BABE IN THE WOODS

 

ACTRESS ANGELA GRIFFIN RIDES A FRISKY HORSE, MASTERS AN AERIAL OBSTACLE COURSE AND SURVIVES A ZIP WIRE. NO, NOT TRAINING WITH THE MARINES, BUT ON A FAMILY HOLIDAY AT SHERWOOD FOREST CENTER PARCS. SHE KEPT A DIARY OF HER FABULOUS ADVENTURE…

 

Monday 3pm Checking in

Driving down the winding roads deep into the forest of the 400-acre site, my kids – three-year-old Tallulah and Melissa, one – are going ballistic with excitement in the back of the car. My hubby Jason parks up, as my friend Dana and her family pull in beside us. The executive lodge we’ll be staying in is super swanky, with gorgeous oak floors, a plasma TV, a PlayStation and even a sauna.

4pm Bowling and barbie

You have to walk or cycle everywhere here, so we hire bikes with carts on the back for pulling the kids along behind us. Then it’s off for a game of bowling, which Jason and I win – natch! Back at the lodge we have a barbecue and, once the kids are in bed, we lay into the wine. Happy kids need happy parents, and we’re used to hangovers!

Tuesday 9am Horseplay

Drop the girls off at the crèche in time for our horse ride. I’ve ridden before, so I’m confident I’ll pass the test they give riders before letting them out on a hack. But whether it’s the hangover or my frisky horse Thoresby, I can’t canter for toffee. Mortified, I take a lesson with Jason instead, while Dana hits the forest trails.

2pm Make a splash

Next we take the girls to the indoor pool – which is more of a lake, quite frankly. It’s enormous with a raft ride, flumes, wave machines, loads of slides, and a freezing cold plunge pool. We’re in there for hours and the girls love it.

8pm Table for four

Once we’ve got the kids settled with the babysitter we’ve booked through the Information Centre, we get changed and walk across to the Foresters’ Inn gastropub. The food is fabulous – I have a massive Thai starter, followed by steak then raspberry fool. And too much wine. Again.

Wednesday 11am Tots’ tennis

Me and Dana take Tallulah and her daughter, Heidi, for an introductory tennis lesson. They’re hilariously bad, but we love spending some quality time with the kids. Later we drop them at the crèche just in time for...

3.45pm Laser combat

… shooting, dodging and rolling around on the ground. Oh my God, I love it! For the last game we ditch the team sports in favour of shooting at each other. Me and Jason are the last ones standing and when my machine runs out of bullets, Jason gets all cocky that he’s won. Until I recharge and blast him to smithereens, that is.

6pm Barbecue and telly

Another late night and, oops, too much wine. Gah!

Thursday 3pm Tree trekking

Picture this: an assault course up in the trees! Oh sure, you have safety wires and a harness, but it’s still incredibly high and scary. You climb bridges through the trees and a giant spider’s web made of rope, then balance on top of tree trunks. Then it’s an 80ft zip wire back to the ground. I scream the whole way!

8pm Curry night

Once the babysitter arrives, it’s out for chicken tikka and balti at Rajinda Pradesh. Giddy with champagne, the lucky husbands get to ride the bikes and pull me and Dana, giggling, in the kids’ trailers.

Friday 2pm Home time

We go for a final swim then have lunch at the on-site Café Rouge. We’ve managed to combine a party week with the best holiday we’ve ever had with the children. And we got fit to boot! Utter bliss. All Tallulah wanted to know was when we’d be back.

 

All prices correct at time of going to press.