Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Missy_MV6 on 16 August 2008, 15:46:44
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Fancy stopping at the Whinfell Centre Parcs (Lake District) anyone been to one or know someone who has?
Any tips and info appreciate.
Angie xx
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Never been but believe it is good :y
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Glad to see your avatar is back :y
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Never heard anything against them.
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Been to the one a Thetford. Went as a large family group, and it was excellent fun. Expensive mind, and they do have a monopoly on food (not easy to go out, cars are not allowed on site except arrival/departure).
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My dad went a few years ago and said it was really good in terms of accomodation and activities, just really expensive when you are in there.
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A coworker went to one, enjoyed it but it is a bit difficult to escape
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A coworker went to one, enjoyed it but it is a bit difficult to escape
You go to those sorts of places with the intention of staying onsite all the time ;)
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We went to Whinfell and it rained and rained, then on Tuesday it rained even harder. On Wednesday we tried to escape for the day only to discover a flat battery (in the rain) and Centre Parcs staff are not allowed to provide a jump start.
On Thursday we climbed up Helvellyn in the rain and couldnt see Striding Edge at all due to a particularily intense downpour.
By Friday we had had enough of the pool and the rain so decided to leave early and headed towards the M6 where the sun came out.
Chalet was good, just saw a bit too much of because of the rain.
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We went to Whinfell and it rained and rained, then on Tuesday it rained even harder. On Wednesday we tried to escape for the day only to discover a flat battery (in the rain) and Centre Parcs staff are not allowed to provide a jump start.
On Thursday we climbed up Helvellyn in the rain and couldnt see Striding Edge at all due to a particularily intense downpour.
By Friday we had had enough of the pool and the rain so decided to leave early and headed towards the M6 where the sun came out.
Chalet was good, just saw a bit too much of because of the rain.
So what was the weather like?
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Hi Angie,
We go in February every year to Whinfell or Sherwood Forest and each has it's good and bad points. Reasonable cost in Feb., very expensive at most other times.
Most families use the Tropical Swimming centre as a main venue which is great, (paradise for kids of all ages), but there are numerous other sporting activities both indoor and outdoor. The accomodation units are fully self-contained, and we take frozen meals for each evening's dinner to cut the cost. Eating out and drinks are very expensive, but self catering is very easy. The on site supermarket is the only place where prices seem about normal.
If you go, arrive early on the first day, (10amish), because although you can't get to your accommodation until 2pm you can go straight into the pool area until then. Similarly on your last day, use the pool on leaving your villa and you can leave the complex as late as you like. It gives you another full day.
We've tried Mon. to Mon., but Mon to Friday is better if you make full use of your time.
It's certainly worth trying it at least once, if only for the experience.
By the way, don't expect anything other than bog standard British service.
HTH,
Bill.
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There is an excellent Go-Kart track (Amen Corner) opposite the entrance to the Sherwood one!
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hi, same as the boy. went to thetford last year had a shack near the golf course and had the little lake to ourselves with my dinghy and my missus kayak going around and around !
cafes and restaurants not cheap so get food in!
fitted kitchens in most lodges. ;)
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Been to the one a Thetford. Went as a large family group, and it was excellent fun. Expensive mind, and they do have a monopoly on food (not easy to go out, cars are not allowed on site except arrival/departure).
ditto, is it called elveden forest or something like that? i went years ago, before it burned to the ground and they had to rebuild it. was great fun, but considering the terrain you can encounter on the cycle tracks, the bikes we were provided with were so bad. went with a friend and we managed to destroy three bikes just riding around hahah i'll never forget rolling up to the 'bike janitor' throughout our stay 'can i have another bike please' ... 'ANOTHER ONE?!'
was really peaceful, nice place, but like others said, they do have the monopoly on food etc.
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A coworker went to one, enjoyed it but it is a bit difficult to escape
No good at digging tunnels, then?
Doesn't sound like my ideal holiday I'm afraid. :-/
Kevin
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Hi Angie,
We go in February every year to Whinfell or Sherwood Forest and each has it's good and bad points. Reasonable cost in Feb., very expensive at most other times.
Most families use the Tropical Swimming centre as a main venue which is great, (paradise for kids of all ages), but there are numerous other sporting activities both indoor and outdoor. The accomodation units are fully self-contained, and we take frozen meals for each evening's dinner to cut the cost. Eating out and drinks are very expensive, but self catering is very easy. The on site supermarket is the only place where prices seem about normal.
