Discover winter nature and scary surprises at Sherwood in January

After the merriment of Christmas, January could take a decidedly sinister turn at Sherwood Forest. That’s because fearsome looking invaders are returning to take over Robin Hood’s forest once again. But before they do, there is another event to really get 2023 started. On 8^th January, the Sheriff of Nottingham will reassert his authority over the forest when Twelfth Night formally brings the yuletide festivities to a close. As a last chance to show the Sheriff our sense of fun and mischief, why not join us for a Fools’ Parade from the Visitor Centre to the focal point of the Forest, the magnificent 1,100 year-old Major Oak? It’s an excuse for a fancy dress party, so don a silly hat or dress up in your craziest clobber. The Sheriff’s return means that Robin Hood and the Outlaws must once again melt into the trees to evade the clutches of his troops. However, they will need to be on their guard for something altogether scarier! The Krampus, which are associated with Christmas legends in Alpine countries, are back for another weekend of fiendishness on Saturday 21^st and Sunday 22^nd January. As they start to move among the trees on Saturday, visitors can take part in a lantern-lit parade from the Major Oak back to the Visitor Centre. Make your own lantern throughout the day at the Centre, ready for the march at 3pm on Saturday as dusk falls across Sherwood or a shaker – or both – ready to scare the Krampus away the following day. That’s because on Sunday, the Sheriff of Nottingham will be here to lead a noisy parade to the Major Oak to scare the Krampus away to their wintry lair. Once free of them, the Sheriff will lead a traditional wassailing ceremony to wish for the health of the forest for the year ahead. All of these events are free to attend, although please see the Plan Your Visit page for details on parking and other essential information about coming along to Sherwood Forest and Budby South Forest. There will be a small charge for making lanterns and shakers at our Krampus Kraft sessions. Our self-led Christmas trails, Robin Robin and Mission: Merry Christmas, will continue until Sunday 8^th January. Trail packs, priced £3 and £3.50 respectively, can be picked up from the Welcome Area in the Visitor Centre building. We will also have two great nature-themed events taking place during January. On Sunday 15^th January there is our Binocular Bumble, a great opportunity for children to learn how to use binoculars on this guided wildlife-spotting walk. There will be full instruction provided on how to use binoculars and where to point them to see birds, mammals and other wildlife moving among the bare branches. It’s just £5 per child (£4 for RSPB members), although adults can take part too. Each child must be accompanied by an adult. And on Saturday 21^st January, before the Krampus have had a chance to descend on Sherwood, our tree expert Rob will be leading our Winter Tree Identification Walk, helping participants to understand and appreciate the variety and features of the incredible trees in Sherwood, which has one of Europe’s largest collections of ancient oak trees, with hundreds aged over 500 years old. Tickets are £7.50 per person (adults and children) and £6 for RSPB members. Booking for both of these events is essential and can be done via the Events page. That’s also the place to find out about all other upcoming events and information about our trails, trees, wildlife and Visitor Centre.