S H E RW O O D F O R E ST V I S I TO R C E N T R E
ENTER A WORLDFA M O U S F O R E S T A new visitor centre has opened at Sherwood Forest, managed by the RSPB and partners on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, heralding a new era for the forest and its very special collection of ancient oak trees, wildlife and legends. Gemma Howarth, senior site manager, explains what makes the place so magical and why it attracts more than 350,000 visitors annually. “Sherwood is known the world over – it’s the home of Robin Hood, and is truly iconic.
Of course, Robin isn’t the whole story. No trip’s complete without seeing the Major Oak. At around 1,000 years old, with a canopy stretching 100ft, it’s the most amazing tree! We’re proud to have the finest collection of ancient oaks in Western Europe – many over 600-years-old. They’re special not just because they look phenomenal, but because they’re an ideal habitat for hundreds of species - insects, fungi, birds and mammals.
It’s been hugely exciting to open our new visitor centre, and be part of the future of Sherwood, with the important responsibility of not just keeping those stories alive, but finding new and innovative ways of telling them for a 21st century audience.
People love a good yarn, which is why we’re developing a lot of our interpretation, how we share these stories, around the spoken word. So there’s a host of guided walks and talks and knowledgeable staff and volunteers around the site, but also costumed guides out in the forest during popular periods, who really help bring these legends to life. There are also numerous events themed around the outlaw, including the much-loved Robin Hood Festival which we hold for a week in August every year.
Take our Giants Trail to spot some of the ancients, or pick up a trail guide to find what interests you – or just explore! We have backpacks for youngsters to hire from our visitor centre, which have all you need for a forest adventure. Our café has hot and cold food and drink, whilst our shop stocks everything from toy bows and arrows to souvenirs, t-shirts and books, alongside RSPB products. There’s a great amphitheatre outside - a lovely place to relax and plan your visit, perhaps whilst the children make the most of our Robin Hood-themed play area. We’ve just started our journey at Sherwood, and have great plans for the future, which we want our visitors to feed into too. There’s exciting times ahead!”
The forest is accessible all year round. The visitor centre is open every day except Christmas Day. Parking is £4 or free to RSPB members. There are disabled bays adjacent to the visitor centre, which has accessible toilets and a changing places facility. For more details, search ‘Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre and National Nature Reserve’ on the Visit Nottinghamshire website. V I S I T- N O T T I N G H A M S H I R E . C O . U K
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