Whinfell Forest facts for kids
Whinfell Forest is a lovely woodland area in Cumbria, England. It's located southeast of Penrith, not far from the amazing Lake District. This forest is famous today for being home to a large Center Parcs holiday village. It also has a special reserve for red squirrels, which are quite rare. Historically, Whinfell Forest was connected to important figures like Lady Anne Clifford and places like Brougham Castle.
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A Look Back: Whinfell Forest's History
Whinfell Forest has been around for a very long time. We know it existed as early as 1203! Back then, King John gave this land to Robert de Veteripont. Later, in 1283, the forest was split between two sisters, Isabella and Idonea.
Lady Anne Clifford, a famous noblewoman from the 1600s, often wrote about Whinfell Forest in her diaries. She would travel through the area, visiting places like Brougham Castle and Appleby-in-Westmorland.
Famous Trees of Whinfell Park
The heart of the forest was Whinfell Park. This park was known for two very special trees. One was called the Harthorn Tree. It had a hart's (male deer's) horn stuck right into it! Old maps even show where this unique tree once stood.
The other famous tree was the Three Brother Tree. This was a single, very large oak tree. It was the last one left of three unusually big oaks that were once called the Three Brethren. Today, the name "Three Oaks" is still used within the Center Parcs area, remembering these giant trees.
Over time, by 1779, the park land was divided up into farms. This process was called enclosure, where common land was fenced off for private use.
Whinfell Forest Today
Today, Whinfell Forest is part of the Lowther estates, which are large landholdings in the area. A big part of the forest is officially recognized as "Ancient Replanted Woodland." This means it's a very old woodland area that has been replanted over the years.
Fun Times at Whinfell Forest: The Holiday Village
In 1993, a big holiday resort was planned for this site. It was first called "Lakewoods Holiday Village." Then, a company called The Rank Group built it as "Oasis Lakeland Holiday Village." This resort had popular restaurants and shops like Burger King and a Hard Rock Cafe.
In 2001, Center Parcs bought the village. They removed the commercial businesses and now run it as "Whinfell Forest Village." It's a very popular place for families to go on holiday!
Whinfell Forest is the biggest of Center Parcs' five holiday villages in the UK. It can host over 4,600 people in its 861 holiday units.
