Factfile
Center Parcs operates four parcs in England at Oasis Whinfell Forest, Penrith; Sherwood Forst, Norringham; Elveden Forest near Cambridge; Longleat Forest near Warminster, Wiltshire. For full details call Center Parcs reservation on 01623 837 021 or log on to: Center Parcs
Kendal Golf Club
Phone: 01539-733708
Web: Kendal
Brampton Golf Club
Secretary: 01900 827985
Clubhouse: 016977 2255
Professional 016977 2000
Web: Brampton Golf Club
Seascale Golf Club
Phone: 019467 28202
Or: 019467 21779
Web: Seascale Golf Club
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Golf and family holidays haven't proved the best of partners for me in the past, but just over an hour from the North-East I found the perfect marriage of the two. Center Parcs operate four holiday villages in England, with a fifth currently being planned for the south east. The Oasis Whinfell Forest holiday village is situated just off the A66 near Penrith and is little more than an hour and a half from either Tyneside or Teesside. You either stay from Monday to Friday or from Friday to Monday. The accommodation ranges from one-bedroomed apartments for couples up to luxurious four-bedroom lodges that can sleep two families. And with loads of outdoor and indoor activities and sports available on site, there's enough to keep even the most demanding teenager occupied for a few days. That's the beauty of the Center Parcs experience - you can pretty much do what suits you. You need to go off-site to play golf, leaving the rest of the family to swim, cycle, play tennis, have a go at archery or quad biking or whatever, with a completely clear conscience. And if you happen to take your best mate and his family along too (or in my case my dad), then the pair of you can slope off firm in the knowledge that neither of you will be even remotely missed for a few hours! The rest of the family will be too busy enjoying themselves to even notice you've gone. Oasis is pretty well placed to take advantage of some excellent golfing opportunities that differ considerably from what we have here in the North East. The nearest course to Oasis is Penrith and Center Parcs can actually book your tee times there for you. Alternatively, you could take a look at Seascale Golf Club over on the coast, which is a lovely traditional links. Many elements come into play at Seascale. Obviously the seaside winds can alter the difficulty while dry spells can really speed things up with fairways running as quickly as greens. Out of bounds, bunkers, streams, gorse and rough test your skill and patience but this only makes a solid par or rare birdy much more rewarding. The course comes in at 6416 yards and has a par 71. By contrast Brampton Golf Club is a superb parkland course. Originally designed by James Braid, the course now measures 6,407 yards off the competition tees and 6,084 yards off the forward tees, with a par of 72 and standard scratch of 71. The course is best described as undulating heathland offering a challenge to all standards of golfer in an idyllic setting. Golf World once described the course as "the Jewel of Cumbria", and visitors have likened it to a mini-Gleneagles. It's certainly majestic, which also aptly describes Kendal Golf Club. From its elevated position, overlooking the historic old market town of Kendal, the panoramic views that unfurl as one plays the course are quite breathtaking. From the east you can see the splendour of the Westmorland Fells and beyond to the Yorkshire Dales. While viewing from north to west the full majesty of the Lake District mountains and valleys open up, before later looking southward towards Morecambe Bay and the Lancashire Plain. The northern reaches of the course are within the Lake District National Park and so are something akin to a moorland course. Kendal isn't long at 5661 yards but it's certainly a great test. Of course, if you're staying at Oasis for the week, you'll be able to fit all three in, which would make for a fabulous beak. But even if you just go for the long weekend, you can tackle at least two of the three gems. And then you can return to Oasis, remind the family who you are and take a much-deserved sauna or have a swim to loosen up those muscles. The Center Parcs experience is a very European affair. The company started in Holland several decades ago and now there are various parcs scattered around the low countries, Germany, France and England. They're all pretty similar and all revolve around the central waterworld complex. At Oasis, this is a vast glass dome that houses a multitude of restaurants and a giant swimming pool complete with wave machine, spa pools, rapids and slides. Nearby is a massive sports plaza which offers everything from racquet sports and roller skating to abseiling and a golf range to help keep everything in tune. You can just about do any activity you can think of, including an array of watersports like kayaking and sailing. There's also a lavish spa complex which offers various treatments as well as ten or so different steam rooms that have Greek, Japanese and Indian themes. At the end of the day though, the Center Parcs experience is really aimed at the whole family, with everyone getting the chance to do their own thing in a very safe and secure environment, which, for most of the time, is also car free. It was so much fun - more than any package deal we'd ever been on at any rate - that we are very firm Center Parc fans. The place has only been open a few years or so and everything still feels pretty new. The setting, on a forested hill, could hardly be better with red squirrels, pheasants and owls your neighbours. There's lots of fresh air and at night it's so dark you can even see the stars. We stayed in a three-bedroomed woodland lodge - a sort of upmarket log cabin, complete with all the home comforts and much more (like a spa bath, for instance) - that seemed to have just sprung up in the midst of the woods. It was idyllic, with lovely views across to the fells. Undoubtedly, the secret was that our turbo-charged five-year-old was a happy boy throughout. No, more than that, he was active, entertained - and exhausted by his surroundings. But it's fun for adults too with the spa complex scoring high marks for its truly relaxing atmosphere. You can eat at your lodge, which boasts an excellent kitchen, or at one of the many restaurants on-site. There's even a well stocked supermarket that has everything you need for a wonderful barbecue (if it's summer) or a good roast dinner by the log fire (if it's winter). Center Parcs really is a very well thought out holiday experience - to be able to add some serious golf to this mix is just too good to be true. | 
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