Last updated: 30 July 2023
Nestled within the confines of Nottingham’s famous Sherwood Forest sits Sherwood Hideaway. A part of the Thoresby Estate, on some 13,000 acres of green parkland that has been handed down through the same family for 400 years, they kindly invited us to review one of their self-catered cabins for a weekend of rest and relaxation.
This former military camp was converted into 27 luxurious cabins in 2010.
Our lodge was from the Woodland Rustic range. A very well appointed two bedroom, two bathroom cedar cabin with woodland views and a parking space conveniently right outside. With six different lodge types, each cabin was slightly different but all with that home away from home appeal.
Styled in a calming neutral palette, bedrooms feature Egyptian cotton sheets, duck down pillows with throw pillows in an accent colour scheme.
A stunning free-standing clawfoot bathtub in the main bathroom and Molton Brown miniatures set the tone for a weekend of relaxation, combined with a bottle of wine and our hot tub ready to go, we couldn’t think of a better way to start the weekend.
Over the course of the weekend, our state of the art kitchen was given quite the workout along with the flat screen TV. The cabin is spacious and homey, and for us the two sofas doubled as day-beds as we both happily stretched out after a long day of soaking in the hot tub. All that relaxation makes you tired!
I’ll be honest, we spent a lot of time in our lodge. We knew it was fully self-catered so we went to the nearby supermarket before checking in. Stocking up on all the beer, wine, and cheese we could possibly need to get us through the weekend. The ability to switch off from our all consuming 9 to 5 jobs was just what the doctor ordered. You could just feel the stresses melting away over the course of the weekend.
Don’t want to cook? Fear not! The team at Sherwood Hideaway have a comprehensive list of nearby pubs and restaurants including the distance and pricing, or even better, take away options of who delivered to the lodges!
It’s a place where you can do as much or as little as you want, all from a sunny location in the forest. Of course there’s WiFi if you need it, but we found ourselves cooking up a storm several times a day, picking at an antipasto platter and drinking champagne while soaking our worries away in the hot tub. This was the premise for our entire trip!
Add a quick pre-dinner dip before lighting the BBQ, then soaking the evening away while birds chirped overhead and the clouds rumbled by.
Tempted to do more?
What’s Nearby and Activities Available
As I’ve said, it’s one of those places where you can do as much or as little as you want. There are fishing spots and golf courses nearby, as well as the stunning National Trust managed estate, Clumber Park just 15 min drive away. Clumber Park is home to the world’s longest double avenue of lime trees, 20 miles of cycle paths and a peaceful serpentine lake. Plenty to keep the keen and the curious occupied across thousands of acres. Check the calendar because they also host a series of fabulous festivals and events throughout the year.
Clumber Park has a spa if all that hot-tub soaking makes your muscles sore. Discounts are available for treatments, also on bike hire, dining and more.
Keen walkers, outdoor enthusiasts, and families can set off to discover Robin Hood, explore Sherwood Forest with its famous Major Oak and see the newly renovated visitor’s centre. Since the sixteenth century, this forest has been popular with nobility, now it’s open for all, with paths running from the cabins into the thick trees, visitors can venture out for an all day hike if that’s the desire.
If that’s not enough to keep you entertained, there’s Thoresby Hall, a stunning stately home, pony trekking and riding school, and a water sports centre for white water rafting, sailing, pond-skating and canoeing just 10 miles from Sherwood Hideaway.
Birds of Prey – Photography Workshop
A recent addition to the activity remit at Sherwood Hideaway is a bespoke Birds of Prey photography experience. Accompanied by a professional wildlife photographer, small groups are escorted into the forest with a falconry expert to learn about these majestic birds and how to capture images of them in a woodland setting.
I’m the first to admit I’m not a big lover of birds but as a keen photographer, I do like a good challenge. We were joined by the award winning photographer Heather Burns, who provided some very helpful coaching and real time advice on how to capture the birds in both mid-flight and static shots. I was a part of a small group of eight, which quickly became a walking masterclass on wildlife photography. I never realised how challenging it could be to capture a barn owl or hawk in flight.
The experience isn’t limited to professional photographers although there is plenty of opportunity to get ‘that’ shot. If anything, it’s aimed towards keen amateur photographers of all ages. Simon Stacey, the founder of Go Active, talks to his birds as if they’re his children, it’s wonderful to see.
The experience begins with a “hawk walk”. Accompanied by Heather, Simon, and his Harris Hawk named Annabelle. Annabelle flies free with ample opportunities to capture her flying from tree to the glove.
Over the five hours, Simon brings his birds one by one into the clearing. They’re well trained and (mostly) come on command unless they’re being a bit naughty! From perch to glove, the birds will swoop around the treetops, around the group or just over your head in my case before landing gracefully on Simon’s glove for their reward, food.
Ideally you want to pack your best (& empty) high-speed writing SD card for rapid transfer of shots, a quality lens up to 200mm is ideal and a LOT of patience.
Having Heather on hand was perfect. The birds are so quick I found myself getting frustrated. Was it my settings? Was it my equipment? No. It was none of that, it just takes a lot of practice and I need to learn that I won’t get an award-winning photograph on the first try.
That being said, I’m very chuffed with some of the images I did get!
The Essentials
Sherwood Hideaway
Where: Blyth Rd, Newark NG22 9EB, Nottinghamshire
Insider tip: Having a car essential to get the most of the region. Alternatively arriving by train into Retford, Worksop, Newark or Mansfield would require a short taxi ride to Sherwood Hideaway.
When: All year round
Cost: Prices vary depending on cabin selected.
More information, prices, or to reserve: Sherwood Hideaway
Photography masterclasses: The Birds of Prey photography masterclasses cost £95 per person. Availability across three dates in 2017: 14 October, 28 October and 11 November.
Disclaimer: Our weekend was kindly provided by Sherwood Hideaways in return for an honest review. We were not financially compensated for this post.
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What a lovely spot! Love a quick relaxing break away.
I really loved being able to do as much or as little as I wanted. The forest is there to explore if you want to, and if you want to soak in your private hot tub all day, then that’s ok too.