If you go, arrive early on the first day, (10amish), because although you can't get to your accommodation until 2pm you can go straight into the pool area until then. Similarly on your last day, use the pool on leaving your villa and you can leave the complex as late as you like. It gives you another full day.
We've tried Mon. to Mon., but Mon to Friday is better if you make full use of your time.
It's certainly worth trying it at least once, if only for the experience.
By the way, don't expect anything other than bog standard British service.
HTH,
Bill.
Thanks Bill....We usually go to Great Yarmouth in a self-catering chalet and it normally rains..lol.I don't enjoy travelling for long periods of time so the Whinfell one would be ideal for me. :)
I like the look of the accomodation it looks very modern.I have just come back from a 2 week Cruise around the Med which was rather expensive but bloody fantastic ;D
So hence wont be doing another "Big" holiday for a few years unless I win the lottery ;)
I know I will be lucky if it dosen't rain but hey that's a British holiday for you isn't it. :(
And will have to get used to the British service again after the fantastic service on the cruise. :D
I have been having a scout around to see if I can get some discount codes but have not found any that work yet.
Thanks again
Angiexx
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centre parcs is one of the best holidays you will evr do the kids cant get enough of it :y
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Like Kevin - sounds like a prison to me
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Like Kevin - sounds like a prison to me
Its a different kind of holiday, not a sightseeing one.
Its actaully quite good - you have to walk/cycle everywhere (cars are banned apart arrival/departure), plenty of activities etc. Probably better to go as a party of people. Probably wouldn't want to go for more than a week though.
You can get out if you want, just that you'r car isn't parked near you accomodation, but in a massive carpark near the entrance. So not so good for those too bone idle to walk/cycle.
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I enjoy cycling we all have a bike and get off for a family bike ride when the weather is nice.My daughter loves swimming so she will be in the pool a lot.We were thinking of taking a friend each for my daughter and son but thats just a thought.
I don't think we will get there until next year maybe a Fri to Mon to see what it's like.
Thanks for all your input guys :)
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Like Kevin - sounds like a prison to me
Its a different kind of holiday, not a sightseeing one.
Certainly wouldn't bother going all the way to the Lake District for one, then. I don't like the idea of being a captive market either. Part of the fun of going away is finding new places to eat, drink, etc. Not to have everything delivered on a plate. Each to his/her own though. :-/
Kevin
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Like Kevin - sounds like a prison to me
Its a different kind of holiday, not a sightseeing one.
Certainly wouldn't bother going all the way to the Lake District for one, then. I don't like the idea of being a captive market either. Part of the fun of going away is finding new places to eat, drink, etc. Not to have everything delivered on a plate. Each to his/her own though. :-/
Kevin
I agree, but for a short weekend or midweek break, its something different, and something I would do again. Its a very 'lazy' break, and more than enough to do onsite for free or small extra charges.
But certainly not something I would want to do regularly...
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Hmm well we tend to like finding new places, but then also revisiting favourite beaches, food places, ect ect.
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Fancy stopping at the Whinfell Centre Parcs (Lake District) anyone been to one or know someone who has?
Any tips and info appreciate.
Angie xx
We went to that one at Whitsun (is it still called that?) - Spring Bank Holiday, Mon-Fri. 3 kids - 12, 14, 17 - and we all enjoyed it. Plenty to do, but beware the cost - it's all extra. Worth booking activities before you go, because some of the popular ones get booked up early. Hire (or take your own) bikes - makes getting around the site much easier.
We'd go again.
Baz.
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not sure any more but before we had a pikey wagon (now degraded to a TENT :O ) we used to go to Haven every year for a week. Was a fair bit cheaper than Center parcs. It depends what you like tho as we only spent like 2 days entirly on site prefering to go to the surrounding areas so its almost tackiness wasnt such an issue for us
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not sure any more but before we had a pikey wagon (now degraded to a TENT :O ) we used to go to Haven every year for a week. Was a fair bit cheaper than Center parcs. It depends what you like tho as we only spent like 2 days entirly on site prefering to go to the surrounding areas so its almost tackiness wasnt such an issue for us
center parcs is on a bigger scale to haven type places, and more than enough to do onsite for short breaks.
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Thanks for all your input guys.. :) I think after that wee debate I will have to try it and see ;)
Angiexx
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Thanks for all your input guys.. :) I think after that wee debate I will have to try it and see ;)
Angiexx
Cant knock it til you've tried it, but I wouldn't book a 2 week break in one ;)