Lodges Near Sherwood Forest

Mist hangs low between oaks that were already old when the ballads of Robin Hood were first sung, a woodpecker hammers somewhere above the path, and the Major Oak spreads its huge, propped up limbs across a clearing deep in the forest. That’s Sherwood Forest on an autumn morning. By teatime you can be back on your own decking with the hot tub lid off, watching the light go amber through the trees.

Booking one of the lodges near Sherwood Forest puts all of that on your doorstep. Below are six real places to stay, all within easy reach and no more than about 35 minutes’ drive away, from woodland getaways near Edwinstowe to family cabins beside their own adventure park.

You’ll also find the dog rules, the best things to do nearby, a month by month guide and a packing list, so you can plan the whole trip in one go.

Where are the best lodges near Sherwood Forest?

The closest Sherwood Forest lodges sit in the woods around Edwinstowe, Ollerton and Rufford, so you can be at the visitor centre within a quarter of an hour. Further out, towards Newark and Lincoln, a slightly longer drive gets you open views, golf or a theme park. Here are the six we’d pick, closest first.

The Sherwood Hideaway Lodges, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 9 minutes (4.3 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Lodges tucked among towering trees and winding lanes in the heart of Sherwood Forest, each with a private hot tub and a view over the woods. It’s a lovely spot to unwind after a day out exploring, and guests rate it 4.3 out of 5. You couldn’t really be any closer to the Major Oak.

Who will love it? Couples and families who want to wake up in the forest, with some pet-friendly lodges too.

Sherwood Castle Holiday Forest, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 12 minutes (5.5 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 6 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Forty acres of woodland in Robin Hood country. On site facilities include a swimming pool, woodland trails, outdoor activities, an animal corner, a bug hotel and a bird feeding viewing wall. Rufford Abbey is a short stroll away.

Who will love it? Families who’d like plenty of outdoor activities without getting in the car. It’s ideal with a dog, too.

Good to know: Because of steep slopes and steps, it isn’t suitable for wheelchair users or anyone with limited mobility.

Redbrick Woodland Lodges, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 13 minutes (5.1 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: A quiet woodland retreat from the Autograph Lodge Holidays collection, with its own small lake in the grounds of a 19th century house. Pick from Scandinavian style log cabins with big decks, or a converted barn and cottages with paved patios and original farm features. Every one has a hot tub.

Who will love it? Birdwatchers, family groups of up to eight and anyone bringing a dog. It’s rated 4.7.

The location is perfect for exploring the forest on foot, by bike or on horseback.

Haywood Oaks Golf and Country Club, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 21 minutes (10.2 miles) | Sleeps: 2 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? No

What to expect: Hot tub pods for two from the Bouja Luxury Boutique Breaks collection, among farmland and woods on the edge of the forest. Here’s the clever bit. Every guest gets unlimited free golf on the course next to the pods, so bring your clubs!

Who will love it? Couples, golfers and anglers looking for a romantic retreat. It’s rated 4.7, and Rufford, Clumber, Southwell and Newark are all easy drives.

Wild Acre Village at Sundown Adventureland, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 31 minutes (17.4 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 10 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? No

What to expect: Themed cabins built around Sundown Adventureland, a theme park for children under ten. Single cabins sleep five, with a king size room for the grown ups and triple bunks for the kids, while double cabins sleep ten across two units joined by interconnecting doors.

That makes it one of the easiest places around to share a big family break between two households.

Who will love it? Families with little ones and grandparents in tow, rated 4.8 by guests. A charge applies for the rides, and the Crash Landings indoor play area, bistro, bar and four storey soft play keep the family busy after dark.

Goosedale Lodges, Nottinghamshire

Driving Distance: About 34 minutes (17.4 miles) | Sleeps: Up to 8 | Hot tub: Yes | Pet friendly? Yes

What to expect: Hot tub lodges on a private estate of more than 130 acres with wide open views. Packages cover barbecues, health and beauty and VIP extras.

Who will love it? Group celebrations, with space for the whole clan and dogs welcome. It’s rated 4.6.

Sherwood Forest lodges with hot tubs, side by side

All six have hot tubs. Sort by drive time or size, or filter to the pet-friendly ones.

Want more choice? Every site nearby is on our Nottinghamshire lodges page, and you can browse all our lodges with a private hot tub across England, Scotland and Wales.

Is Sherwood Forest accommodation dog friendly?

Mostly, yes. Four of the six welcome dogs: The Sherwood Hideaway Lodges, Sherwood Castle Holiday Forest, Redbrick Woodland Lodges and Goosedale. In the nature reserve, dogs need to stay in sight and under control, and from 1 March to 31 August the RSPB asks for leads because of ground nesting birds. Sherwood Pines welcomes dogs too.

