Merrie Men and Major Oak - Day Walk

Lowland and Hill Walks

Jun 10

2023

Easy Moderate Very Hard

Distance is 11 miles (18 km); total climb is 562 feet (171 m); terrain can be up and down in places; surfaces are mainly walked earth paths, grass and some tarmac/gravel paths.

Explore the ancient and mythical woodland tracks of Sherwood Forest. Probably the most famous resident of Sherwood Forest (after Robin Hood, of course), the iconic Major Oak is an ancient giant that absolutely cannot be missed. Come with us as we explore the glorious oak and birch woodlands of Birklands, the largest area of ancient oak forest in Western Europe. See for yourself the now largely vanished landscape of the traditional English Greenwood at its finest and most varied.

This year the route includes Vicar Water Country Park, opened in 1982 like many Nottinghamshire nature reserves it was formed by the regeneration and reclamation of colliery slag heaps, but it also features Vicar Pond, a splendid Victorian lake created by the Duke of Portland in 1870, its fed by Vicar Water a tributary of the River Maun, which was originally known as Warmebroke, but before you get excited this simply meant Warm Brooke.

After lunch at the Sherwood Forest visitor centre we’ll head through Edwinstowe, before taking a pleasant stroll beside the River Maun, then continue past the remains of King John’s Palace a royal residence dating back to around 1154.

Gay History and Legend

Did you know Robin Hood, the world famous literary legend, has had his sexuality questioned for many years. In particular, the Robin Hood Conference in 1999 sparked a lot of media hype about how "merry" he and his Merry Men were.

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