Sipping fizz in the hot tub on the rear decking of our woodland cabin at Cropton in Yorkshire, my husband peered into the trees – almost uncannily dark and silent apart from the snuffling of unidentified wildlife – and remarked that this was about as far from civilisation as he'd like to be under such circumstances.
Our satnav took us to Cropton's setting on the edge of the North Yorkshire national park and we found ourselves without mobile reception or Wi-Fi. We felt more remote than we'd expected from such a short drive from our home in Manchester. It was a good feeling.
Inside the luxurious cabin, our three young sons slept peacefully. They'd had their turn in the hot tub, but otherwise relaxation hadn't been on the agenda since our arrival. There was just too much to do on site.
On our first sortie, a friendly Forest Ranger led us through the woods to the hide used for monitoring the local badger population and helped us explore their network of holes. As we roamed, he shared interesting wildlife tidbits with us as well as teaching us to identify animal tracks and gauge the age of pine trees.
More exciting still was a forest survival session, when we pitted our skills at shelter building against another family. A real bushcraft adventure, the session also included training in fire starting and finding edible food and sustaining liquids, should one ever go seriously astray in a forest. Such a possibility was firmly in our minds as we went on a hike through the woods the next day. We could have hired bikes, gone pony trekking or hung out at the nearby Go Ape Tree Top Adventure, but a trek through the forest was more than enough fun. The kids were too exhausted by the fresh air, activities and amenities – including a woodland playground – to stay up for a dusk walk in search of bats. But we did borrow a night vision camera from the on-site visitor centre, to explore the woods behind our cabin while darkness fell.
The shop was stocked with everything you could need, including bread baked on the site and barbecue goodies. Being so remote means you're unlikely to head out to eat, so the cabin kitchens are well equipped (or, if you're feeling lazy, you can get gourmet frozen meals and take-away pizzas, too).
Although they're perfect for an outdoorsy break with kids, Forest Holidays aren't strictly for families – even while there, my husband and I talked about coming back with a group of friends, with our parents, or as a couple. The different cabins lend themselves to all kinds of holidays.
Most luxurious are the Golden Oak cabins (one to four bedrooms). For extended families or two families holidaying together, the Golden Oak Treehouses are perfect (with four to five bedrooms, including a separate en suite room accessed by a wooden bridge). Then there are the Silver Birch and Copper Beech cabins (both two to three bedrooms), the last without a hot tub.
When we do get the chance to go alone, we're eyeing up the decadent Golden Oak Hideaways for couples – exclusive to the Hampshire site, with hammocks and sunken baths – or Keldy's Golden Oak Cottage for two, with its own sauna. Heaven.
Your forest holiday
• Set in exclusive Forestry Commission-owned woodland, Forest Holidays has six sites spread throughout England.
• Cabins and amenities vary by site, so check the website to choose the best cabin for your holiday.
• All sites are pet-friendly, and all are open year-round, making them a good choice for crispy autumn, invigorating spring or downright chilly winter breaks (when the outdoor hot tubs really come into their own).
• Prices start at £193 for a four-night mid-week November break in a two-bedroomed Copper Beech cabin in Deerpark, Cornwall.
