Robin Hood Revisited
Aug 31, 2008 in
Hotels
Misty Gibbons asked:
I remember it so well…sitting excitedly in front of the TV and waiting, until finally the credits started rolling and the theme tune started up…”Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the Glen, Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men.”
Everyone will recognise that this is the theme tune to the famous 1950’s series of Robin Hood featuring Richard Greene and it was a staple of many children throughout the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s but its also become a favourite of my son (ever since I bought the DVD set) and it was because of his great interest that I recently took him away on a short break to see the real life backdrop to the legend.
So it was, that one sunny morning my son and I drove into Nottingham, checked into the hotel that I had booked for that night, deposited our small amount of luggage and headed out to see the sights.
The first port of call for our short break was, of course, the famous Nottingham Castle. Now the castle is not the medieval building that is always portrayed in every film but a still magnificent edifice dating back to the 17th century. There has actually been a series of fortifications on the site since the Norman invasions and every version has had an historic past steeped in military engagements, however, the fondly imagined Sheriff of Nottingham’s medieval version was destroyed in the 1650’s and replaced with the current version. The castle itself though, is a fantastic place for kids on a short break, with rooms of armour and weapons, interactive displays and a medieval style playground. Underneath the castle, a series of extensive caverns and passages await the intrepid explorer and provide adventure and excitement for adult and child alike.
No short break to Nottingham would be complete without a visit to Sherwood Forest though and that was our next destination. Sherwood is now part of the protected Sherwood Country Park and is a thoroughly magnificent 450 acre forest. There are major points of interest within the forest such as the 800 year old ‘Major Oak’ and the site of wandering longhorn cattle grazing freely in the forest, but the true wonder lies in the unspoiled natural setting itself. As you go deeper into the forest away from others, you capture a feeling for the ‘spirit of the wildwood’ and can easily picture the outlaws of Robin Hood’s times inhabiting these secluded environs.
All in all, I must say that our visit to Nottingham was one of the best short breaks away that I have ever had; my son enjoyed himself immensely and there were a myriad other attractions that I have not yet mentioned. As a top children’s destination, Nottingham rates very highly and likewise, as a short break destination it is hard to beat…why not see for yourself?
I remember it so well…sitting excitedly in front of the TV and waiting, until finally the credits started rolling and the theme tune started up…”Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the Glen, Robin Hood, Robin Hood, with his band of men.”
Everyone will recognise that this is the theme tune to the famous 1950’s series of Robin Hood featuring Richard Greene and it was a staple of many children throughout the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s but its also become a favourite of my son (ever since I bought the DVD set) and it was because of his great interest that I recently took him away on a short break to see the real life backdrop to the legend.
So it was, that one sunny morning my son and I drove into Nottingham, checked into the hotel that I had booked for that night, deposited our small amount of luggage and headed out to see the sights.
The first port of call for our short break was, of course, the famous Nottingham Castle. Now the castle is not the medieval building that is always portrayed in every film but a still magnificent edifice dating back to the 17th century. There has actually been a series of fortifications on the site since the Norman invasions and every version has had an historic past steeped in military engagements, however, the fondly imagined Sheriff of Nottingham’s medieval version was destroyed in the 1650’s and replaced with the current version. The castle itself though, is a fantastic place for kids on a short break, with rooms of armour and weapons, interactive displays and a medieval style playground. Underneath the castle, a series of extensive caverns and passages await the intrepid explorer and provide adventure and excitement for adult and child alike.
No short break to Nottingham would be complete without a visit to Sherwood Forest though and that was our next destination. Sherwood is now part of the protected Sherwood Country Park and is a thoroughly magnificent 450 acre forest. There are major points of interest within the forest such as the 800 year old ‘Major Oak’ and the site of wandering longhorn cattle grazing freely in the forest, but the true wonder lies in the unspoiled natural setting itself. As you go deeper into the forest away from others, you capture a feeling for the ‘spirit of the wildwood’ and can easily picture the outlaws of Robin Hood’s times inhabiting these secluded environs.
All in all, I must say that our visit to Nottingham was one of the best short breaks away that I have ever had; my son enjoyed himself immensely and there were a myriad other attractions that I have not yet mentioned. As a top children’s destination, Nottingham rates very highly and likewise, as a short break destination it is hard to beat…why not see for yourself?
