"Robin Hood and the Potter" is among the oldest existing tales of Robin Hood. The ballad survives in a hand-copied manuscript dated around the year 1500.
The full story can be studied here, and an analysis here, but below is a brief summary of the tale.
Robin Hood and Little John encounter a potter in the forest. Little John says he met the ‘proud potter’ at Wentbridge and knows he is well known for refusing to pay tolls. After a bet with Little John, Robin Hood demands the potter to pay him a toll to pass through the forest. The men fight and the potter knocks Robin down with a hand staff.
Robin and the potter become friendly and Robin persuades him to lend his clothes and pots so he can go to Nottingham in disguise.
Disguised as a potter, Robin meets the Sheriff and after displaying his skills in an archery contest, boasts that he knows where Robin Hood can be found. He agrees to take the sheriff to the Robin’s forest hideout. The Sheriff is tricked into going into the forest with Robin and is robbed by the outlaw leader.
The cache can be found after a short potter through chestnut and oak trees along the Robin Hood Way from the parking spot at Hazel Gap. Being a Robin Hood cache of course you'll expect it to blend in well with the forest! The container is about fifteen paces from the path, and has room for a few small swaps and the logbook and pencil. There's also space for geocoins and smaller trackables. Please be very careful to replace the cache so that it looks as natural as possible.
The Robin Hood Way is a 105-mile walking trail from Nottingham Castle to Edwinstowe Church. I walked it all a few years ago: highly recommended. After finding the cache you could just follow the arrows all the way to the centre of Nottingham, through some of the finest country in Notts. Or you might just turn back to the Hazel Gap and the car...!
Take a note of the letter to be found inside the lid of the container. It will help with the final cache in the series.