Sherwood Forest: Forest Ranger Watch

What’s in the Forest Canopy?

Sherwood Pines forest is a pine forest with areas of birch, oak, sweet chestnut, and beech. There are open areas where the mature trees have been harvested and allowed to become heathland. Around 50% of the forest is planted with Corsican Pine, 10% with Scots Pine, and somewhat under 10% is a mixture of the deciduous species. The rest of the area comprises felled areas, heathland, chases (tracks) and amenity areas.

Robin Hood’s Hiding Place 

Robin Hood’s famous tree, the Major Oak, where Robin reputedly hid from the Sheriff of Nottingham’s men, still survives in nearby Sherwood Forest, and there is an annual Robin Hood Festival held there in August where thousands descend to cheer on Robin and boo the Sheriff. Don’t forget, budding Robins and Marians can have archery lessons on location.

Flora you’ll find on your Walks 

Ones to look out for on your visit include: Broom; Bracken, Ling Heather, Heath Speedwell; Harebell; Tormentil; Heath Bedstraw, St John’s Wort; Foxglove; Thistle; Cow Parsley, Stags head club moss; Polytrichum Moss and Caledonia Lichen.

Fauna to Spot in Sherwood Forest

Among our forest friends we have Rabbit; Vole; Shrew; Hedgehog; Stoat; Weasel, Fox; Badger; Pipistrelle bat; Noctule bat, Fallow deer. The fallow deer which live in Sherwood Pines Forest Park are small, dark, very shy, unusually coloured, and difficult to spot. Be patient and you’ll be rewarded! Usually as soon as they catch sight or scent of you they will be gone.

Butterflies and Moths include the Small Heath; Speckled Wood; Small Tortoiseshell; Small Skipper; Common Blue; Red Admiral; Peacock; Cinnabar Moth; Lesser Swallow prominent moth; Antler moth; Smoky Wainscot and Angle striped sallow.

Birdsong in the Breeze 

There’s plenty of birdsong from the wonderful laughter of the Green Woodpecker, the whirring song of the Nightjar and the haunting call of the Tawny Owl. You may also hear Woodlark; Great tit; Coal tit; Lesser spotted Woodpecker; Chaffinch, Robin, Wren, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Blackbird; Common Crossbill and Tree Pipit. Keep listening out for them!

As early as October or November Owls start to establish their territorial rights. Young owls of the previous year will now be ready to breed and will be seeking a territory of their own. This can lead to noisy and aggressive disputes, especially if young owls try to establish a territory that overlaps one that is already occupied.

What’s on the forest floor? 

Stunning colours from Red Oak and Beech leaves carpet the autumn woodland floor. There’s a huge diversity of fungi throughout the forest. Shaggy Inkcap is really pretty when young, dissolving to an interesting gooey sticky black ink as it ages. Clouded Agaric can be quite dull and boring in appearance but they make it up through sheer numbers - they can be quite large (up to about 20cm) and often grow in huge rings or groups.

Spot Dead Man’s Fingers!

The spookily named Dead Man’s Fingers can be seen at the end of October, so is perfect for Halloween walks. It grows on dead wood, its black and shaped like stubby fingers!  This fungus is not edible but I don’t think anyone would fancy a nibble anyway! Hoof Bracket fungus (another name is Tinder Bracket) is found all the year round on silver birch and was well used in the past for its fire making properties. It will hold an ember for carrying, and was also used for healing wounds, and for rheumatism.

Others to look out for are Razorstrop, used in the past for sharpening razors (shades of Sweeney Todd!) and for its anti-bacterial properties, so also used on wounds; Earthballs, similar to puffballs but darker and ‘scaly’ looking (watch out for them ‘exploding’ clouds of spores into the air); and Candlesnuff – eerie white fronds amongst bright green moss.

The Wildwood in Sherwood Forest

Parts of the original large Sherwood Forest of which Sherwood Pines (then called Clipstone Forest) was a part, were acquired by nobility and four main ducal estates – Clumber, Welbeck, Thoresby and Worksop. This unique area is known as The Dukeries. Nearby Clumber and Thoresby and the old abbeys of Rufford and Newstead (Lord Byron’s home), can be visited, along with parts of privately owned Welbeck. The remains of King John’s Hunting Palace (recently featured on Time Team) are at the edge of Sherwood Pines.

Book your Escape at Sherwood Forest

Sherwood Pines is a popular walking and cycling forest with miles of trails and plenty of children’s play areas. Our guests love to relax in their hot tub and enjoy the peace and quiet, the space in the woodland to be alone and listen to nature, the laughter from families and friends as they cycle or stroll through the trails accompanied by a canine companion, or those moments on the decking or in their family hot tub simply gazing into the forest. 

It’s a time to listen to birdsong, fill the lungs with pine scented air, and just ‘be’.