Whether you’re on the search for Robin Hood, or hunting for an adventurous Sherwood Forest walk, you’ll find your ideal trail below. Did you know that there are over 1,000 ancient oak trees in Sherwood Forest? Many of which over 600 years old! Keep an eye out for some of these during your visit.
The Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, spanning 1,046 acres, has a section dedicated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest so paths are clearly marked and you shouldn’t stray from these. We’ve listed a mix of walks below, but you’ll find you can take off from our Sherwood Pines campsite and explore on bike or foot to your heart’s content. The Major Oak Trail – 1.5 miles
Arguably one of the biggest draws to Sherwood Forest is the Major Oak, the tree Robin Hood is said to have used to hide within. At between 800 – 1,000 years old, the Major Oak and surrounding woodland is well worth visiting. Take your time on the trail to appreciate the surroundings of green, vibrant forest and woodland.
The pathway to the Major Oak is well signposted from the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. It’ll take you around 15-20-minutes to reach the tree and around 45-minutes to do the full route.
As the name suggests, this trail takes you on a journey to see some of the biggest and oldest trees in Sherwood Forest. There are 997 ancient oaks in total, and while it’d be tricky to see them all during your visit, this trail passes a number of them. Marvel at the impressive forest as you complete the 30-minute, signposted walk.
You might be interested to know that there’s a wide range of birdlife to look out for due to the varying flora and fauna of the forest. Lesser spotted woodpecker, garden warblers, robins, goldcrest and coal tits are just a few of the varieties you could see.
The longest route in this list will take you around 2.5 hours on mainly flat, off-road forest trails. View the full route here.
You could tweak the suggested route to start at the main Visitor Centre, near the car park. This route takes you past the Major Oak, onto the Robin Hood Way through woodland to Archway House, a Grade II Listed Victorian Gothic Hunting Lodge. You’ll then walk along a pathway through a field, alongside a pretty river. This takes you back through to Edwinstowe Village and back to the Visitor Centre. This walk is a great way to see both popular and lesser-visited areas of the forest.
A great way of learning about any new area you visit is to go on an expert led walk. Visit Sherwood organise walks led by knowledgeable guides throughout the year. You can view all organised events here.
On a guided Sherwood Forest walk you’ll learn how the forest has been shaped over thousands of years, all about the myths and characters surrounding the forest and some of the history of the forest up to the present day.
For more information on all of the walks and activities available in Sherwood Forest, see the Visit Sherwood website.
Sherwood Pines is a hub of activity, with orienteering, organised activities like bush craft, Go Ape and two walking trails. View all of the things to do in the forest while staying on our Sherwood Pines campsite.
Here are the two official walks at Sherwood Pines, for full details visit the Forestry England website.
This is a 1-mile long, easily accessible route for everyone to enjoy the sights and sounds of the immersive forest.
Take in some of the oldest trees in the forest while keeping an eye out for the varying flora and wildlife along the way. For kids, this is a great trail for burning off any extra energy; you’ll find play areas along the way. The all-weather surfaced path is suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. You’ll find seating and a picnic bench along the trail, ideal for taking a break to appreciate your surroundings.
The longer of the two trails, at 3 miles; this unsurfaced trail takes you through a range of varying habitats. Follow the pink markers to enjoy this route. From mature pine woodland to lowland heath, you’ll see many picture-perfect sights on this trail and if you’re lucky, you’ll see some of the forests winged inhabitants including blackbirds, robins and wren.
If you’d prefer to explore the forest on two wheels, view our cycle route suggestions. Explore our Sherwood Pines campsite, the ideal base for enjoying all of the activities available in Nottinghamshire.
Get the latest news & special offers delivered to your inbox