Lastly, we turned towards the village of Edwinstowe, which is really the centre of the Robin Hood legend, being the gateway to Sherwood Forest. As soon as you enter this quaint village you begin to notice references to Robin Hood, such as the Maid Marian Restaurant, Friars Lodge Guest House and Robin Hood Plaice fish and chips. Almost every child we saw under the age of ten was walking around with a plastic bow and arrow and a green feathered Robin Hood cap. In the centre of town stands St. Mary’s Church, where Robin and Marian were wed.

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Most of the accepted versions of the Robin Hood legend centre around what used to be known as the Forest of Sherwood. This huge tract of dense forest, once the private domain of the Norman kings, stretched along the entire western part of Nottinghamshire. Sadly, the centuries have taken their toll on this once-virgin forest, and only a small portion remains, hardly enough to conceal Robin and his merry men for very long.

The Sherwood Forest Country Park and Visitor Centre lies just up the road from St. Mary’s Church. Here you can enter the remaining portion of Sherwood Forest and see some of the ancient oaks, beeches, and silver birch trees that were common in Robin Hood’s time. The most popular attraction is the Major Oak, an enormous tree thought to be anywhere from 400 to 1,500 years old. Legend tells of Robin Hood and his men hiding among the massive branches of this sturdy tree.

Walking through Sherwood Forest at sunset, we could feel an air of mystery, as if the ancient trees had a story to tell, if only we could hear. We had spent the better part of two days visiting places that were part of the Robin Hood legend, and had at last arrived at the place he called home. Looking at the dense undergrowth, it was easy to see how Robin and his merry men, in a time when Sherwood was far more expansive, could have avoided capture there.

After immersing ourselves in the life and times of Robin Hood, we found it hard to believe that he never existed. Granted, the story may have been stretched and romanticized through the centuries, but when you see the influence this legend has had–and continues to have–you can almost feel his lingering presence.

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