The Major Oak

An ancient oak tree standing in Sherwood Forest, near Edwinstowe, that's supposedly where Robin Hood held court - or at least where locals have claimed he did for centuries. The Major Oak is genuinely massive: a gnarled, hollow giant with a trunk so wide you could fit a dozen people inside it, branches thick as normal trees spreading out at waist height. You can walk right up to it, touch the bark, stand beneath the canopy. It's free and accessible year-round, though there's no formal visitor centre or cafe, so come prepared.

Historians will tell you it's probably 800-1000 years old, which is properly impressive. Families with younger children tend to get the most from it - the hollowed centre fascinates kids, and there's something magical about standing inside something so old. Walkers will appreciate it as part of a larger Sherwood Forest trail rather than a destination in itself; the tree alone takes ten minutes, maybe twenty if you're the contemplative type.

If you're camping at Sherwood Pines or The Sherwood Hideaway, the Major Oak sits just a short drive away, making it an easy morning expedition before heading elsewhere. It's not a spectacle that demands hours - the real value is in the walk through the forest around it. Come in autumn when the light filters through the changing leaves, or early morning when crowds are thin. Skip it in high summer unless you enjoy queuing for photos with thirty other visitors.