Used in episodes:
- Various Sherwood Forest scenes
- Hernes cave - exterior
- Cromm Crua pool
Take a walk through the greenwood and get back to nature for Leigh Woods. You'll find the birdsong and the calm of the forest a pleasant change from civilisation.
Here we have another excellent 2011 location report from Dan Rendell, with photographs to match.
Series Two & Three
“The Enchantment” & “Cromm Cruac” (may have doubled for Darkmere on occasion)
Herne’s Cave & Lake is in a quiet area occupying a corner of the vast Leigh Woods in Bristol.
Access to the lake is via a minor road off of the main road, through residences, and the entrance comes up fast around a blind corner. We parked up in the parking bay, 3 minutes walk from the pool. We were slightly concerned as we’d been informed that the area suffered regular vehicle break ins, on account of being in such an out of the way area, where walkers would not be returning to their vehicles for a while. We are pleased to report that there were no such issues on this visit.
Minutes down the clearly pointed out woodland path we came to the start of the lake. The place looks very picturesque, it’s hard to imagine one is only minutes from the middle of Bristol City Centre. We first started to head towards the grotto, located on the opposite end of the lake, though not immediately visible. The lake itself takes about 10 minutes to walk around completely. It is still very recognisable from the episode, The Enchantment, where Robin steals the silver arrow from Herne’s Cave. Immediately apparent is that the area in which Herne stood out on the jetty to welcome Marion, is now overgrown.
The cave is a modern grotto, purely ornamental. Looking inside it’s no more than about 10ft square. In the episode you see Michael duck to go inside, but the interior is another place, most likely a set, back near television centre. 
"Immediately apparent is that the area in which Herne stood out on the jetty to welcome Marion..."
Leaving the grotto after taking many pictures, we then started to look for the area where Marion set out on the boat across the lake. We did not have to look far, in fact we had already passed it. It is just a 100 feet away from the grotto, on the opposing corner. The proximity is cleverly concealed on the show by the use of dry fog. This meant that Judi did not have to risk life and limb to punt out in the middle of the lake at all, but hug the side, and she was probably towed by a hidden crew hand. The clump of trees near the waters edge where the merries stood remains and is still clearly identifiable as you will see from the pictures.
Down from the lake you descend to the next level where another two smaller pools trickle into each other. This is where Cromm Cruac was filmed a year later. In the past there used to be a waterfall filling these pools from the main lake, which has now been dammed. A lot of foliage has grown up here in the last 20 years obscuring a lot of the natural stone rock face, seen on the show where Gulnar and Robin fight. The area now looks somewhat neglected. The still ponds, dank and slightly dirty portray a feel that Cromm Cruac (though bested) is still around!
Looking up and to the immediate right, is the pathway coming down from the main lake where Marion and Robin come in and are met by Nasir guarding the way to the pool. This was lit by flaming torches in the episode. Now a modern, stepped pathway has been added for safety.
On the opposing bank below is an area free of scrub which acted as the main fight area where the merries fought with Gulnar’s wraith creatures, and Nasir duelled with the “fake” Robin.
"It’s nice that this place is accessible for the public and is free to visit, but not so busy that the tranquillity is spoilt"
The whole area is a picturesque and largely unknown sanctuary, free from the hussle of the city. Whilst visiting, a Ranger was busy mending some of the signage near the lake. I hope in time that the historic pools will be cleared of scrub and restored, even if the waterfall no longer will flow as it did. It’s nice that this place is accessible for the public and is free to visit, but not so busy that the tranquillity is spoilt. We enjoyed our location visit here very much and surely hope to return.
"We enjoyed our location visit here very much and surely hope to return."
On the reel
