The Major Oak, Sherwood Forest

Visiting the Major Oak is a must when you’re in the Sherwood Forest! This circular walk takes you on a gentle stroll through the Sherwood Forest to admire the varied and abundant wildlife, before arriving at the famous Major Oak. Said to be the hiding place of Robin Hood and his merry men, this enormous historical landmark really has to be seen with your own eyes to fully appreciate its impressive size – the canopy measures 28 metres wide, and the tree weighs around 23 tonnes! This shaded woodland route makes for an easy walk no matter the time of year and is perfect for letting little ones and dogs explore too.

The Sherwood Forest is managed by the RSPB, and the beautifully renovated visitors centre provides an easy entry point onto the Forest. Parking is in a spacious car park just across the road from the centre, where charges apply to non-RSPB members. Getting from the car park to the visitors centre is the only point on this route where you’ll have to walk on or cross roads – the rest is woodland paths. This site attracts around 850,000 visitors each year, so if you’re looking to avoid the crowds for your walk we suggest visiting mid week if possible! There’s lots of information in the centre about the history and folklore of the area, as well as toilets and a cafe.

The woodland is abundant with wildlife, and there are bird feeding platforms throughout the route put in place by the RSPB. We love to spend time watching these platforms from a distance to admire the birds that come and go. There are plenty of hollow and fallen trees in the woodland to explore, and little ones will love to play! The Major Oak itself is fenced off to preserve it for future generations, so be sure to enjoy the freedom of the woodland before you arrive at the great tree. This route is the longest at Sherwood Forest, meaning it’s also the the quietest as the route takes you deep into the forest and away from the Oak before looping back around. With many visitors choosing the shortest route to see the Oak, you may find you have this trail mostly to yourself.

For those with four-legged friends, the only poo bins are at the entrances to the Forest so be sure to pick up after your dog and take any bags with you.