In Nottinghamshire, the name Sherwood Forest refers to a 450-acre country park that is also home to the Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. Walking and hiking trails cater to a range of interests and fitness levels. You can tailor your visit to the landscape and the kind of trail you would like to explore.

Landscape and trails

Clumber Park offers a different scale: more than 3,800 acres of parkland, heathland and woodland define the area. It also has more than 20 miles of accessible paths and shared multi-use trails. The productive 18th-century garden contains national collections of rhubarb and apples. The landscape, trails and garden culture each offer a distinct way to experience the park—from views across its expansive terrain to its cultivated plant collections.

For cycling, Nottinghamshire has more than 550 miles of rural and urban cycle routes. Details of individual routes may change. If you would like to visit Sherwood Forest by bus, the Stagecoach Sherwood Arrow service runs hourly from Nottingham’s Victoria Bus Station and stops outside the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre. Check the timetable before travelling, as bus schedules can change.

Caves, art and historic places

Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge in the north of Nottinghamshire, with caves and smaller fissures running through it. Guided tours take you through the limestone caves; check booking requirements and availability before your visit. The Ice Age art also makes the site remarkable: the only known Ice Age rock art in Britain was discovered here in 2003. At Creswell Crags, geological landscape and prehistoric art come together, so you can explore the caves and the site’s history as interconnected themes.

The atmospheric ruins of Rufford Abbey invite you to explore centuries of history. Rufford Abbey Country Park adds activities on its lake and on land to this historic setting, including boating and archery. Details of these activities may change seasonally. Historical exploration and seasonal leisure activities are therefore found side by side here.

Southwell Minster has been a place of worship for well over 900 years and features outstanding examples of Norman and Early English architecture. The Southwell Trail offers a different perspective on history: the 7.5-mile route follows the former Midland Railway line from Southwell to Bilsthorpe. You can use the trail on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. By comparison, Clumber Park has more than 20 miles of accessible paths and shared multi-use trails. The difference lies in the format: one clearly defined route with fixed endpoints versus a more extensive network of paths.

Newark Castle also brings together several layers of history. Built in the mid-12th century, the castle is registered as a Scheduled Monument and listed as a Grade I building. Its grounds were laid out as a public pleasure garden in the 1880s and are still enjoyed by visitors today. Access conditions may vary during restoration work.

Gardens and regional discoveries

Another garden-related story can be found in Southwell: more than 200 years ago, an apple was first propagated there from a cottage garden on Church Street. Together with the national collections of rhubarb and apples in the garden at Clumber Park, this story shows the different ways to explore plants and garden culture—through a collection in one case, and local history in the other.

The places described here offer a range of themes to help you plan your trip.

Discover more destinations:

Worksop, Woodborough, Willoughby On The Wolds, Whatton, Upper Broughton, Southwell, Mansfield, East Retford, Chilwell, Beeston, Sutton In Ashfield, Warsop, Newark-On-Trent, Eastwood, Blyth, Haughton, Nottingham, Cuckney, Dunham, Sibthorpe, Stapleford, Calverton, Huthwaite, Edwalton, Mansfield Woodhouse, Ordsall, Misterton, Carlton, Underwood, Ollerton, Clipstone, Coddington, West Stockwith, Clifton, Winthorpe, Edwinstowe, Sutton Bonington, West Bridgford, Tuxford, Blidworth, South Clifton, Thurgarton, Hucknall, Clayworth, Colston Bassett, Torworth, Trowell, Normanton on Trent, Kimberley

For the broader travel overview: East Midlands.