Walking in Robin's footsteps

The weathermen  had forecasted a nice day and i was determined to make the most of it. So at 8.30am Paul 

and I were on our way to Nottingham. We haven't actually been there in ages, so i was really looking forward to going. We left our car at the Queens Drive Park and Ride and took the bus into the city centre. At a cost of £3, its WAY cheaper than parking in the city. We got off near the Victoria centre, and went for an amble around the mall. I really hadn't gone with the intention of buying anything (yes really!) but we discovered that Books 4 Less were closing down and were having  a 'Fill a carrier bag for a fiver' clearance. Would have been so rude not too. It was great, and we managed to pack a huge amount into quite a small bag - 7 paperbacks, a desk calendar, dvd's, audio books, bracelets, greeting cards, notebooks etc. It was like doing a trolley dash with no time limit. The shop was very busy and for once when kids asked 'can I have this', they were being told....'yes, just squeeze it in the bag!'. We needed a coffee to recover from all the excitement.

We left the Victoria centre and walked into the city centre, i have to make a detour to the bank. When did banks start getting so fancy?? Once i had sorted out my mobile banking app, we decided to have lunch at Chopstix Noodle Bar. Ooh, it was fabulous!! After lunch we walked to Nottingham castle. We had never been there before and i am so glad we made the effort to go as it was the best part of the day. The views from the castle were beautiful, and the castle was full of interesting things - an art exhibition, a museum etc. We loved looking around. The best bit was Hood in the Wood, down in the basement. It was like taking a stroll thru Robin's camp in Sherwood Forest. It was probably meant for kids, but was full of information about Robin, as well as  information about artwork displayed. we really enjoyed our time at the castle, even the gift shop was a joy. I couldn't believe my luck when we went there to have a look around and found they stocked Robert Opie merchandise and had loads of vintage postcards, several of which i didn't have. I was delighted and ended up spending a fortune. i couldn't resist the nostalgia pack too which was full of interesting replica's of war time letters, and documents, they will be great for my scrap booking. We left the castle just after 3pm, and decided to go and find Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, which is supposed to be the oldest Inn in England. I know that others might contest this, but its still worth a visit. Its tiny, and built into the side of the rocks under the castle. Once you pass thru the brick built entrance, you find yourself in what can best be described as a cave!! The place is tiny with a few different rooms. The ceilings are low, and seating is limited and the place was packed. We found a little corner and enjoyed a drink, never have i enjoyed a Guinness so much. The place is full of atmosphere. In case anyone is interested I found the following information on the pub's website - 

The answer to this lies in the date painted on the exterior walls of the Inn, that of 1189AD. This was the year of ascension to the throne of King Richard the First, known as Richard the Lionheart, and one of his first acts as King was to crusade against the Saracens who at that time occupied the Holy Land of Christian Religion. Nottingham Castle was a stronghold favoured by the King and legend has it that the brave Knights and men at arms who rallied to his call to fight in this Third Crusade, gathered at the Castle to rest before journeying to Jerusalem.

Legend also has it that these Crusaders stopped off at the Inn at the foot of the Castle for welcome refreshments – or perhaps more accurately, for ‘one for the road’. Given that in the Middle Ages, a ‘Trip’ was not a journey as such but rather a resting place where such a journey could be broken, it is understandable how the Inn came to be called ‘Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem’. 

 

After leaving the pub it was sadly time to head back to the bus stop. Both of us had a wonderful day, and have decided to go back to Nottingham in the spring, but next time for a week end. There is a lot to explore and i don't feel we did it justice in a day. Even tho we have been there so many times in the past, we have never really strayed to far from the city centre and its shops and theatres. I would like to explore its historic side more. Fab day out? Definitely!!!