Forest Holidays has become our go-to UK holiday company when it comes to getting away from it all. Their luxury lodges, nestled in some of the country's most beautiful forests are just perfect for escaping from 'real life' to enjoy some quality family time together.
Having previously stayed with Forest Holidays in Cropton and Blackwood Forest, this year we decided to explore somewhere new and chose Sherwood Forest as this year's summer holiday destination. Located in 3,300 acres of lush pine woodland, Sherwood Forest offers spectacular views and plenty of outdoor activities for families to enjoy.
The Forest Holidays Golden Oak cabins are well appointed, well equipped, comfortable and luxurious. They come with a fabulous outdoor hot tub, where you can relax surrounded by the sights and sounds of the forest. Fluffy robes and slippers are provided in the master bedroom, and towels are provided for the whole party. Eco-friendly toiletries are found in the master en-suite and the family bathrooms. A log burning stove in the spacious, open plan living area warms everyone up when the evenings get chilly.
The setting of the cabin was lovely. From the patio area we couldn't see another cabin or road, making us feel really secluded in our forest hideaway. Several feathered and furry friends came to visit us. Robins, jays, wood pigeons, chaffinches and a very confident squirrel were regulars, delighting Freddy who got to see them close up.
The three bedroomed cabin was so light and airy. The big windows in the master bedroom gave the most marvellous views. It was so peaceful in our cabin, it was easy to forget that the world was still bustling away beyond our holiday bubble.
In the evenings, we were able to sit on the big corner sofa and play card games or watch the Olympics coverage or on demand movies on the cabin's TV. Spending time away from our smartphones, iPads and laptops was great. It gave us time to all connect and do things together uninterrupted by Facebook notifications!
The Forest Retreat was a short walk from our cabin. It is the hub of the resort where you can enjoy a hot snack or light meal, get a drink at the bar, meet the team, book activities and shop for both essentials and luxuries. We enjoyed a freshly baked pizza and wedges there one lunchtime before going on a walk into the forest.
There are lots of gifts and toys available in the shop. They sell some lovely t-shirts, and we particularly liked the slogan "Forests, Treetops, Adventure, Wildlife, Mud and Fun" which pretty much sums up our experience of Forest Holidays.
The Forest Holidays resort is a short walk to Sherwood Pines Forest Park where you can experience the outdoors, explore, play, cycle and walk. They have some really excellent play areas for the kids and a number of trails to walk. We went on the Friend or Foe trail, which celebrates the mini beasts of the forest, asking children to decide if insects are useful to us or whether they are our enemies. Freddy enjoyed reading the signs around the trail and deciding whether the bugs were good or bad for humans. It was really thought provoking and made him respect the roles of bees, earwigs, butterflies and dung beetles!
There is so much to explore in the forest, we spent hours walking and discovering our surroundings. Sherwood Pines also offers Go Ape, cycle and segway hire and has a cafe and visitors centre. We loved our time exploring the woodland and we were so lucky with the weather. Discovering forests and woodland is something we love to do as a family, making Forest Holidays the perfect choice for us.
We enjoyed a midweek break from Monday to Friday at Sherwood Forest. We spent our days walking in the fresh air and relaxing in the hot tub. We made nettle tea using the nettles that were growing in the woods and collected pine cones and leaves. It was relaxing and peaceful. Perfect! Just what I needed. The tranquility of the forest felt like a million miles away from home and for a few days I was able to forget all my worries.
As we were in Sherwood Forest, we embraced the stories of Robin Hood. We bought Freddy an archery set from the Forest Retreat and Freddy soon became a dab hand at shooting his arrows at various targets. Forest Holidays offers archery lessons as an activity for anyone who wants to learn how to do it properly!
You can find out about Forest Holidays, their nine beautiful locations and their range of cabins at www.forestholidays.co.uk. We really enjoy our stays with Forest Holidays and like the benefits of holidaying in the UK, especially for short breaks. We can highly recommend them!
We were offered a discount in return for this review.