Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In the Footsteps of Robin Hood
References to Robin Hood, the archer
and swordsman who “robbed from the
rich to feed the poor,” go back as far as
the 13th century, but nobody knows
whether the heroic outlaw is invention
or was based on real outlaws. Regard-
less, Robin and his Merry Men continue
to exert a powerful hold on the public
imagination—as the popularity of the
2006-09 BBC series and 2010 Russell
Crowe movie attest.
The
Robin Hood Trail
(www.robin
hoodbreaks.visitnottingham.com)
takes you to 12 locations pertaining
to the legend, including spots where
Robin Hood lived, fought, hunted, or
preyed on the wealthy, among them
Nottingham Castle, Thieves Wood,
Rufford Abbey Country Park, Sher-
wood Forest Country Park, King John's
Palace, Edwinstone, and Clumber Park.
You can follow most of the route by bike
or drive it (download a free satellite-
navigation guide and podcast on the
website). An “In the footsteps of Robin
Hood” CD and interactive map/guide
(£1.99), from the Nottingham Tourism
Centre or online, is indispensable. Don't
confuse the above-mentioned trail with
Robin Hood Way
(www.robinhood
way.com), a 107-mile footpath from
Nottingham to Southwell via Edwin-
stone, also taking in areas linked
with the outlaw.
14
outside the county border, in South Yorkshire, while
Birmingham International
Airport
is also within easy reach.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Nottingham Tourism Centre,
1-4 Smithy Row
(
&
08444/775678;
www.visitnottingham.com) is open Monday to Friday 9am to
5:50pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 10am to 4pm.
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
, Edwinstowe (
&
01623/823202;
www.
newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/), Information office is seasonal—call ahead.
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre is the focus for the
week-long
Robin Hood Festival
(www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/robinhoodfestival)
in July or August, celebrating the outlaw with medieval crafts, children's theatre and
food stalls, and jugglers, jesters, and other costumed characters. Alternatively, Octo-
ber sees the
Robin Hood Pageant
at
Nottingham Castle
(p. 547), with the castle
green alive with historical reconstructions between the outlaws and the sheriffs' men,
some of them on horseback, artisan displays, performances by jesters, wandering
minstrels and storytellers, and archery sessions. Nottingham is also known for its
Goose Fair
(www.nottinghamgoosefair.co.uk), a huge 5-day fun fair dating back
more than 700 years. Held each October, it was named after the thousands of geese
that used to be driven to Nottingham from Lincolnshire to be sold.
To the east of the country, Newark hosts the
International Antiques and Col-
lectors Fair
(www.iacf.co.uk/newark), Europe's largest such event, held every other
month and attracting dealers and buyers from around the globe.
Exploring the Area
SHERWOOD FOREST NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE
Not all of Sherwood Forest is wooded:
Sherwood Forest Country Park
(
&
01623/823202;
www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk) at Edwinstowe, 18 miles north of
Nottingham, is the place to head, with its visitor center (see above) and the
