Edward Stephens finds that Center Parcs is a blast for the young – and the young at heart.

It’s a well known misconception that Center Parcs is designed for children, whereas we all know it’s really designed for adults who haven’t really grown up.

Well that was certainly the sentiment among the gang of eight of us – none of whom are in the first flush of youth – who travelled to Center Parcs, Elveden Forest.

Having got to grips with our mountain bikes we were soon hurtling along the forest paths like teenagers and even signed up for an hour’s archery instruction. It was like Last of the Summer Wine meets Robin Hood.

But as George Bernard Shaw said: “Youth is wasted on the young”.

Elveden, in Suffolk, occupies 500 acres in the middle of 50,000 acres of Thetford Forest, so you really do feel as if you are getting away from it all, whatever your age.

This is a rare part of England where the car does not reign supreme, as all vehicles have to be left in the car park once you have unloaded at your lodge. It’s pedal power rather than horse power that rules.

And that means that even if you haven’t ridden a bike for a few years you can regain your sense of balance – and confidence – in complete safety, while it’s ideal for youngsters learning to ride for the first time.

The lack of motorised traffic also means Elveden is a haven for wildlife.

And during the snows and record-breaking low winter temperatures a lot of creatures got a helping hand from Center Parcs guests.

“There may be 50,000 acres of forest here but when the going gets really tough and food is scarce it’s amazing how many birds and other small creatures home in on this one sector, sensing that guests will feed them,” one Center Parcs official told me. And feed them they did. I saw no end of people putting out food, as we did.

‘‘The result was more animals survived and we had a superb close-up from our four-bedroomed executive lodge beneath the forest canopy of everything from rabbits to muntjac deer, pheasants to woodpeckers. In fact my wife actually managed to feed one confident muntjac by hand.

For nature lovers there is a superb bird hide on site which overlooks a natural hollow and where guests who are patient are rewarded with an impressive variety of airborne visitors.