Clipstone

We visited Rufford Abbey, Rufford a Cistercian Monastery from around 1160. The Abbey was converted to a country house for the Earl of Shrewsbury around 1536. Today it is managed through the Shire Council. We enjoyed a walk around the lake before heading to Sherwood Forest. Sherwood Forest is where the legend Robin Hood is said to have lived. We walked through the forest to look at the Major Oak (named after Major Hayman Rooke, the man who wrote about the tree). This oak tree is supposed to be the tree where Robin Hood and his merry men met. Irrespective of the legend the tree is estimated to be 1150 years old, weighs 23 ton and measures 10 metres around its girth. A beautiful tree. We then went onto Nottingham hoping to wander around the city centre but parking was problematic with us going up bus only streets and then have a tram come towards us. Thought it was time to give it a miss, it definitely wasn't a quaint small village.Read more