Centre Parcs - Sherwood, Longleat or Chinwell forest?

[BiddyPop]

Hi,

I am looking for constructive advice about which one please, I know lots of people don't like CP but this is not that kind of question.

DD is aged 6, and we stayed in Sherwood Forest for a week when she was 3 or 4 and LOVED it. In fact, we all really enjoyed it. There was plenty to do, lots of nature, and we ALL relaxed. We had planned on having a few days out away from the park, but from the time we dropped the car after unpacking at the start of the week, we didn't use it again until we were packing up to leave.

DD has asked, pretty constantly, to have our holidays in "England" again since. By that, she means ferry over and CP.

We are all thinking that CP would be good again this year. But DH and I are wondering if, coming from Dublin, we would be better off going to Sherwood forest again, or heading to Longleat and having a few extra days around it staying elsewhere (maybe going to Eden etc). The Lake District for a few extra days sort of appeals too - but less so.

For anyone who has stayed in CP and enjoyed it, which would you recommend? DD is VERY active, so lots of swimming and cycling is on the cards. We all enjoyed canoeing the last time. Having the choice of eating out or cooking for ourselves is great. There are TV channels that we all watch for downtime (rainy days, quiet evenings). We all love the great outdoors so the forest walks and nature trails were great.

Any thoughts or recommendations on which one in particular? What is the same, what's different, and why do you prefer one to another?

And seperately, any tips on what to bring, or what to do on site or locally? We are almost definitely going to try for 7 days in CP and a few days elsewhere around it to make -not quite 2 weeks but maybe 10-12 days break. And we will be driving if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance.

I prefer Longleat because it feels that you are tucked away in deeper woodland. The only downside is the big hill down to the sports centre and lake, so it depends on how strong your DD's pedalling legs are! There is a wooden zig-zag boardwalk down there, but you do still have to come back up!

Longleat Wildlife Park next door is great and the maze

Pretty much everything is the same, you can't really tell the difference! So choose on the location you want to be in to do the non-CP things, where you can visit and explore.

Hi,

Enjoying Whinfell as there at the moment. If you want TV channels checked out etc let me know- bit limited on first glance but we get goodness knows how many at home we never watch. Brought DVDs with us & they have Wifi which when works well gets Iplayer etc.

Thought I'd want to be out & exploring Lake district but havent moved!

Thanks for that ladies.

Bluesky, we were thinking about the Wildlife park, and maybe heading to the Eden project too when we're in the area, so that was why Longleat is on the list (although it costs a LOT more for the timeperiod we're looking at!). Although the thoughts of hills puts ME off!! DD would probably be fine.

Davidsmom, I seem to remember there was the 4 BBC's, and the other main terrestrial channels (ITV, Channels 4 & 5, and perhaps some of the other Channel 4 family - More4, E4 etc). We get those here on the freesat system - and I had already been looking at making sure we got the Wifi option and bringing laptop. (Might even catch up on a few things myself, as we can't watch iPlayer here). I'd forgotten about DVD player.

I had to gulp when I checked the prices yesterday, but it really was a holiday that we all enjoyed even though the weather was not great (never had a BBQ as always dull and plenty of rain). So I think it would be worth it again.
Thanks

Hi, we went to the Eden project with our son, 4 years at the time and he didn't really enjoy it. We had gone previously pre children and loved it and thought he would too. However, going round it with him he wasn't really interested, as great as the domes and plants are, to him it was just like a garden but without the room to play, climb trees etc He'd have preferred a playground. It is pretty expensive too and it felt like a wasted day. My brother found the same thing with his three boys, who are older than mine. We've enjoyed Longleat (apart from the food), queues can be long but the adventure playground is great, huge with loads to climb on etc. We'll be going for the third time this year.

i wouldn't go to Longleat personally, it's too spread out and with steep bits so hard to get around by bike.

Much prefer Longleat and have done all the UK parcs except Whinfell. Its the most foresty so you get more of a sound deadening effect from the trees. Agree it's not the best for bikes as it IS hilly but we tend to walk everywhere. The new zip wire over the lake is fab! .

We have been to all 4 Center Parcs and Sherwood is by far my favourite. Longleat is nice but we just found it all too hilly and spread out for little ones. Your DD may be fine at 6yrs but we went with a 5yr old, 3yr old and newborn and the walking was exhausting rather than relaxing which Sherwood is.

I really don't like Winfell at all. It wasn't originally a CP and you can tell. The accomodation is ok but there is far less indoor and outdoor play areas. Unlike Sherw ood the village is covered which I found quite oppressive. There is one play area in there which is up a dark staircase. This meant nowhere to sit and have a cuppa whilat they played in the way you can at Sherwood.

Elveden is the opposite from Longleat in that it is very flat but for some reason I find it a bit dull and souless. Longleat would mean you could visit the safari park though.

My kids seem to prefer Sherwood too. We go October half term every year and we always totally relax. It's fab! This is all just my opinion of course but Sherwood just has a lovely feel and has a calming affect on all of us!

Only been to Longleat and loved it... Largely because of the safari park - spent hours parked up in the Lion enclosure because the cubs were playing and so cute. Then a great time in Pets Corner - ps I had no children with me, but the chubby guy that I'd seen on the telly was quite happy to let me join in with the other actual children even tho I'm 36! I had a chameleon on my arm and then later a tarantula on my palm - so much fun :-)

It seems very personal which one everyone likes doesn't it? We love Elveden and go every year. We actually live much closer to Sherwood but we like Elveden because everything is together in the centre, there isn't a trek between the swimming pool and the parc market.

It is flat so cycling round is easy for little legs. My two boys are just 9 and 6 and they begged to go back again. We do swimming, bowling, tennis and badminton every time. They love exploring the woods even though we stay in the same villa every time

Ds2 has a tag-a-long bike attached to mine so we can cycle for miles.

We have never left the Elveden site. We have been in the past to Sherwood and Whinfell. When we were at Whinfell we did go to South Lakes Safari park which was amazing but only because we wouldn't be able to do it as a day trip from Yorkshire.

TV wise it is pants, we take lots of other things to keep them entertained.

We did longleat a few summers ago for 11 days, it was great but the weather was really bad and it cost the same as going abroad. I think longleat is the biggest parc and the 2 main centres are quite far from each other.
Outside we went to Bath, the safari on the estate and to Stonehenge.
Try and get your shopping done before you go as the supermarket there is very expensive. Also if you go in the summer you need to pre book alot of the activities.

Thanks for that. I am not looking at Elveden as, following the drive from the ferry, that is a bit too far for us. We can come in either the top or bottom of Wales, so that makes the other 3 (with bias towards Sherwood or Longleat) doable. Also, I figured that, while weather there is as (un)predicatble as here, being farther south has a slightly better chance of heat and sun than further north (well, probably mostly heat).

I found in Sherwood I didn't mind things being a bit away from each other, and in fact, we spent a fair bit of time at the Country Club too so spread around the whole place. DD would handle the hills fine, and I am back at the gym since last week so should be ok by then (I hope).

What we did last time was stopped at a Morrisons relatively near Sherwood, and got the basics for the week there (including some meat, milk etc) wine, and took advantage of an offer on Gordon's . The onsite market was handy for small stuff and we did get one dinner there, but I was glad I had a load of basics with me. Oh, and I brought the teabags on the boat from home as I am a bit fussy about having my Cork tea.

I am not terribly worried about the tv, as long as we can get the main UK channels. I have a portable DVD player that we will be using in the car anyway (or a replacement - it's dying). I tend to bring things like packs of cards, at least 1 board game, plenty of books/paper/colours etc. And we are quite happy to do lots even in the rain (rain coats and wellies are great inventions ). I have great photos of DD stamping down lots of molehills and holding frogs in lashing rain from last time.

I think I'll be booking Longleat in the next few days. We're going to move south the day we leave to near Eden, daytrip there on the Sat, and back as far as Bristol, and heading leisurely back to ferry on Sunday (roughly).

We have been to all of them except Elveden and prefer Longleat by far but beware the hills are very steeeep!!

We've been to all of them too. Highlight from Whinfell is seeing red squirrels playing just outside the patio windows. You won't get that anywhere else.

The one further to the North is the best despite the distance from the south. Lovely surroundings, staff are attentive, fresh air and just a nice place to get away from it all.

We'e been to CP 6 years in the row and been to all of them, this one we visited the most.