Ranger Experience at Forest Holidays

The Visit Notts team were recently invited to join the Ranger Experience courtesy of Forest Holidays in Sherwood Pines. This is an experience they offer to all guests staying in one of their comfortable lodges, including those with accessibility requirements – just ask their friendly staff for the details!

We met up with Ranger Sam, who told us what we could expect. We would learn all about Sherwood Pines and how to identify different trees and foliage. We’d also be on the lookout for tons of critters and other wildlife, including some of the 100 deer who roam around the property. And with that, we set off!

Departing from the main Visitor Centre which houses the Reception, Shop and Café, we wandered up one of the main roads on the site, passing some of the popular, luxurious cabins that Forest Holidays are known for. The cabins themselves are nestled amongst the pine trees and separated with generous space, guaranteeing ample privacy and tranquillity for guests. This makes them perfect for families as well as large groups, like a friend holiday or girl’s weekend away. And because they are right next to Go Ape Sherwood, you will be at no loss of things to do.

It was here that we learned the site has over 80 cabins within its sprawling acres, and that the deer have their favourite pathways moving amongst them. We also passed some markings for their self-led scavenger hunt trail, which you can pick up at the Reception.

Once a little further up the road, we took a sharp turn into the wilderness! We found ourselves on a small pathway lined with shrubbery, trees, and wildlife. We were in the true forest. Sam showed us different pathways through the foliage, where the shrubbery looked thinner than the rest. This, she told us, was a trail left by the deer.

We were fascinated to learn more about fox holes, ant mounds and trees as the guided walk went on. Did you know that it only takes about 60 years for a pine tree to reach its peak height? We also learned how to tell the difference between Corsican and Scots pine – just look at the colour!

As we continued deeper into the forest, we discovered more about the history of Sherwood Pines. Did you know that Sherwood Pine timber was used for WW2 trenches? In fact, they have a WW1 trench about 15 minutes from the Visitor Centre which you can still visit today. We saw the tracks of the old railway line leading to Clipstone in Mansfield, and storage areas which once held coal and tanks.

They offer similar Ranger Tours when it is dark, called Night Walks, which use night vision goggles and torches. This is so you can see the trail, but also to help identify some wildlife. Did you know, for example, that deer eyes are reflective and therefore they are easier for us to spot at night? These evening tours often end with marshmallows over an open fire, which is also how we ended our tour. We were given the opportunity to use a flint to light some kindling, which was tremendous fun despite our first failed attempts. After some brilliant instruction from Sam, we did manage it in the end! The perfect end to a wonderful walk on the wild side.

We may not have spotted deer this time around, but with a camera roll full of stunning trees, fox holes and woodpecker nests, we weren’t disappointed. This is an incredible offering to Forest Holiday guests, and we thoroughly recommend taking advantage of this experience while you can.

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This blog was written by Katherine Taylor, Marketing Executive at Visit Nottinghamshire