Series "Robin of Sherwood" and the hugely successful movie "Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves." but being here where it all happened really does bring the tales to life and sends your imagination into overdrive.
The Major Oak
This is the main focal point of the Sherwood Forest Country Park so it is hardly surprising that this is to be found only a short distance from the main Visitor Centre and Car Park.
I have seen the Major Oak many times and each time I still marvel at its size. Legend will have us believe that this huge, hollow, Oak tree is the very one which Robin Hood hid inside when he was hiding from the Sheriff of Nottingham. It is true to say that the tree is hollow and around 10 people could easily hide inside it but the story is not without its flaws. Many sceptics argue that the Major Oak though very old would have only been a mere twig in the days of Robin Hood and the actual tree mentioned in the various documents, though similar to this would have been much older and would have therefore probably died a couple of hundred years ago. Whether or not this is the actual Oak of the legend or not, statistically speaking the facts are pretty amazing. The diameter of the trunk measures 35 feet in circumference and its branches spread over an area of 260 feet, it stands 90 feet high. This tree also produces a staggering 150,000 acorns a year.
I remember when I was young it was possible to walk right up to the Major Oak and touch it but sadly the sheer number of visitors and the age of the tree is beginning to take its toll. These days a fence encloses the Major Oak and it is only possible to view the tree from a distance of about 20 feet. There have also been a number of large wooden structural supports added beneath the largest branches which due take away some of its natural glory but obviously they are there for a reason.
Access to the Major Oak from the Car Park and Visitor Centre is along a very well trodden path, which is flat and quite sturdy underfoot, well during the Summer months at least. There are boards along this path every 30 feet or so telling you about the history, the habitat and the wildlife of the area. During my most recent visit I saw several pushchairs and wheelchairs using this route without any obvious difficulty.
The Car Park & Visitor Centre
This is the best point from which to enter the Forest although parking here will cost you £1.50. The Visitor Centre is very well sign posted from all routes, simply follow the brown tourist signs for Sherwood Forest Park which is located off the B6030 between Old Clipstone and Ollerton.
The visitor centre itself is truly fascinating and features many exhibitions but it does tend to get very crowded. It is open daily from 8am throughout the year. There is also a gift shop located here, public toilets with disabled access and a café.
There are many different circular trails which begin and end from the visitor centre and these vary greatly in length and difficulty, some will take you right into the heart of the forest for 5 or 6 miles so be sure to pick up a leaflet and find out what's in store before deciding to follow the blue, red or yellow trail on a whim.
Edwinstowe
Before leaving this area I would definitely recommend that you visit the nearby village of Edwinstowe. This quaint little place is steeped in history and features heavily in the tales of Robin Hood.
The name Edwinstowe comes from the name of the King of this ancient area of Northumbria who died in battle in 633AD.
The Church of St Mary is one of the most popular attractions in the village as it is said that it is here that Robin Hood married Maid Marian.
Another place of interest here is Edwinstowe Hall, built in 1757, which has been home to various noble families over the years including the Earls of Scarborough
Conclusion
I would definitely recommend a visit to this area as an excellent, cheap day out for all the family. There is plenty to do and see and it is easily possible to spend a full day in the area without seeing all that it has to offer.
Advantages: Fantastically cheap, loads of wonderful things to see and do Disadvantages: Can be extremely packed in warm weather
...promising to go and see Sherwood Forest, which is only a 45 minute drive away from me. After many weekends of planning to go and never quite getting there, I finally went about a month ago, and had a thoroughly good time.
Sherwood Forest is, as you’ve no doubt guessed by now, an extremely large forest in Nottinghamshire. The name will probably sound familiar to you as it’s rumoured to be the haunt of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Sherwood Forest ... ...reason I decided to visit Sherwood Forest in the first place.
Upon arriving at the Sherwood Forest visitor centre, which is well signposted from all major roads, the first thing you need to do is park your car which, in hot weather, isn’t always as easy as it sounds! On the day we went it was lovely and sunny and parking spaces were few and far between, especially in the shade. We paid a grand sum of £1.50 which allowed us to leave the car parked ...
shorn_the_sheep 15.07.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sherwood Forest (Nottingham)
Advantages: Varied activities and inexpensive. Disadvantages: Needs good weather.
...Parcs, in the heart of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. There is a very well laid out, clean visitors centre near to the tree, and from the visitors centre as well as the walk to the tree, there are a number of other very well marked walks through the forest of different lengths. Most of these walks are wheelchair friendly, and one particular walk has been set out for visually impaired people. There is a large car park at the centre, which is ... ...park fee at weekends (currently £1.50). About a quarter of a mile from the visitors centre is a fun fair which is open all the Summer months. Due to its location this does not distract from the beauty and quiet of the forest, but does give somewhere for children to have an extra bit of fun. Near to the fun fair is a collection of craft workshops. These are well worth a visit, with about twenty different units selling a wide variety of goods, a large ...
daseaford 05.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sherwood Forest (Nottingham)
Advantages: Cheap day out Disadvantages: Dependant on weather and time of year
I come from and live in this area, so my review might be a little biased. I can remember the forrest before the visitors center existed.
If you enjoy nature and walking, then this is the day out for you.
It is cheap, car parking is free during the week and £1.50 at weekends, there are no other admission costs. The paths around the forest are clearly marked and I would say that it is suitable for a disabled person to get around.
The visitors center ... ...is a visual display of the history of the forrest, with ambient sound effects. It is orth checking out before hand if there are any festivals or displays on the day you want to visit. If you visit during the week long annual Robin Hood Fastival, there is more to see and do, with mock battles ect. If you choose a quieter time, the visiters center can be a bit of a disappointment to children expecting a theme park type adventure.
The center includes ...
RoseButterfly 25.04.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sherwood Forest (Nottingham)
Advantages: Beautiful scenary Disadvantages: Can get crowed in the summer
...in the heart of the Sherwood Forest area for the majority of my life i am likey to also be quite biased about it.
Although the whole area is amazingly beautiful it helps a lot to go in good weather as there is not that many places to shelter whilst still having a good look round if it's raining.
You can't get too close to 'Robin hood's' major oak though as it is barriered off and held up by lots of posts because of it's age. This could pose quite ... ...6 years ago and the feedback was very positive from it.
Sherwood forest is very cheap to get into and does host excellent parking facilities. Again these can get very busy in the summer, and the town being quite difficult to drive through.
Overall it is definately worth a visit. ...
thestrayedproject 23.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sherwood Forest (Nottingham)
Advantages: great scenary and fresh air Disadvantages: too tiring a cycle journey
...happen while i was in SHERWOOD FOREST - most well known for its legendary hero - Robin Hood. I rented one of the bicycles from the shops that rent them out at the Park sites and did the 8 km route and was totally tired out. You do feel the clear clean air cutting through your lungs after a while and you smell the difference between the foul London air and the unpolluted environment. The weather was excellent for the cycle trip and all of us had so ...
yingli.lim 14.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Sherwood Forest (Nottingham)
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