This month's caravanners
Carl and Sarah Rodgerson with Abigail and friend Ella Gresty (both ten)
Outfit used
Abbey Freestyle 660
from Lowdhams, Nottinghamshire
Ford Galaxy 2.0-litre TDCi
If Robin Hood ever had as much fun as we did in Sherwood Forest he was
a very lucky villain indeed. Kids love
a bit of adventure, and this ancient woodland still feels like a place where you can play hide and seek with the sheriff and melt away into the undergrowth to play another day.
Exploring these magical woods was just part of
a family Great Escape that ten-year-olds Abigail and Ella loved. There was an added bonus, too: we discovered that this ideal holiday destination can be enjoyed all year round without your having to rob from the rich
to pay for it.
I'd managed to book a pitch near Lowdham in Nottingham at the excellent . From there, we could head in any direction in search of fun and daring deeds.
The majestic forest at the was our first raid, and we decided to attack lunch at the centre's restaurant first. In the spirit of Robin Hood, kids get their meal for 99p if they are accompanied by an adult rebel. After feasting on wild burgers, we made our first foray into the forest along the route of the Major Oak. It was a bright day, but it soon become darker as we ventured deeper into the woods. Surrounded by the magnificent ancient oaks it was easy for the kids to slip into character and play among the trees.
We didn't need to worry about losing the little bandits, because all the paths are
well signposted and park rangers are never far away.
Untouched it may have been, but our mobiles still worked very well here. The oaks were amazing, twisting and turning around their branches forming remarkable shapes; we just had to stand and admire nature as we imagined Robin and his merry men hiding in the greenery. None of us could avoid being impressed by the wondrous woodland.
It was educational, too. The paths were punctuated by detailed explanations of wildlife and outlaws. Much to the girls' amusement, Robin Hood could well have been a chap called Robin Hoode who came from near Doncaster and who may well have fought the real sheriff of Nottingham. Somehow knowing details of
a real Robin Hood spoils the fun, because your own imagination can do a much better job of coming up with a perfect hero.
What the kids were to discover was how Nottinghamshire's beautiful and varied landscape gave our hero and his comrades places to live, hide and seek adventure. They also found out how the sheriff and the city of Nottingham played huge parts in the legends.
Sherwood Forest is one of the most famous forests in the world. It stands at the heart of
the United Kingdom, between the major conurbations of Nottingham and Sheffield.
Its association with the legend of Robin Hood places it firmly in the hearts and minds of people all over the world. Agriculture, coal mining and commercial forestry have taken their toll on it. Much of old Sherwood bears little resemblance today to the 40-mile stretch of majestic forest from Robin Hood's time. None of that bothered Abigail and Ella who
– having bought hats, bows and arrows from the visitor centre shop – were keen to live
the legend for themselves. At the centre of the forest is the which was probably
a sapling when Robin was about, but which now stands as the daddy of all oaks in the forest and is now propped up with a metal rods and ropes which ensure it stays in one piece. The girls tried out a bit of longbow practice and hit a passer-by… Time to run for cover. We eventually made our way back to the car park, which usefully has spaces big enough for
a towcar and caravan should you need it.
After the delights of the forest, we decided that it was time to seek out the sheriff's base
at Nottingham and find a few more clues
about our hero. As we travelled down the A54, it became clear that Nottingham was heavily fortified. Just to confuse us, the clever sheriff had set up fiendishly complicated defences with road signs that only trained outlaws with local knowledge could fathom out. Through
a combination of excellent guesswork
and extraordinary luck, we ended up in
a multi-storey car park in the that proved to be a perfect base for exploring.
Nottingham is very much a Victorian creation that fell on hard times last century when most of the traditional industries declined and left. This mean huge parts of the city were derelict and in need of some love. Things have changed though, and Nottingham is very much the place to be, with a smart new tram system, a brilliant new fountain in the city square and numerous restaurants and cafés that make it feel very Continental. It's also a place where you'll discover plenty
to see and do just by walking with the kids.
That was our experience at the Lace Market. It proved to be an inspired choice, because just around the corner we stumbled across the , in an imposing building with Greek columns. In the fine tradition of outlaws and villains, the galleries are an interactive museum that brings home how justice was meted out in times gone by. The girls turned their noses up at what looked stuffy from the outside; but once inside, they were amazed.
As soon as we'd paid, we were issued with convict numbers and led into court by an usher dressed in formal garb. The kids were placed in the dock and, as we were to discover as we went round, all the staff stay in character and don't stop, which can be disconcerting.
"You have been found guilty of failing to get up in time for school and I sentence you to
a week in jail," bellowed the judge, who seemed to be enjoying dishing out the punishment to Abigail who stood giggling in the dock of the perfectly preserved courtroom, which was last used for real cases in 1984. It seemed fitting that the little rogue was being sentenced in
the old stomping ground of the outlaw Robin Hood who, as far as I know, didn't get up
very early either.
As the girls were led to jail, we passed a sign saying: "Hangings and floggings this way." Too good for them, I say. According to the list of convict numbers posted there, the girls were 1700s burglars sentenced to exile in Australia.
We entered the amazing and scary jail as the gate was unlocked by a jailer. We quickly work out that we shouldn't mess with him. Jailers were usually ex-convicts who had earned their jobs by being thoroughly nasty pieces of work. "Shut up and get in the stocks over there," he barked. The girls jumped out of their skin and reckoned that, even though this was make-believe, it would be better to tow the
line than risk time in the cells.
The tour takes you through a series of
scenes where characters act out the roles to bring to life the true horrors of life in jail. It's one of the best attractions I've ever been to: fun and very entertaining. The girls had a ball.
After such a busy day, it was time to retire back to the site at Shelford, which is an ideal rural base to relax after a busy day's villainy. Christine and Duncan who run the site only took it over a little while ago and are gradually making their mark on the place. They have a little shop which sells basics and local produce, including archer's arrows made by Duncan, who had some blunt ones for the girls. They can't wait to try them out on more innocent pedestrians. For now they have to make do with aiming at tin cans.
Our home for this Great Escape was the beautifully equipped Abbey Freestyle 660 made for Lowdhams Leisure World a few miles away. It's got all the features of the standard Abbey Vogue plus an infra-red alarm, exterior wet locker, outdoor gas and 240V points, extra-special interior and more. The four-berth proves to be
a winner, with its very comfortable fixed bed. You'll want for nothing, with a built-in microwave, CD player/radio and large rear washroom.
Rested and refreshed, we headed back to the city for
an assault on . We could see why its sandstone cliff location had been a defensive stronghold through the centuries, first for the Normans and subsequently the Royalists who discovered that they had backed the wrong side. This cleared the way for Oliver Cromwell's 16th century bulldozers to knock it down so it wouldn't be a problem for him again.
In its place is the stately home built for the Earl of Newcastle. It's now a museum and open space where you can enjoy great views across the city. More important, it's a place that kids can really enjoy. When we turned up,
a medieval demonstration was in progress, with brief lessons in archery. The girls descended on that a little too readily.
There's a great playground for under-tens
that includes a royal throne. (They think of everything, don't they?) The grounds are lovely and are worth a visit. But the real attraction is the museum, with its displays about the city.
Until the spring, Nottingham's most famous legend has come back to the castle in an exhibition showcasing the magic behind
the popular BBC television series, Robin Hood. |