More pet-friendly places to stay are on our dog friendly lodges page.

Visiting the Major Oak from your log cabin

Start at the RSPB’s Sherwood Forest visitor centre on Swinecote Road, Edwinstowe, which opened in 2018 with a café, shop, toilets, a Changing Places facility, a play area and a den building zone. A wide, gravelled track leads through the trees for about 15 minutes to the great tree itself, thought to be 800 to 1,000 years old and, in the legend of Robin Hood, his favourite hideout. A fence keeps feet off its roots. Around it stand roughly a thousand ancient oaks, most more than 500 years old, and the RSPB looks after about 1,000 acres of wood pasture and heathland, including Budby South Forest, where nightjars, woodlarks and tree pipits nest in the heather.

Walking in the forest is free.

Tips for your visit

• The car park opens at 9am and the visitor centre at 10am. On autumn days the RSPB lists a 3pm close, so check opening times first.
• Parking is pay and display, and RSPB members park free except on event days.
• The main path is firm and fairly flat for pushchairs, but side paths get rooty and muddy after rain.
• Mobility scooters can be hired if you book ahead on 01623 677321.
• Barbecues and drones aren’t allowed.
• Weekdays are much quieter than weekends.

Things to do near your Sherwood Forest stay

The famous tree takes a morning. Everything else, from ducal parkland and abbey ruins to Ice Age caves and bike trails, fills the rest of your week in Nottinghamshire. Sherwood Forest sits at the centre of it all, and most of these places are within 20 minutes.

Edwinstowe and St Mary’s Church

Robin Hood’s village is about a mile from the visitor centre. St Mary’s Church dates from around 1175, and legend says Robin married Maid Marian at its door, a story painted on the chancel screen. It’s well worth a visit, and so is the statue of Robin proposing to Marian.

Rufford Abbey

About ten minutes south, Rufford pairs the remains of a 12th century Cistercian abbey and country house with a lake, formal gardens, a sculpture trail and a big playground. Kids enjoy the mini golf, and in summer there’s archery and boating. It’s an easy, flat trip with lots of history. Visit Nottinghamshire lists a £7 car park charge.

Sherwood Pines Forest Park

Calling all mountain bikers! Forestry England’s Sherwood Pines, about 12 minutes away, is one of the largest forests in the Midlands. Outdoor activities here include:

• The Maid Marian family trail, the blue Robin Hood trail and the red Outlaw trail, with bikes to hire
• Go Ape treetop adventures
• A nine hole disc golf course
• Three Gruffalo themed play areas and a café

Parking is charged by the hour, according to Visit Nottinghamshire.

Clumber Park

Driving in down Lime Tree Avenue, a double row of limes about three miles long and said to be the longest in Europe, is half the fun of Clumber. The National Trust estate, about 14 minutes north, covers over 3,800 acres, with a man made lake visited by more than 200 bird species, a Victorian Gothic chapel with a 180 foot spire, and a walled kitchen garden with a 450 foot glasshouse. You’ll find over 20 miles of cycle routes for exploring too.

Creswell Crags

About 16 minutes away on the Derbyshire border, this limestone gorge sheltered Neanderthals and later our own ancestors during the last Ice Age. Engravings of bison, birds and horses found here in 2003 are Britain’s only known Ice Age rock art. Tours take you down into Robin Hood Cave.

Southwell and Nottingham

On a wet day, try Southwell, where the Minster’s chapter house is carved with the Leaves of Southwell, 13th century stone foliage and green men, and the Workhouse is what the National Trust calls the most complete in Britain. Nottingham is about 40 minutes south.

How far are the main days out?

When’s the best time for a Sherwood Forest holiday?

Every month has something to enjoy. August belongs to the Robin Hood Festival, which marked its 40th year in 2026 with jousting, combat displays, music and storytelling across three weekends. Event days bring parking charges for everyone. October is our favourite, though, when the oaks turn copper and gold, the crowds thin out and 29 October is Robin Hood Day.

What to pack for Sherwood Forest log cabin holidays

Pack for mud first and the hot tub second.

Sherwood Forest lodge FAQs

Fancy the hills as well as the forest? Our guides to lodges near Matlock Bath and lodges near Bakewell cover the Peak District to the west, and there’s lots more across the East Midlands.

However you spend your days, coming back to a lodge in the trees is the best bit of any Sherwood Forest holiday. Take a look at the six above and book your holiday lodge for the autumn colours, the festival or a quiet winter break.