UK holiday ideas for a large family with mixed ages and needs

[TrueCrimeFanatic]

We want to take the family away next July but need recommendations that will fulfill everyone’s needs.

There are 14 of us:

me and DH who is 70

DS1 and partner and 5 kids (aged 5, 7, 10, 12, 14)
DD1 and her DH and 1 child (aged 15)
DS2 and his partner. (No kids)

Will need separate lodges but would like them to be close to each other, especially DH and me as as much as we love them we find them exhausting at times and need our own place to retreat too.
must be in the U.K. ( too hot abroad for us) preferably in the upper half of the u.k as we live in the north and travelling 7+ hours to say Devon/Cornwall is too much

We’ve done center Parcs before but find the place too spread out/ just too big though we did all like it ( the kids especially) I’d just like to find somewhere a bit more organic, maybe lakes to play in or take the kids fishing but fear I might be being a bit too idyllic of what I want and the kids would hate it.

Good family pubs or restaurants would be needed too

The kids are all quite active so need activities but the adults ( I mean our grown kids) would also want activities to do.

Am I asking too much, any ideas?

The Cotswolds lakes. There's a couple of holiday home estates which are small but around the same lake. Multiple houses of different sizes on the same estate.

I forget the name.

Loads to do for different ages.

I also came to suggest Crieff Hydro

My daughter and I go pretty much every summer to Park Cliffe near Windermere. It's got loads of different accomodation options - camping; glamping; static caravans; pretty sure there have a cottage on site that can be booked too.

It's got various self-led activities the kids might enjoy - a playground, pool table, a games room with air hockey, table tennis and a few arcade type games. There is a pub on site which has loads of board games and sometimes hosts live music. There is a gorgeous little stream running through the campsite for the kids to play in. And there is food available - breakfast and different kinds of cuisine every evening (pizzas, tacos etc). It's really lovely and more classy than I have made it sound? And it's really close to Windermere and Bowness, which offer loads of different activities - mini golf, boat hire, pottery painting - loads of stuff. And obviously there is lots of walking!

It's just such a lovely place. We make sure we have at least a few nights there every summer.

Crieff hydro does self catering lodges and hotel rooms - the families could do the lodges and you could have a room.

https://www.crieffhydro.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23663051421&gclid=CjwKCAjwwL_UBhAjEiwAEhuT5EyX0PAAOHiSef3iR2DhgV85SnA_v1Q2xsQEb7up4N_ZsrpV55a3SRoCZyIQAvD_BwE

We did Crieff Hydro years ago when our kids were little with grandparents and my brother and his wife. It was perfect and exactly what you’re looking for. Although as others have said, it’s pricey.

Bit south maybe but Lower Mill Estate on Cotswolds Water Park would be perfect!

https://www.melfortvillage.co.uk/the-resort/facilities/
its a long time since we stayed at Melfort and it wasn’t at the village - which has more amenities but at Mellow melfort https://www.mellowmelfort.com. So I don’t know how it is now . But my dc loved it - esp fishing for mackerel off the pier.
It’s very near Oban, so a day trip to Mull is also possible. Or to Iona which is amazing

We live in the North East and have done Crief Hydro before was really good but wasn't that recent (just pre COVID) so may have changed.