Wiltshire’s Longleat has been ranked as the UK’s best Center Parcs in national title.
The holiday destination, which draws a share of the as many as two million visitors that head to the firm’s parks across the UK every year – is one of the county’s top spots and has now been recognised as the best of its kind.
Writing in the i Paper this spring, Georgina Fuller states that “cultural highlights” of the journey to reach the Wiltshire park, as well as its proximity to Longleat Safari Park, make it the nation’s best.
Ms Fuller’s article comes after she and her family visited every Center Parcs in the UK and Ireland as well as the Netherlands park over the course of a decade.
Although she expresses reservation about the cost of a visit and the expense of activities inside the park, she said a “thumbs up formula” of swimming, good restaurants, and child care facilities make the parks a great option for families that can afford a visit.
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In a short explanation of Longleat’s top ranking and eight-out-of-10 score, Ms Fuller writes: “Longleat is next door to Longleat Safari Park . Driving on Salisbury Plain and past Stonehenge to get there from the South East feels like a cultural highlight.
“The only site with an aquapark (an inflatable obstacle course), it also has an escape room and its own land train.”
In a conclusion, the author added: “Families who enjoy cycling, swimming and being in nature will almost certainly enjoy Center Parcs. Just prepare for your credit card to take a hammering.
“Longleat is the best, with an enviable location – but they all offer something for everyone.”
Although they were pipped on location, two other parks also drew an eight-out-of-10 score.
Suffolk’s Elveden Forest came in just behind Longleat, with admiration expressed for having the largest water sports lake, and the longest zip wire.
Cumbria’s Whinfell Forest appears to have been a close third, bagging special praise for being the only park that can offer the Red Squirrel Family Adventure, “a trail in search of [red squirrels]”.
Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire was ranked next, with Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire coming in last, with the author writing it was smaller than the other parks and man-made lake “lacked charm”.
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