To rave in the woods

Late last night I returned to London from a family wedding reception in Nottingham. Though time was too short to make a trip out to Sherwood Forest, I did get some immersion the Robin Hood mythology at Nottingham Castle's museum. During one video exhibition, a nature reserve manager spoke on Sherwood's history, noting that the region was traditionally the site of a great deal of human activity. A rich picture was painted of a busy woodland during the middle ages, a site of royal hunts and diverse industries scattered with outlaw settlements and rowdy parties. This description came as a considerable surprise to me, running contrary to my preconception of such areas as wild preserves remote from human activity. It's quite clear that I haven't got enough experience of British forests.

Looks fun, but how did they power the sound system?

Apparently, I'm not the only one. The forester in the video lamented that Sherwood, like many forests across the country, is now sorely under-utilised by the general public. He urged people to make more use of these natural resources, considering the lush backdrop they offer for excitement, exploration and adventure as much as for rest and peaceful reflection. There's little point in me speculating on why woodland recreation is not as popular as it once was — it would be lazy just to blame TV and the internet. What I can do is make a personal commitment to enjoy as much of the great outdoors as I can, while I can. I'm fortunate enough to live within walking distance of Footscray Meadows (or Five Arches, the stomping ground of my youth), Joyden's Wood and Scadbury Park nature reserve, so I always have a place to unwind during the working week; while this summer I'll be free to venture further afield and really experience what the UK's woodlands have to offer.

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I'm guessing that most of my readers are in my university department, and I think Geographer's would generally be described as "outdoorsy". Does this stereotype hold true for you? Do you have any interesting forest tales, or recommendations to visit?