There are a wide range of leisure activities to interest families for the forthcoming Easter break at Nottinghamshire County Council’s country parks.

These include a range of free events at Rufford Abbey Country Park and Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. Edwinstowe.

During the Easter break, children and young families can enjoy Easter Egg hunts at both venues.

Other highlights include a number of conservation events at all three sites with pond dipping at Rufford on April 17, a walk with the hawks at Sherwood on April 18, and a spring bird walk at Bestwood on April 16.

Simple Tom and Robert of Wentbridge, two well-loved characters at the annual Robin Hood Festival each yea,r will be appearing this Easter at Sherwood to entertain visitors on April 9 and April 13.

Those with creative flair may enjoy the latest woodland craft making challenge at Sherwood Forest onFriday, April 11, with the opportunity to make a willow obelisk which is the perfect structure to support plants such as sweet peas and can stand both indoors and outdoors. There is a fee for this event.

For more details about these and over events, please visit: www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/whatson

Here are the events from each country park:

Rufford Abbey Country Park, near Ollerton

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Saturday 5 April – Monday 21 April, 11am-3.30pm
Easter Egg Hunt, Rufford Abbey Country Park
£1 per trail leaflet, £3 car parking charge applies at weekends and bank holidays.
The Easter Bunny has lost some Easter eggs around Rufford Park. Can you find all of the eggs including the secret golden egg? Return completed trails to receive a reward! Suitable for wheelchair users.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Wednesday 9 April, 10am-12noon
Mini Beast Hunt, Rufford Abbey Country Park
£2 per child. Free car parking today!
Come and join the Ranger Team on a mini beast hunt through the woodland and discover what lurks in the undergrowth of Rufford’s historic landscape. Explore under logs and around trees and use simple ID keys to see what insects call the woodland floor home. Come dressed for outdoor play as you may get wet and muddy! Children MUST be accompanied by an adult. To book your place please contact the Ranger Team on 01623 821335. Suitable for wheelchair users.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 April, 10am-4pm
Midland Kite Flyers, Rufford Abbey Country Park
Free Event. £3 car parking charge.
Come and see these expert kite fliers in the grounds of the Abbey. Rufford is classed as a ‘challenging’ site to fly a kite, and this is a great opportunity to pick up some tips. A kite workshop will be open each day and there is an opportunity to make your own kite for £2. Be aware that bad weather and light winds can ground kites, so flying displays will vary. Suitable for wheelchair users

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Monday 14 April, 10am-12noon and 1pm-3pm
Attracting Wildlife, Rufford Abbey Country Park
£2 per child. Free car parking today.
Come and join the Ranger Team and discover ways to attract Wildlife to your garden. Also see if you can find any Wildlife around Rufford via the ID sheet provided. Build an item to attract wildlife to your garden too! (Meet in the Coach House Courtyard or in the under croft if wet weather.)
Children must be accompanied by an adult. To book your place please contact the Ranger Team on 01623 821335. Suitable for wheelchair users.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Tuesday 15 April, 11am-4pm
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust at Rufford
Rufford Abbey Country Park
Free event but small donation for materials welcome. Free car parking today
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity run by local people for the benefit of local wildlife, with over 70 nature reserves. Why not come along today, let the children have a go at a table top activity and meet David Wright and find out how you can help secure the future for Nottinghamshire’s wildlife for generations to come.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Thursday 17 April, 10am-11.30am
Pond dipping, Rufford Abbey Country Park.
£2 per child. Free car parking today.
Come and join the Ranger Team and explore the murky depths of Rufford’s wetland. With simple ID keys you will learn to identify the variety of aquatic life that Rufford’s waterways call home.
Come dressed for outdoor play as you may get wet and muddy!
Meet in the Coach House Courtyard. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
To book your place please contact the Ranger Team on 01623 821335. Restrictions for wheelchair users – please enquire with Ranger Team.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Monday 21 April, 11am-4pm
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust at Rufford
Rufford Abbey Country Park, Free event but small donation for materials welcome. £3 car parking charge.
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading conservation charity run by local people for the benefit of local wildlife, with over 70 nature reserves. Why not come along today, let the children have a go at a table top activity and meet David Wright and find out how you can help secure the future for Nottinghamshire’s wildlife for generations to come.

Rufford, near Ollerton:
Saturday 26 April – Sunday 27 April, 11am-4.30pm
Grand Historical and Vintage Bazaar, Rufford Abbey Country Park
Free Event. £5 car parking charge
Dress to impress in period style and come along to our annual historical multi-period bring and buy sale! With something of interest for every visitor, historical trader, enthusiast, re-enactor, historical group and schoolchild, there’s plenty to look at including period vehicles, living history activities and displays taking place throughout the weekend.

Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve, Edwinstowe

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Saturday 5 – Monday 21 April, 11am-3pm
SSSI Diamond Jubilee – Robin Hood’s Easter Trail
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, £1 per trail leaflet available from Visitor Information and £3 car parking charge at weekends and bank holidays.
Follow this self-guided trail around the Visitor Centre and woodland to discover lots of fascinating facts about Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood. Complete all the clues and claim your candy cane or chocolate reward! (subject to availability). Suitable for wheelchair users.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Monday 7 April, 11am-3pm
SSSI Diamond Jubilee – Bushcraft for Kids
Robin Hood survival for the family, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
£5 per person. Free car parking today!
Come join our ranger service and learn skills that Robin Hood and his merry men would have used to evade the Sheriffs men, skills such as fire lighting, shelter building and plant and animal ID.
Open to all ages, children must be accompanied by an adult. Places limited. Pre-booking required on 01623 823202. Not suitable for wheelchair users

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Wednesday 9 April, between midday 4pm
Simple Tom – The Mischief Maker
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, Free Event and free car parking for this day.
Mischief making guaranteed to put a smile on your face wherever you might bump into this playful buffoon! Suitable for wheelchair users

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Friday 11 April, 10.30am-12.30pm
SSSI Diamond Jubilee – Willow Weaving Workshop
Make an obelisk, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
£20 per person/structure. Free car parking today
Join us today for a willow weaving workshop to make an obelisk for your garden in readiness for spring and the growing season. Plants such as sweet peas, honeysuckle or clematis can be trained to grow up an obelisk. Places are limited so pre-booking is essential on 01623 823202. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Suitable for wheelchair users.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Saturday 12 April, 11.30am-1pm and 1.30pm-3pm
The Birkland Outlaws, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Free Event. £3 car parking charge
Come along today and meet ‘retired’ outlaws Hob and Ket. Listen to their tales of daring exploits and learn more about forest life in medieval time. Suitable for wheelchair users

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Sunday 13 April, From 11am
2.45pm-3.45pm story walk
In the Footsteps of Robin Hood
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Adults £3, children £1.50. £3 car parking charge
Return to the year 1248 and follow in the footsteps of Robin Hood. On your travels you may well come across Robert of Wentbridge, one of Robin’s faithful band as he wanders the paths of Sherwood Forest. For a small charge, between 2.45pm and 3.45pm you can join him on a gentle wander through the forest as he tells tales of Sherwood’s most famous outlaw. For additional information call Visitor Information on 01623 823202. Not suitable for wheelchair users

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Wednesday 16 April, 11am-12noon, 12.30pm-1.30pm, 2pm-3pm
John Hall, Tudor Greenwood Worker, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Free Event. Free car parking today! Learn more about the renewable and ancient craft of hazel hurdle making using materials gathered from the forest. Suitable for wheelchair users.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Friday 18 April, 11am onwards
2.30pm-4pm (Walk)
Walk with the Hawks, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Adults £5, children £2.50. £3 car parking charge.
Take a walk on the wild side with falconer Chris Miller and his birds. A chance to get up close and personal with these beautiful creatures and learn some fascinating facts about this ‘sport of kings’, in the magnificent setting of the once Royal Hunting Forest of Sherwood. Places limited on the walk so pre-booking essential on 01623 823202. Sorry, no dogs. Maximum distance 1½ miles. (Heavy rain or strong winds may require this event to be re-scheduled.) Not suitable for wheelchair users.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Saturday 19 – Monday 21 April, 11am-4pm
Dogs of War, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Free Event. £3 car parking charge
Come along to Sherwood Forest this Easter weekend and meet members of the Dogs of War medieval re-enactment group. Let them thrill you with their displays of medieval combat and find out what life was really like in the forest in medieval times. Suitable for wheelchair users.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Saturday 26 April, 11am-4pm
RSPB at Sherwood, Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Free event but small donation please towards the cost of materials. £3 car parking charge
Did you know The RSPB is the country’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home? Come along to the visitor centre today and try your hand at children’s activities under the guidance of the colourful Roseanna Burton, RSPB Community Engagement Officer and learn not just about birds but about nature and how to give ‘Nature a Home’.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Sunday 27 April, 5am-7am
SSSI Diamond Jubilee – Dawn Chorus in the Forest
Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, Adults £5, children (under 12) £3
Set your alarm clock for an experience not to be missed and one you’ll be talking about for weeks afterwards. Wrap up warm and join the RSPB’s Nottinghamshire Conservation officer Carl Cornish for a gentle stroll through this ancient forest to enjoy a magical early morning concert courtesy of the birds of Sherwood. Sorry, no dogs. Maximum distance 1½ miles Places are limited so pre-booking is essential on 01623 823202. Not suitable for wheelchair users or young children.

Sherwood Forest, Edwinstowe:
Sunday 27 April, 12noon, 2pm and 3.30pm
The Legend Lives On! Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre
Free Event. £3 car parking charge
Come along to Sherwood today and meet some of the colourful costumed characters from the Oakwood Outlaws. Be amazed as the lads and lasses demonstrate their medieval combat skills ‘up close and personal under the Major Oak’!