What will you do with 7 hours for a day trip in Nottingham? Is that enough to cover everything the city’s got to offer?
I got dropped off at Broadmarsh bus station in Nottingham on an unexpectedly freezing Saturday morning with 7 hours to spare. It’s the beginning of December with dark skies and a widespread lethargic atmosphere. Now this is going to be a boring blog post about my day trip in Nottingham. Nonetheless, if you want to find out just a bit more about how it’s like to travel to Nottingham in December, what Robin Hood has to do with this city and why a day trip in Nottingham might be a bad idea, feel free to read on. At least my photos (I think) look great! 🙂
Nottingham Castle and surrounding
Nottingham welcomed me with a damp chill in the air as soon as I got off the bus. Picking up a city map at the bus station, I started navigating my way out to explore the city.
It was an easy 10-minute walk for me from Broadmarsh bus station to the first attraction in Nottingham – Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which is claimed to be the oldest pub in England. Dated back to 1189 AD, the pub is said to be connected to the caves of the Castle Rock as a brewhouse to the Nottingham Castle in the old days. Arriving at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem at around 10.30am, I sadly did not have the chance to venture inside as the pub would open from 11. Nonetheless, its ancient ambience was felt already from the outside.
Right next to Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem lies the imposing Nottingham Castle. This outstanding castle as we see nowadays is actually a rebuilt of the original mansion which was destroyed in the early 19th century. The Nottingham Castle now hosts a museum, an art gallery and also a cave tour for curious tourists from around the world. Entrance fee is £7 for adult and £5 concession (student discount yay!).
Situated right besides the Castle Rock is a must-see for all visitors to Nottingham: the Statue of Robin Hood aiming his arrow! Robin Hood as depicted by the statue looked strong and powerful. His eyes looked focused, sharp and determined. Although there have been inconsistent opinions about Robin Hood’s characteristics, the statue surely gives us the impression of a forceful, tough and strong-willed figure.
the legend of robin hood
Robin Hood’s legend is directly connected with the Nottinghamshire region. This is why Robin Hood is regarded as one of Nottingham city’s symbols nowadays. According to the legend, Robin Hood was an outlaw in the late medieval period who robbed from the rich and provided for the poor. In contrast, the major villain who encountered Robin Hood and challenged his outlaw status was the Sheriff of Nottingham. Robin Hood’s exceptional archery and swordsmanship were notable skills that accompanied his status of “hero” as regarded by many.
Old Market Square and Christmas Market
From the Robin Hood Statue, I walked for 10 more minutes to the Old Market Square, where a bustling Christmas market took place. The atmosphere was overwhelmingly Christmassy with a carol, an outdoor skating rink and a glittering merry-go-round full of smiley children. Stalls at the Christmas market offered a wide variety of mouth-watering food ranging from berry-sourced burgers to chocolate-mixed fruits. Of course, most of them were overpriced. I found a Finnish stall offering traditional Finnish food such as dried berries, meatballs and cinnamon buns as well. Amazing!
The Tourist Centre is situated right in this Old Market Square as well. You can easily drop by to pick up a map or ask for some useful travel advice.
Sherwood Forest
After roaming around the Christmas market aimlessly just to end up buying an overpriced pulled pork BBQ burger (£4.5 for a pulled pork burger on which you have to pour the sauce from a BBQ bottle by yourself), I rushed to the Victoria Bus Station to catch the bus to Sherwood Forest, where Robin Hood and his merry men once dwelt and robbed from passers-by.
timing issues when travelling to sherwood forest
The trip from Nottingham to Sherwood Forest should take approximately 1 hour by the Sherwood Arrow bus. This bus departs daily from Bay 9 at Victoria Bus Station. The problem is that on Saturday this bus runs every hour. This means if I miss it, I’ll have to wait for another hour to catch the next one. The problem becomes more serious at this time of the year when the sun sets already from 4pm, as it’s not a good idea to venture into the forest in darkness. This also means that I will have to spend either one hour (too short) or 2 hours (but I only have 7 hours in total!) in Sherwood Forest before catching the bus back to Nottingham. With hindsight, I shouldn’t have chosen to make my visit on a Saturday.
what to see in sherwood forest
The limited time and the cold weather really had a bearing on my enjoyment at Sherwood Forest. It takes roughly 20-30 minutes to walk to the Major Oak where Robin Hood is believed to have hidden during his time here. With only one hour here to spare, I sadly could not manage to walk there. The forest itself appeared quite sacred, especially during this winter time. Dozens of oaks dating back to hundreds of years stood strong like soldiers guarding the old spirits of the forest. Whether or not you believe in the Robin Hood legend, these oaks can tell you the truth. Because after all this time, they have born witness to even the smallest secrets in this forest. In addition to its historical value, Sherwood forest is also a great place to explore for those who have an interest in biology and geography.
I would also recommend watching the documentary about Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest in the Visitor Centre. This informative documentary lasts for 15 minutes and is shown constantly. Facilities around Sherwood Forest include a small restaurant and a souvenir shop. You can also walk to Robin Hood’s Village Edwinstowe nearby. Here you can see the church where Robin Hood married his sweetheart Maid Marion.
Alright, so to sum up my boring day trip in Nottingham…
Overall, I was quite disappointed with my decision to spend 2 hours travelling to Sherwood Forest and back. Considering the gloomy winter and such limited time for a day trip in Nottingham, that was apparently an unwise decision . If you also want to follow Robin Hood’s legendary trail, consider travelling here in August when the annual Robin Hood festival takes place.
