Birthday treat at Center Parcs

Ever since it opened I've loved going to Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest. I took my first son when he was only 2, and my second son's been going since before he was born, as I went when I was 6 months pregnant and famously got stuck going down one of the water flumes. They don't let you down when you're pregnant now but in those days, no-one bothered.

I try and go back as often as I can, and prefer to go in the middle of winter, usually around my birthday. So, as my birthday fell on a Sunday this year, it seemed an ideal time for a midweek, Monday to Friday break. Arrived yesterday and had lunch - a very nice fish stew- in Strada in the Village Square. Picked up a couple of bikes- normally I hate cycling, but always do it here. There's no cars and it's relatively flat, and it's a bit of a novelty. Got to our "exclusive" villa about 2pm and unpacked.




Then a walk round the park, all the way round the lake with a quick stop off at the Country Club for a drink. We called in to the Nature Centre where's there's a bird hide, but it was either too late, or something had spooked them, because there was barely a feather there!

Then back for a session in the hot tub, sauna and steam room, a great way to spend a couple of hours. The villas are lovely:



And all look out over the forest and water



We always try and make the most of the facilities, and last night we cooked a great 3 course meal,



did a quiz, sang and played instruments, and Stuart made banana daquiris by crushing ice, bananas and white rum together with a potato masher in a jug!




This morning we woke very late (not surprisingly), had a big cooked breakfast, and walked to Rufford Park. It's a lovely park, but we couldn't get to the formal gardens and sculptures because they were closed. so, we walked round the lake.





And went in the camera obscura where we saw an upside down picture of the trees outside.




We walked back through the park, past the Broad Walk



and the Ice House where they used to store ice harvested from the lake




Back to the villa for lunch,and were impressed that the housekeeping team had spotted my birthday cards, and left me a bottle of wine and some chocolates. Then some of us cycled to the Nature Centre, where some of us proved that we weren't used to cycling




Unfortunately there weren't many birds at the wildlife hide, but we saw a few, including a woodpecker and a heron.

Back for more hot tub action, this time it was raining and diluting our drinks, but still good fun




Now we're off to Cafe Rouge for dinner and some live Jazz.