Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A trip to Longleat Forest proves an absolute scream for mum Claire Spreadbury
The look on my nine-year-old’s face changes about 35 seconds after the light goes green. Not that I can tell. My eyes are squeezed firmly shut, my hands are gripping the handles so tight my knuckles are bright white, and the scream which seems to be coming from the depth of my soul is so loud, it’s scaring poor Poppy.
We’re at opposite ends of an inflatable square hurtling down the Tropical Cyclone water ride at Center Parcs in Longleat Forest, Wiltshire, and it features a scream-inducing drop. It is brilliant fun, but as scary as a Florida rollercoaster, especially if you haven’t been on one for a while.
There are five UK Center Parcs locations (with another on the way) and the set-up is a winning combination for many families – self-catering accommodation, masses to do, and everything you need on your doorstep.
Of all the times to try it, now is a bit of a no-brainer. It is expensive, but so is pretty much every other holiday you can book at the moment. The price of UK breaks has sky-rocketed, and availability is slim. And although lots of us prefer to book meals and activities as and when we feel like it, that’s just not how life is working right now.
Post-lockdown, if you want to eat out, have a family day somewhere special, or just go for a nice National Trust walk, you have to book. Organised fun is just part of life in 2021.
Accommodation here is varied. You can pick a fairly basic lodge for you and yours, or hire a huge space with friends or family – a great way to catch up with anyone you might not have seen over lockdown. And it is worth spending a bit more on a fancier set-up. If you have a games room or hot tub, you’re likely to spend less on activities, and it is lovely staying somewhere just a little bit decadent.
Swimming is probably what Center Parcs is most known for. The Subtropical Paradise
is home to a pool, wave machine, flumes, baby pools, rapids and a lazy river – it’s probably the best water park you can visit without hopping on a plane. It’s also the only free activity here – apart from riding your own bike – so it’s worth booking slots as soon as you can.
The additional activities cost more but they’re great, and cater for every type of family and age range. Outdoor adventurers can swing through trees while tiny tots paint pots or try a balance bike.
We opt for weather-safe options of ten-pin bowling (£34.50) and table tennis (£18.50, both for an hour). And while Poppy and I pretend to be Bake Off contestants, decorating cupcakes with fondant designs and piping patterns in buttercream (£27pp), my other daughter Rosie, 12, and her dad, head off to Laser Combat (£36pp, or £30 for under-12s).
Ambling towards the spa for my morning treatment, the lake is already buzzing.
Peace seekers are fishing from the edges, a group of wetsuited adventurers are learning how to paddleboard and families are gently pumping pedals on the pedalo boats.
Covid-related downsides abound. You can currently only book three swimming slots within your stay, though they do then release extras closer to your break, so you can bump this up. They’ve also removed all toiletries (apart from soap) from the accommodation, arcades are card only, so you exchange £10 for 10 games coins (which can get very pricey) and you order food and drink via a QR code, which isn’t as slick and easy as it could be.
The main difference is that you really need to book everything in advance. Four weeks before your visit you can book all free and paid-for activities and reserve tables for dinner. If you don’t, you might be left with very little choice
once you’re here. You’ll always find the odd slot, but if you have hopes set on fancier activities or spa treatments you must be organised. The plus side to all this is that nowhere ever feels too busy. The swimming pool is probably the busiest place, depending on what time of day you go (aim for early morning or evening for the quietest spots). Aqua Sana spa offers respite from all the activity. Robes and towels are now dispensed in labelled bags, which you can move about with less chance of pinching someone else’s, and they’re also handy for shopping and swimming here.
Following a £6million refurb, the spa at Longleat Forest continues to be one of the best in the country, with 24 ‘experiences’ (look out for the new Moonlight Steam Room which heats up beautifully before unexpectedly showering you with water), Deep Relax (everyone needs a snooze on a waterbed about halfway through, right?), a heated outdoor pool and the Hot Springs hot tubs, which are a perfect way to end your three-hour session (£49).
On another day (I find it helpful to spread zen moments across the week), I book in for a Mind, Body, and Sole Experience (£90 for 55 minutes). There’s body brushing, exfoliation and a slathering of lotion before I’m cocooned in towels for a neck and scalp massage. Elemis Frangipani Body Oil is massaged through my locks, which isn’t the greatest look for a spot of ping pong, but I’m too relaxed to care.
For those who don’t want to cook, there are nine eateries at Longleat Forest, but Las Iguanas is easily the best. The play area is currently out of bounds, but little ones can watch sturgeon and koi carp swim the width of the restaurant, or dance to
It’s probably the best water park you can visit without going on a plane
the tunes being pumped out until 10.30pm. Family sharers of nachos, Brazilian beach cheese and chicken and mango empanadas go down well before we tuck into our mains. Burritos, enchiladas, curry and kids’ meals are washed down by the adults with cocktails and Corona.
After all that overindulgence, the undulating forest the park is built on makes for a decent workout, whether you’re cycling or walking. Depending on where your lodge is, you’re likely to hit your daily step count easily.
So, whether you already love these holiday parks, or are yet to see what the fuss is about, it’s a great time to try Center Parcs – if only to hear yourself scream like a teenager again.