Somewhere for a long weekend

Jul 5 2008 by Our Correspondent, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

THERE was a time when the annual holiday was considered to be the biggest happening in most families’ lives, this one-week event making a welcome break each year.

These days, there is a new form of vacation in the holiday market, the short break, a facility which the Center Parcs organisation has made almost its own in the UK.

With British holiday villages at Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, Whinfell Forest in Cumbria, Elveden Forest in Suffolk and Longleat Forest in Wiltshire, Center Parcs has provided four centres of exceptional leisure facilities, each discreetly situated within some 400 acres of natural woodland.

The concept originated in Holland in 1967 and over the past four decades has been developed in Northern Europe.

Offering its guests short stay breaks, Center Parcs is now a separate entity in the UK. It is owned by the Blackstone Group and after more than 20 years in Britain has a unique position, its name being synonymous with the short-break experience and its chalet-style accommodation claiming in excess of 90% occupation per annum.

Having already enjoyed the delights of Center Parcs’ Sherwood Forest resort, my wife and I embarked upon a short break at the Whinfell Forest venue, which had opened as Oasis in 1997 and has operated under the Center Parcs flag since September, 2001.

The resort houses some 861 units of accommodation, 163 of which are newly-styled lodges.

Access to your villa is from 3pm on the day of arrival and, while we didn’t experience any problems queuing at the imposing check-in set-up, perhaps at a busier period queues may be considerably longer. Car parking is in designated car parks only and it is also worth noting that you must vacate the villa by 10am on departure day.

While the outside of the villa looked decidedly in need of a little attention from the painter, the inside was a hugely practical, family-friendly place. This Woodland Lodge included three bedrooms, a couple of bathrooms with shower and bath plus a sitting room with slimline TV.

A well-equipped kitchen and dining area provided cooking and eating facilities plus a dishwasher, a washing machine and ironing board to help keep busy youngsters ship-shape after a day biking through the forest.

Whether using your own bikes or hiring them from the park’s cycle centre, plenty of cycle paths provide a very user- friendly way around the Whinfell Forest site. It is situated off the A66 in the valley of the River Eden, just below Penrith, and is home to the red squirrel and a huge variety of other wildlife, such as deer, badgers and stoats.

Like all Center Parcs sites, Whinfell Forest is both parent- and child-friendly. Mums and dads should not be surprised if that phrase frequently used by their offspring – “I’m bored” – to become decidedly redundant.

Apart from woodland walks, there are numerous outdoor activities for the youngsters to enjoy, including football coaching, junior rugby, archery, golf and a junior cricket tournament while quad-biking, a climbing wall, pony trekking and an intriguing treasure trail also feature on the fixture list.

The Center Parcs inside story, too, is one of creative pursuits which include hand-crafted card-making, art, watercolour and pottery painting, plus a sports plaza with bowling, snooker, squash and badminton on offer.

And no Center Parcs trip would be complete without the free subtropical swimming paradise. Just head for the private family changing rooms and enjoy hours of entertainment in the wave pool, lagoon pool, children’s pool, spa pool, flumes and canyon ride.

When it’s time to eat back at the villa, the competitively priced park supermarket boasts the necessary ingredients for enjoyable breakfasts, al fresco dining and special home-cooked evening meals. Should a meal out appeal, eateries include Rajindha Pradesh Indian, the Sports Café, the Carvery at the Lakeside Inn, the Conservatory at the Aqua Sana and our two personal favourites, Bella Italia and the delightfully relaxed atmosphere of the “outside-in” Café Rouge.

One of my wife’s favourite spots is the Aqua Sana World of Spa. This really is the place in which to recharge your batteries after enjoying a few days’ exertion. Qualified therapists are on hand to help you enjoy a little pampering, soothing mind, body and soul with spa rituals gleaned from around the planet.

These days, there are a number of short-break venues in the UK and, although Center Parcs may not be the cheapest, it does deliver an exceptional range of leisure facilities within an attractive environment.

Further Center Parcs information, pricing and booking details are to be found on www.centerparcs.co.uk