More to Nottingham than Robin Hood?
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE's most famous son turned out to be a right nice bloke in our time of need.
Lost in the dungeons amidst the groans of tortured prisoners - and rather keen to escape the clutches of the evil Sheriff of Nottingham who we could hear cackling not far away - it was somewhat fortunate that we stumbled upon none other than Robin Hood.
As luck would have it, the folk legend had only the day before discovered a secret passage that was to prove our salvation...
The hooded hero guided us past a pair of baffled Italian tourists and out of the claustrophobic confines of the jail beneath the magnificent Galleries of Justice Museum.
He even posed for a picture before waving us a fond farewell. As living history tourist attractions go, it's up there with the best of them when it comes to bringing the past to life. Moments earlier, I'd been giving evidence against the masked man in a kangaroo court - reading from a script and goaded on by the sheriff, who was clearly in no mood for mercy.
An object lesson in how to engage with the present, the award-winning attraction certainly lived up to its reputation - even it did prove a tad too realistic for our two small children. The credit crunch rather pales into insignificance when you consider a time not so very long ago when suspected criminals could be tried, convicted and hung on the steps on the town hall.
While we were to discover that Nottinghamshire has more strings to its bow than Robin Hood, we found spirit of the man in tights alive and well at almost every turn. Rather like the Loch Ness Monster, his existence or otherwise isn't at issue. To this day he heads a list of famous sons who include D.H. Lawrence. Brian Clough and Lord Byron.
Located in the heart of England, Nottinghamshire happily trades on its colourful past but seems to delight in dishing out a few surprises to the present-day visitor.
Looking to the future, the city of 620,000-odd people is part of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup. The area wisely promotes itself as a town and county offering, and it is in the great outdoors away from the city where many of its treasures can be found.
Many of the real eye-openers can be found by following the, yes, you've guessed it, Robin Hood Trail. A cleverly devised CD forms the basis of an audio trail which allows the visitor to take in some key attractions at their own pace, absorbing as much or as little of the history at each stop as takes their fancy.
This takes in charming little villages like Edwinstowe, the inevitable Sherwood Forest - a tourist trap but one worth checking out for those awesome oaks - and natural history hot spots like Cresswell Crags, where remnants of the Ice Age point to past inhabitation by woolly mammoths and the like.
While Highlanders may feel spoiled for choice when it comes to castles, National Trust gems like Clumber Park with its majestic avenue of lime trees and the 150-acre grounds of Rufford Abbey, with its picturesque remains of a 12th century Cistercian monastery, prove to be unexpected delights.
For a no-brainer child-pleaser, you'd have to go some way to beat White Post Farm at which you come face to face with literally hundreds of different animals. Despite the appeal of feeding and grooming goats, holding snakes and looking for the llamas, it's a beautifully presented ant colony which provides one of the biggest draws here. The karting track comes a close second, but it's the sheer friendliness of staff which leaves the biggest impression.
The same was true of the renovated Clumber Park Hotel which appears to be quite the venue for weddings and weekend spa breaks. A warm welcome and relaxed attitude to small children goes an awful long way to putting parents at their ease - as, of course, does complimentary access to a swimming pool, sauna and gym. Its location a stone's throw from beautiful Clumber Park doesn't hurt much either.
If there's one letdown, it's perhaps Nottingham Castle itself. Magnificently located and boasting a terrific view of the city, on paper it should be up there amongst the top attractions. The grounds are pleasant enough for a wander but inside it's home to a fairly run-of-the-mill art gallery and museum and leaves you with the impression that it could be so much more. That said, unlike its criminally underdeveloped counterpart in Inverness, at least it is being put to some use in attracting and engaging visitors.
Nottinghamshire offers the visitor a very warm welcome and gives you the impression of a county keen to make the most of what it's got. And you can't say much fairer than that.
DID YOU KNOW?
The conurbation of Nottingham has a population of 621,000 - and 20 million people live within two hours travelling distance of the city
Nottinghamshire covers just under 850 square miles
Ibuprofen was discovered in Nottingham - which is also headquarters to the high street pharmacist, Boots
The story of Robin Hood has a history dating back 700 years and has been immortalized on film by actors including Errol Flynn, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner - and Bugs Bunny
The Raleigh ‘Chopper’, now a design icon, was introduced by the Raleigh Company of Nottingham in 1969. It was re-launched in 2004.
To find out more, visit www.visitnottingham.com
