Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire

Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, famous for its link with the tale of Robin Hood. Now 423 hectare (1.63 square-miles) in size, part of Sherwood Forest was opened as a country park in 1969 by Nottinghamshire County Council, and in 2002, a portion of Sherwood Forest was designated as a National Nature Reserve by English Nature.

The Forestry Commission manages most of Sherwood Forest and they provide a number of walks and Robin Hood-related activities. Sherwood Forest attracts around 500,000 tourists every year including many from around the world.



One of the most popular activates is the annual Robin Hood Festival held every summer, this week-long event recreates a medieval atmosphere and features the major characters from the Robin Hood legend.

Sherwood Forest is also recognised as one of England's most important homes for wildlife - there are 1500 species of beetle and 200 types of spiders found in Sherwood Forest. There are also over 900 trees in Sherwood Forest that are 600 years old or more, included The Major Oak, estimated to be more than 800 years old, which stands in the centre of Sherwood Forest and many believe is the tree where Robin Hood hid.