Centre Parcs - Whinfell vs Sherwood

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Have been to Whinfell a few times and love it! Going again next week 😊 Adults & 4yo. It’s about 2.5 hours from home so just a nice distance.

Planning on booking again for next year when we get back from next weeks trip. Considering trying Sherwood next time just purely to see the difference.

Is there enough difference to justify the extra travel (about 5 hours to Sherwood for us)?

Can anyone who has done both give me a quick comparison? 😊

There's nothing extra there to justify the drive. Well actually the pool has a proper rapids section, rather than just the indoor bit at whinfell. But that's about it. Activites and restaurants pretty much the same.

Is there enough difference to justify the extra travel (about 5 hours to Sherwood for us)?

Further away from your house doesn't have any bearing on better/worse. We live about 30 mins from Centre Parks Sherwood, and my son works there, so we get discounts and go often. I frequently hanker after Centre Parks Longleat "for a change". Then give my head a wobble and remember that it will just be the same thing in a different location - so what "change" do I realistically expect to get that I couldn't get in Nottingham? (Answer: a wildlife park)

@Huskytrot Thank you 😊 I had assumed Sherwood would be bigger with more to do. Probably just stick to Whinfell 😊

@LittleHangleton Well aware the further away doesn’t have any impact on better/worse. I was asking if there was much difference between the 2 parks and if so was it enough of a difference to justify the travel.
I had (wrongly, it’s seems) assumed Sherwood to be a bigger park with more activities/facilities. We’ll just stick to Whinfell 🤷🏻‍♀️

We've been to Whinfell a few times and love it, but planning to try Sherwood this year. However we are in between both sites, it's only about an extra half hour to Sherwood, in your position I would definitely stick to Whinfell. The main reasons for us trying out Sherwood is the greater odds of dry weather there than in Whinfell.

We have been to both. Very similar. Sherwood is 1hr closer to us so we now always stick to that one. I would say definitely not worth doing the longer drive as not much to distinguish between the two.

@LegoHouse274 Sounds good 😊 We’re from the west coast of Scotland so we’re more than used to the wet weather unfortunately 😂

@Missrosie123 perfect, thank you 😊 We’ll just rebook for Whinfell then 😊👍🏻

I should preface this by saying I really don't like CP
BUT I have been to both Whinfell and Sherwood a few times and I actually prefer Whinfell. Whinfell got a bit run down a few years ago and they spent quite a lot doing it up so its nicer now.
I do have to say though last time we went to Sherwood I went to The Spa and it was lovely.

Been to both and prefer whinfell

@Hoppinggreen Thank you 👍🏻 I can definitely see how CP would be a bit “marmite”. I have a very outdoorsy 4yo so it’s perfect for our stage of life atm!
Spa is definitely on my radar for a future trip but for now I’m in the chaos of the kids pool 🫠

@Boredmum24 thanks 👍🏻 any particular reasons why?

Sherwood doesn't have the indoor done that whinfell has and we found it to be very spread out

I prefer Whinfell as it has the big outdoor heated pool.

There isn't really much difference in respect of activities tbh.

The main difference is that the village centre is, just that at Whinfell with all the shops and swimming under a massive dome, with the pub, sports centre and spa a 5 min walk away round the lake.

The outdoor centre is quite a bit of a walk away from the centre but most things are all there.

At Sherwood the dome only encompasses the pool and the village centre is thus out in the open. Great in summer, not so good in poor weather (though on the flip side the dome at whinfell can feel a bit like being in a shopping mall).

Also at Sherwood the sports hall, outdoor centre and spa are near the car park (the spa being the furthest away) and quite a long way from the village. If you are at the other side of the park getting to these can be quite a hike (less of an issue if you have bikes). Similarly the pub is located away from centre and the other side from the sports/hall spa - but in a lovely location.

We like both for different reasons and tended to prefer Sherwood if going in summer/spring and Whinfell autumn/winter.

We tend not to take/hire bikes at Whinfell but always do at Sherwood as otherwise you have to factor quite a bit of time getting around the site to different activities.

The older accommodation is different styles (as they were originally different companies) but done inside to the same standard. The newer accommodations are pretty much the same though I think only Sherwood has treehouses (these are lovely and really enjoyable to stay in but super £££).

I think that's pretty much it.

We are pretty much in the middle of both so it's just a matter of preference for us. Tbh I'm not sure I'd favour one too much over the other if the travel time was a significant factor.

One other thing, I think the swimming facilities are generally bigger and better at Whinfell. So if this is a big thing for your kids, I'd say this would be a significant factor in your choice.

With little ones its pretty good, I managed to endure it for their sakes but with older teens I prefer a holiday cottage with fewer people and where I can take my dog (I know you can at some CP but dog friendly lodges sell out very fast).
The Spa at Sherwood could almost make me change my mind about CP though

I've mostly gone to whinfell (dozens of times) but did sherwood one year combined with a week at forest holidays virtually next door. I'm guessing you are in Scotland like me so whinfell the "local" option.

There isn't much difference, I'd say beach area maybe a bit bigger and shops area is more outside rather than the undercover of whinfell, probably a reflection of it being likely to have better weather. It felt smaller overall I think.

However we went out and did some karting and went into Nottingham on the train and visiting the old tree etc so it was a change of scenery from going into the lake district which we've done many times over and above times at center parcs.

@BigBoysDontCry Yeah - west coast of Scotland 😊 Doesn’t sound like there’s a huge difference so we’ll likely just book Whinfell again and make the most of having the shorter journey with a young child 👍🏻

We also live also 2-2.5 hours away (in between) Whinfell and Sherwood. Again only been to Whinfell. Would anyone recommend going to Sherwood next time around? are the cycle routes more flatter or steeper at Sherwood over Whinfell?

I understand the activities are pretty on par with each other. Thanks in advance

Personally prefer Whinfell. Like the dome business.

Sherwood is definitely flatter than Whinfell, much easier for little ones with bikes!

Sherwood is flatter and didn't feel as big either - horses for courses I guess, when mine were maybe about 10 I think whinfell definitely was the better option as they'd take ages to go away and cycle round and round and enjoy the downhill segments. It was harder work cycling up the hills with babies and toddlers in the trailer 😂

I'm surprised so many people are saying whinfell is better. We live between and have been to both but generally prefer Sherwood. Mainly because the pool is much better for younger children. There's a much bigger and better equipt kids area. Also the warm outdoor pool is accessed by swimming from indoors whereas at whinfell you have to walk outside. Sherwood doesn't have a lazy river though.

Sherwood is flatter and maybe only 20 minutes walk maximum from any lodge to the village square. We've always had better wildlife outside the lodge. The country club area was refurbished last year and there's a really nice gastropub with crazy pool and shuffleboard. There's also a big lodge refurbishment going on at the moment and there will be some new lodge types available.

5 hours is a long way to drive though so depends if any of these things are enough tempt you!

I’ve been to both several times and much prefer Sherwood. The spa is better, the beach area is better, and the new gastro pub is better than any other restaurants at either. Prefer the pool too, feels less like an extended municipal baths than Whinfell does, the new kids splash area is epic and the outdoor pool arrangement is so much nicer.

The main difference is Whinfell is more indoorsy with the dome, and the lodges are prettier (as unlike all the others it wasn’t originally a CP).

But… Team Sherwood all the way!!