Sherwood Forest

In 1986, DC Comics released a four part comic book by Frank Miller called 'Batman: The Dark Knight'. It redefined the Batman character and returned him to the shadows as a troubled and violent vigilante. At the time my brother said something astute to me when he rightly predicted that we would see the stories of these well-known characters told and retold. The example he gave was "like Robin Hood".

And he was absolutely right. The comics universe these days seems largely pre-occupied with taking well-established characters and their trappings and retelling the stories with different emphases. All that's important is that certain elements aren't messed with. For example, Bruce Wayne is Batman, he's wealthy and lives in large manor, with a butler called Alfred, and he has a certain cast of characters around him.

So it is with Robin Hood. He's a skilled archer, fighting the Sheriff of Nottingham, taking from the rich to give to the poor, he has a well-known set of characters around him, and he lives in Sherwood Forest. 

I've always loved the Robin Hood character and especially the retelling the BBC did with 'Robin of Sherwood', so when the Minx and I drove past the turning for the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, last night, I asked if she fancied a visit today. Characteristically, she said yes!

So, after an excellent breakfast at the Dovecote Inn, we set off. We didn't go into the actual visitor centre but just took one of the routes through the forest, which was beautiful, especially with all the autumnal colouring. I'd love to come back and run one of the longer routes. 

Happily, the Robin Hood aspect is not overplayed but the focal point is a huge tree called 'The Major Oak' - see my Extra - which would have been a gathering point for people, including, of course, Robin Hood and his Merry Men. The tree is thought to be between 800 and 1,100 years old, which certainly covers the time when Robin Hood would have lived (i.e. under the kings Richard and John). 

After our walk, we had a well-earned lunch at Fables Café in the town of Edwinstowe, which is right on the age of the forest and includes the church where, of course, Robin and Marion are said to have married. 

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No scales
Reading: 'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett