Center Parcs and Cycling

[QueenGoblin]

I have never been to Center Parcs. I have vague idea of what it is supposed to be like but I have never been, nor have I ever been somewhere similar. My husband was taken on trips there when he was a child so whilst he has an understanding of it, has not been in years and things may have changed slightly plus he may be misremembering.

I am not a fan of cycling. I try my very best to avoid it at all costs, plus when we are thinking of going I will be about 28 weeks pregnant with our second. My husband is convinced that we can't go if I won't/can't cycle. Apart from info on bike hire I can't really figure out how big of a deal it is.

How much cycling is realistically involved on a visit to Center Parcs? Specifically Elveden Forest. How awkward is it to get around without cycling?

TIA

Elveden is probably one of the easier ones as much of the activities/facilities are located in the village centre.

You definitely do not have to cycle if you don't want to. I have been when heavily pregnant, as well as with a new born, and certainly didn't cycle either time. It will take longer to get around, but walking is very pleasant - no cars around, although you do have to watch out for all the cyclists! Paths are flat, and there are some footpaths around too.

Eleveden is pretty flat, and cycling is pretty easy (I say that as a very unfit 50 something, who hasn't cycled since leaving school!).

Not everyone uses a bike. Walking is fine - it will just take you a bit longer.

none unless you want to! its just a means of getting about to be honest. we only started biking around cp when ds was old enough! elevedens nice and flat, pool etc 99% is in the middle.

I think last time we went we just took the kids' bikes and walked ourselves. DH might have taken a bike, I can't remember, I didn't (and if you read some places on the internet there are tales of bikes being stolen overnight anyway). I don't know Elveden, but even at Longleat which is quite hilly, it's fine to walk. If you're way over the other side there is always the land train anyway.

Seasoned Centre Park-er here....Elveden is probably the best one for non-cycling as everything is in a central point (apart from the Aqua Sana spa)....and it's flat.
It depends were your villa is located though...check out the map on the website.
TBH I can't see why you can't cycle at 28 weeks, but that's your decision.
You're looking at approx 20 minute walk tops if your villa is located far away. You can pay a bit extra to have a villa located very neat the sports centre/main centre.
You will love it!
I've been going to over 25 years and all our DC (all young adults now) still love it and go with their friends/partners now.

Hi OP. You could always check with your midwife but I think they would advise against cycling especially as your not very comfortable with it and you will be in your third trimester. You don't want anything to happen to you. But a trip to centre parcs sounds lovely!

We rented bikes on the 3 occasions we stayed in CP in the UK as it suited us. But we were in the Netherlands last year and only rented them for 1 day as we wanted to go outside the park for a trip.

And even in the UK, while we found them useful and fun (as a relatively unfit, somewhat flabby, mid-40s person trying to keep up with much fitter and better cyclists DH and DD!!), and they were handy for doing shopping etc - we walked as much as cycled and still enjoyed ourselves. And there were lots of people walking all the time!

Yes, try to see where your villa is on the map.

DH could get a bike if he wanted, for the entire time or just for a day or two - but YOU don't have to!

Or you could just get a bike for your DC - give them the freedom of quiet roads and you walk along with them.

What we always found useful was making sure we had brought a couple of small backpacks - for throwing swimming gear into or bits of shopping etc - as whether on bikes or walking, it gave us hands free to pick up DD (she was quite small on our 1st trip), and help tug her along on occasion, to cycle, or just to hold hands as we walked together (aw how rosemantic!! ).

Also, pack of cards to play all sorts of games in the house, some extra chalk for the board (drawing, word games, shopping lists or notes to each other) and the makings of a couple of easy but nice dinners and a couple of meals that DD would DEFINITELY eat but could be prepared in a hurry...she could come home starving from the pool and get sooo H-ANGRY as a result that food and snacks were important things to plan.

When we go we get bikes for the kids, me and my friend and DH just walks everywhere. We always stay near the centre which helps. It depends how old your kids are really - if everyone else is cycling and it doesn't matter if you are 10 mins behind then it's not a big deal (or you set off walking early which is what DH did). Elveden is the best as it's flat.

I got to Centre Parcs twice a year, and have never cycled nor have my family! To be honest you don’t see that many people on bikes anyway, it’s totally aimed at people who don’t cycle too

Regular at CP here but not been to Elveden.

We used to take/hire bikes when the kids were small but rarely bother now.

Elveden is I believe the smallest site so you're in luck there and tbh if we find it no bother at the larger sites I think you'll be fine.

That does assume you've got some transport for your child though (buggy/scooter/balance bike depending on age) as I think it would be hard work with a small child being expected to walk everywhere.

The biggest benefit with bikes is simply time. It's pretty quick getting around with bikes, but without you'll need to be careful about allowing plenty of time to get where you need to be and book activities accordingly.

So partly it also depends on how "busy" you intend to be. If you want to book 3/4 activities a day, it's going to be hard without bikes, but if you're just going to chill, use the pool and maybe do one activity a day then it's fine.

We went to CP Longleat at the start of December and we didn’t cycle at all , it’s not essential .