Path through oak and birch trees in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire

Where to go · Nottinghamshire

Forest bathing at Sherwood Forest

Over a thousand ancient oaks, many more than 500 years old, around the Major Oak at Edwinstowe.

Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve near Edwinstowe holds more than a thousand ancient oaks, most of them over 500 years old, and Natural England describes it as having the highest concentration of ancient trees in Europe. The Major Oak, thought to be around a thousand years old, stands at its centre. The reserve covers about 425 hectares, once part of a royal hunting forest, and is now looked after by the RSPB.

The visitor centre and main car park are at Forest Corner, and most people walk straight to the Major Oak. Carry on past it and the crowds thin quickly; the old, twisted oaks further out are the place to stop and sit. Dogs need to be under close control, and on leads where signed between March and August. Toilets are only at the visitor centre, so plan for that.

Practical

Managed by
RSPB
Parking
Main car park on Swinecote Road and accessible car park at the visitor centre; pay and display, RSPB members pay a reduced rate
Nearest station
Mansfield Woodhouse, about 8 km
Facilities
Visitor centre with toilets, accessible toilets and Changing Places; play area; mobility scooter hire (book ahead)
Opening and entry
Open access, free entry; parking charge
Official page
rspb.org.uk

Last updated 4 November 2026. Paths, parking and access can change, so check before you visit. Spotted something out of date? Please let us know.

Guides who run sessions here

One guide works Sherwood Forest

More woodlands in Nottinghamshire

All venues in Nottinghamshire
Fungus on a tree stump in Blidworth Woods, NottinghamshireBlidworth WoodsPine woods and heath at the southern end of Sherwood, with free parkingPath through woodland at Clumber Park, NottinghamshireClumber ParkWoods, heath and a serpentine lake, with a two mile double avenue of limesTrees in the grounds of Rufford Abbey Country Park, NottinghamshireRufford Abbey Country ParkWoods, lake and abbey ruins near Ollerton, with accessible paths

Photos: Blidworth Woods, Alan Murray-Rust (CC BY-SA 2.0); Clumber Park, Mick Lobb (CC BY-SA 2.0); Rufford Abbey Country Park, David Hallam-Jones (CC BY-SA 2.0).