Edwinstowe
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire, England
NG21 9HN

Major Oak

Map showing Nottinghamshire's position in the UK

Where to find us

Map of Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve
(opens in a new window).

Find us on Facebook

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.

Youngsters at Sherwood Forest

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.

Entrance to Sherwood Forest Country Park

  • 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.

Enjoying a coffee at the Forest Table Restaurant, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre 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

Heathland in Sherwood Forest

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 Natural England logo

A veteran oak 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.

Getting There

We're located on the B6034, just north of Edwinstowe Village, between the A6075 and the A616. If coming by car on the A614, follow brown tourism signs from Ollerton roundabout. You might find the AA Route Planner helpful: www.theaa.com

Public transport: The Sherwood Arrow bus service 33 between Nottingham and Worksop calls at Edwinstowe, from which the Visitor Centre is a 5 - 10 minute walk. For timetables and prices phone Traveline on tel: 0871 200 2233 or see: www.traveline.info

What's On?

Archery lesson at Sherwood Forest

Find out what's on at Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve in our events brochure August 2010-Jan 2011 [PDF 2.2MB]

Want to book a Christmas celebration with a difference? Download the Forest Table Christmas Menu and Booking Form [PDF 1.03MB] or go to the Sherwood Forest Catering page for details of our "Evening of Medieval Merriment"

Visit Sherwood Forest

Looking for a great B&B, hotel or campsite? Want ideas on places to visit? Find out more about places to stay and visit in the Sherwood Forest area at www.visitnottingham.co.uk Tel: 01623 824545 for the nearest tourist information centre, at Sherwood Heath near Ollerton.

Cycling in Sherwood Forest

Sorry, no cycling is allowed within the National Nature Reserve or around the Visitor Centre. Leave your bikes at the car park cycle racks and explore on foot.

However, you can cycle at many other places within Sherwood Forest. There are cycle hire facilities at nearby Clumber Park and Sherwood Pines Forest Park. For more details ring Ollerton Tourist Information tel: 01623 824545.

Robin Hood

Did he really exist?  Find out more about the Robin Hood legend.

Live the legend! Come to the annual Robin Hood Festival

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood

You've seen the movie, now see actual props from the recent film by director Ridley Scott in our Robin Hood Film Exhibition.

Created by Sonia Klaus, the set designer who has worked on many Ridlet Scott movies.  

Free admission! This exhibition has been made possible by funding from East Midlands Development Agency.

East Midlands Development Agency logo

Past, Present and Future

Delve into the fascinating history of Sherwood Forest and find out more about Robin Hood.

Find out about present day organisations working to improve Sherwood Forest, such as the Sherwood Forest Trust: www.sherwoodforest.org.uk

Look to the future: Read more on our plans to relocate Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre.

How do you rate this information / service?