Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve
Edwinstowe
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire, England
NG21 9HN
Where to find us
Map of Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve
(opens in a new window).
Find us on Facebook as "Visit Sherwood Forest"
Contact us
Visitor Information: tel: 01623 823202 (daily 10.30am - 4.30pm) or 0844 9 80 80 80 (8am - 8pm Mon-Fri; 8am - 12 noon Sat)
Park rangers and office tel: 01623 823202
Forest Table Restaurant tel: 01623 823202 ext 32
Fax: 01623 823202
email: sherwood.forest @nottscc.gov.uk
Admission to the park is free.
A small seasonal car parking charge of £3 applies at weekends and Bank Holidays, plus daily through the summer school holiday.
What to see and do
Once a royal hunting forest, this is the legendary home of the outlaw Robin Hood, today part of a National Nature Reserve because of its national ecological importance. Within the 450 acre site there are 900 veteran oak trees, including the famous Major Oak. This ancient oak, one of Britain's most famous trees, is located just a ten minute walk from the Visitor Centre. Come and visit one of the world's most famous woods!
Each year we welcome around 400,000 visitors to Sherwood Forest. Admission to the Visitor Centre and park is free, with just a small seasonal charge for car parking.
- Robin Hood's Sherwood Exhibition
- Film Exhibition (until October 2010) - the making of Ridley Scott's "Robin Hood"
- Forest Table Restaurant
- Information office (seasonal)
- Waymarked trails
- Two shops
- The famous Major Oak
- Robin Hood Festival
Browse around the Visitor Centre shops or relax with a coffee or a hot snack in the Forest Table Restaurant. Take a walk to the mighty Major Oak, pick up one of our fun family nature trails, or just stand and admire the weird and wonderful shapes of the ancient oak trees, twisted by age and weathered into living sculptures.
Photo: Forest Table Restaurant
The ecology of Sherwood Forest is fascinating. The natural decay of fallen timber means the woodland teems with insect life and fungi, which in term provide food for varied species of birds and bats. In partnership with the Sherwood Forest Trust we currently have a woodland grazing project at Sherwood, using Hebridean sheep and English Longhorn cattle to help ensure that open areas of medieval heathland do not revert to scrub.
Access for all
We offer free loan of wheelchairs and an electric mobility scooter is available for loan at £2 per hour. Please book in advance, tel: 01623 83202.
Get involved
We're keen to recruit new volunteers. You could help us by acting as a marshall at seasonal events, donning a costume and helping us to entertain visitors, or just lending a hand with some litter picking. It's a great way to get experience of country park work, and could boost your CV. Under eighteens weclome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Call us for a chat:Contact the Rangers tel: 01623 823202 or e-mail: sherwood.forest @nottscc.gov.uk
Four legged friends
Dogs are welcome but must be on a lead in the Visitor Centre area. Please clean up after your pet.
Sherwood is special
The 450 acre country park is part of the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, designated in 2002 by Natural England, the Government agency responsible for safeguarding our natural environment.
To fnd out more about what a National Nature Reserve is, visit their website: www.naturalengland.org.uk 
The site is managed by Nottinghamshire County Council and maintained by our country park rangers, working to a woodland management plan drawn up as a partnership between Natural England and ourselves.
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve contains some of the oldest trees in Europe, veteran oaks five centuries old and the world-famous Major Oak, still producing acorns after standing at the heart of the forest for an estimated 800 years!
Photos: Pete Jenkins and others.
