This easy walk showcases the best of England’s most famous forest. It’s a relaxing trail on flat paths that are really well maintained, allowing you to soak up the sights and sounds of the forest. You’ll visit Britain’s biggest oak tree - Major Oak - that is thought to be one of Robin Hood’s main hideouts. You’ll also pass a series of other giant oaks, with gnarled and twisted branches that look like something out of a fairytale.
We’ve combined three trails to make one short circuit that allows you to see a good chunk of the forest in less than an hour and a half.
An easy Sherwood Forest walk
The stats
Distance: 2.5 miles (4km) circuit
Elevation gain: 50m
Difficulty: Easy
Time taken: 1 hour 15 at a leisurely pace
This circuit walk is almost entirely flat and the trail is in excellent condition. There were very few muddy patches and little in the way of rough terrain. It’s a great family friendly option and takes in three different trails, allowing you to see the best of the forest on one short walk.
The trails are shared use, so you may see cyclists as well, but the paths are very wide and no one was speeding along, so it wasn’t an issue. We did the trail in a clockwise direction, but it doesn’t make much difference which way you walk it.
Starting the trail
Although the trail technically begins at the visitor centre, you’ll have to walk the 200m between the car park (details below) and the visitor centre first.
You’ll pass the gift shop and somewhere to grab a coffee if you need some pre walk fuel.
Once you’ve walked through the visitor centre you’ll begin heading along a gravel path and enter the forest after 300m.
I’ll admit that though there are some beautiful trees in this first section, I was a little disappointed. All that remains of the forest on your left is a thin band of trees and it feels quite open.
You miss that feeling of being truly immersed in nature, and having recently visited places such as Puzzlewood and Padley Gorge, I quickly lowered my expectations.
Luckily the forest gets denser the further you walk and it did turn out to be a beautiful trail.
Through the woodland
The nice part about the first section of the walk is that despite the forest feeling a little thin, it does still have some wonderful trees and the easy path (which is entirely flat, but for one gradual incline at the beginning), allows you to spend all your time appreciating them, no need to watch your footing!
After 800m you’ll come to a junction and head left, following the sign for the Greenwood Trail. You then head almost immediately right, through the gate.
This next section of the walk was very quiet and incredibly peaceful. The bracken lined path is more open, with skinny beech trees, rather than giant oaks, so it adds a lovely bit of variety to the walk.
You’ll pass through another gate and head right, entering a patch of less dense forest on your way to see the most famous tree in the forest, Major Oak.
On to Major Oak
Roughly 1.4 miles (2.3km) into the trail you’ll round a corner and get your first glimpse of the mighty Major Oak.
I have never seen such a gigantic oak tree in all my life, (which makes sense as this is the biggest oak in Britain!) and it’s an incredibly impressive sight.
It’s thought to be between 800 and 1100 years old, and it’s now protected with fencing and some metal support struts - a far cry from when you used to be able to climb right inside the tree!
Major Oak is most famous for being Robin Hood’s hideout tree, where he would meet with his Merry Men when on the run.
Whether or not you believe the legend, there’s something about seeing this tree in person that makes you think that it doesn’t seem too far fetched - especially as the forest used to be over 100,000 acres (it’s now just over 1000) - a sad fact, but it’s great that Major Oak and some other giants of the forest have survived.
In total there are 997 oaks left in Sherwood Forest and many would have been alive during the reign of Henry VIII!
Continuing along the path of the giant oaks
Passing Major Oak, the walk continues into a dense patch of forest, full of twisted and gnarled giant oaks - the best of the trail in my opinion.
You’ll also pass the ‘Stags Head’ tree, which is signposted and does sort of look like it’s namesake, however it’s the oaks which really steal the show.
They look like something out of a fairytale. My favourites were on the left of the track and they are definitely worth stopping to admire.
As you get closer to the visitor centre, the trees do thin out considerably, but it’s still a pretty end to the walk, and as with the rest of the track, it’s flat and leisurely. You’ll reach the visitor centre 1.3km after leaving Major Oak.
All in all, this is a gorgeous easy walk that showcases the best of Sherwood Forest.
It doesn’t feel wild as some forests do, due to fencing along much of the trail, but it’s nonetheless a lovely walk and we’re glad we finally made it to see England’s most famous forest.
Facilities at Sherwood Forest
There’s a visitor centre, gift shop, cafe and toilets at Sherwood Forest. There’s also a further gift shop and coffee shop just before you get to the visitor centre, on the walk from the car park.
Parking for Sherwood Forest
The car park for Sherwood Forest is located 200m away from the visitor centre on Swinecote Road, NG21 9QB. There is a car park right beside the visitor centre, but it’s an accessible car park only. The car parks do have opening hours, but you can exit after these times, so you won’t get your car locked in:
March – October: From 10am until 5pm.
November – February: From 10am until 4.30pm.
The car park has a flat fee of £5. There wasn’t any street parking available between the car park and the visitor centre. RSPB members can park for free in the main car park.
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