Just booked my first ever holiday-any centre parcs goers who have taken their own bikes-advice needed!

[Pawslikepaddington]

We cycle daily, with a Pashley Sovereign city bicycle and trek trailer bike. Dd also has a trek 16" bike that we are def taking.

We are going for dd's 5th birthday (it is just me and dd) as I thought she would have more fun than a party as they always go wrong, and just have friends over for tea instead, so it is her weekend in essence, to do as she wishes. We are in a central location because I wasn't sure how much she would want to cycle, or whether she would want to explore on foot. Do they do trailer bikes? Dd loves the seated trailers (Burley bee type things) so will be hankering after one of those, but I would rather she got a bit of cycling in! Am I better off hiring them there or taking our own? We won't be off-roading so I won't need a mountain bike, and it seems a shame to hire a trailer when we have a trailer bike already, but if we are making the most of the weekend then maybe a seated trailer is better so that she can flop out when exhausted! - I'm a little PFB as I've never taken her away before!

Hi, if you wanted a seated trailer, then best to hire it there. If you would rather save money, then take your own bike. You can always pay a little extra to request a villa close to the village center - so she won't get too tired? We hried the trailer when the children were little, but went a few months ago and took our own bikes, kids loved it and saved some money too! If you do hire, I suggest go and get the bikes as soon as you arrive ,as gets busy, and you will have best choice! Enjoy

Which park are you staying at? IMO if you are staying at Elveden then you won't need a trailer, but if you were stating at Longleat then it is a lot hillier and you might want one (esp as the sports hall is quite aways from the swimming pool, though there is a land train).

Sherwood also quite hilly (dd crashed and wrote off one bike there when 7). Both ds learn to cycle at flat CP (in Holland) as safe. Youngest ds now 5 and I use a trailagator for when he gets tired (tow bar from my bike to his) but try to encourage him to cycle by himself as much as poss.

we took 5 year old dd's bike to whinfell in july and she cycled everywhere and she had only been riding her bike with out stabilisers a few weeks before we went, we stayed up a hill and she managed fine.

Thank you all. She's a confident cyclist (though uses stabilizers), but had a word with her and she said seated trailers were for pre-schoolers, so there we go! Ha ha! We are going to Longleat, but her trek trailer is basically a fixed tralier gator, and she'll have her own bike with us too, so we should be fine (and I paid extra to be in the centre as I heard longleat was huge!!) Thank you xxx

Sorry but just to warn you, it isn't as simple as being in "the centre" at longleat. There are 2 main areas and these are not beside one another, so you will be close to one or the other but not both.

Map is here. So Jardin de sports is a reasonable hike from the Swimming pool and leisure bowl. The actual centre doesn't have that much to it from memory - just a couple of restaurants. If you have been given your villa number then you can work out which you are close to.

Thank you Ladymuck-I'm a bit bad at stuff like that! Think we will be spending a disproportionate amount of time at the lake and the pool, but will be eating in the apartment, so really we need to be closer to the pool probably. Ooh longleat you weirdo place!

Apartment not villa? If you are in an Executive Apartment then I think there are only two locations for those at Longleat - near the pool complex, or near the Redwood Trees.
I don't have a bike carrier for my car, so I hire a bike. Have thought about getting a bike carrier and taking bike, but not sure I can be bothered with the hassle, or driving down the motorway/A303 thinking about the bike falling off.
Going for just the weekend, I'd hire a bike. Can't recall the cost, though expect it's around £20-£25 for the weekend which is a bit pricey but may be less hassle than taking your own. Went to Longleat in August and their bike supplies had been upgraded. Adult bikes are custom built Mongoose - these may be similar.
Take your DD's bike though, as not sure what children's bikes they do for under 7's.