Apparently, 7 hours was not enough for a day trip in Nottingham. My tip therefore would be to prioritise and plan your time carefully beforehand. For example, if you’re an avid Robin Hood fan, you should spare at least 4 hours for a proper trip to Sherwood Forest from Nottingham. Otherwise, just enjoy a leisurely walk around the city’s Old Market Square, especially when the atmosphere becomes overwhelmingly Christmassy in December.
Did you also have a day trip in Nottingham? Please share your experience in the comments below 🙂
ADAM DOOLITTLE
January 9, 2017 — 9:05 am
Growing up I was a huge Robin Hood fan because of the Kevin Costner adaptation of the story. It’s great that you were able to visit this area but too bad you didn’t have the best time. Your recommendations for more time there is definitely helpful, which I will keep in mind should I (hope to) make my way there someday.
Jenni
January 11, 2017 — 3:50 am
I don’t think I have ever been to Nottingham and I live in the UK so should try and visit. I used to love watching Robin Hood when I was little maybe I might see him and his merry men lol
Daisy Huntington - DaisLikeThese
January 11, 2017 — 4:13 am
Such a shame that you didn’t have enough time to explore Sherwood Forest as much as you had hoped. I would love to take my kids to visit one day! And yes, your pics are great!
Natalie
January 11, 2017 — 4:25 am
Oh, what a wonderful trip! We always travel with the kids and I blog about making it educational. This trip would lend itself so well to reading as we would get all caught up on the adventure of Robin Hood before hand! I’m amazed at the Inn that has been around since 1189. That is hard to even wrap your head around!!
Really enjoyed your photos. It looks like such a fun place to visit and I know the kids would love!
Hendrik
January 11, 2017 — 4:49 am
How I love these British places, they are so charming and beautiful. Even though I grew up partly also on the countryside – but such a forest I haven’t seen before. This is in my opinion just beautiful! Pity to hear that for you it wasn’t in the end that interesting…
Lydia@LifeUntraveled
January 11, 2017 — 5:50 am
I had no idea Robin Hood was from Nottingham and that he has his very own festival! I wonder if people dress up like Robin Hood – that would be quite a sight to see! It’s too bad you didn’t have enough time to explore Sherwood forest but at least you got to visit a charming little town on some otherwise wasted time.
Diana - MVMT Blog
January 12, 2017 — 3:09 am
So cool that you took advantage of just 7 hours to see a brand new city! I work full time so most of my trips are super quick like this too. And I’ve definitely done what you did and inadvertently “wasted” a lot of time traveling somewhere that in retrospect I really didn’t have the time for. Were there other things in Nottingham you wish you got to see had you not spent so much time commuting to Sherwood Forest?
admin
January 12, 2017 — 3:36 am
Yes, I’d love to visit Wollaton Hall – a 16th century house (now a museum) surrounded by a beautiful garden. It’d also be great to visit the 2 universities in Notts as well 🙂 Guess I’ll just have to come back another time!
Emma
January 12, 2017 — 3:12 am
I love the story of Robin Hood – my name is Emma Oxley and he was Robin of Loxley so I always got associated with him growing up! Love the sound of a walk in Sherwood Forest and that pub looks so quaint!
Kristine
January 12, 2017 — 3:39 am
I love the story of Robin Hood. Would love to visit Nottingham and learn even more about it. I’ve only ever been to the train station to change to a connecting train from Birmingham to I don’t remember where :/
Rhiannon
January 16, 2017 — 10:20 pm
As I was reading the part about the statue, I don’t know what possessed me but I was expecting to see a statue of a fox! Too much Disney growing up I guess haha. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub looks so cute! I can definitely believe that it’s one of if not the oldest pubs in England, and maybe even the whole of the UK. It wouldn’t look out of place in a Lord of the Rings film either!
I’ve never thought about Nottingham as a place to visit before, but now I think it definitely is, so thanks for sharing!
admin
January 16, 2017 — 11:38 pm
I was also preoccupied with the image of the fox when I went there haha 😀 Thanks for your comment 🙂
Nico
January 17, 2017 — 1:40 am
Really nice post, it is always what you do of your time that makes it cool or boring. Interesting article.
I like the part of Robin hood and the forest!
These are reasons to spend time in Nottingham
Halef
January 17, 2017 — 8:41 am
Very cool and informative post, thank you very much! I have only been to London so far in England, but Nottingham is definitely under my radar. Great photos too!
Only By Land
January 18, 2017 — 6:41 am
I’m from England so it is easy for me to visit Nottingham, yet I never have. I muzt admit I know Nottingham more for Brian Cloughs’ European Cup winning football team than Robin Hood. Although the rest of the world know it for Robin Hood. As for the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub, I had no idea. I gotta order a pint in there!
David Adesanya
January 20, 2017 — 12:36 pm
A little surprised it was directly linked to Nottingham I thought Robin Hood was more Lancahishire…?
Blue Sky Dreamers
January 20, 2017 — 1:51 pm
It looks like a fairyland! The pictures are really lovely. This definitely looks like a place to spend more time in than just a few hours. Wish you had more time and hope I will be able to visit this beautiful place someday!
Agness of Fit Travelling
March 10, 2017 — 7:43 pm
Nottingham is truly magical! Keep up the good work Fiona!
Danik
June 27, 2017 — 6:22 pm
The only thing I did in Nottingham was visiting the best rock music nightclub in the country, Rock City. I wonder if its still there. Never really explored the area so really need to check out the Robin Hood county. Fantastic post. 🙂
FLIPKART PROMOTIONAL/COUPON CODES
August 1, 2017 — 10:45 am
Such a wonderful trip. Awesome post.
naila liaqat
September 27, 2017 — 11:46 am
good article
it has amazing information