Bright sunshine greeted our arrival at Duinrell holiday park, Holland, and with it a sense of excitement shared with other families who had stepped into this children’s paradise.

The only traffic we encountered on the short drive from reception to our Keycamp mobile home consisted of go-karts driven by youngsters, who happily pedalled about enjoying the freedom of the road.

The park is largely car-free as vehicles are only allowed on the road to enter and leave the site.

Set in woodland, Duinrell has a tranquil feel, but dotted among the trees away from the camping pitches is an amusement park which magically blends in with the leafy setting.

It’s a bit like entering an enchanted forest where each turn of the path brings new surprises; the dragonfly family rollercoaster; a boating lake; the splash water chute; a pirate ship and swings that send you skywards – the list is as endless as is the fun to be had.

And it’s not just for the little ones; there are rides that would tick boxes for Thorpe Park veterans, like the dizzying mad mill and the vertigo-inducing falcon rollercoaster.

The added sweetness is that rides are included in the holiday cost, so there’s no dipping into your pocket for more Euros each time the children want ‘just one more ride’.

Away from the amusements, the spacious mobile home pitches feel like a patch of England’s green and pleasant land, where the tempo changes and relaxation comes easily.

Our mobile home had decking and we ate outside every day, enjoying alfresco meals in perfect quiet.

When we wanted a change of pace again we headed to the incredible Tiki water park on site.

There is a modest additional charge for this, but it’s worth the money as the complex has 11 slides, including the Tyfoon, which shoots you down a tube at 50kmph per hour and the Space Bowl where swimmers spin around a giant funnel.

If this sounds too scary there are smaller pools for the little ones and a lazy river, plus steam rooms for the grown-ups.

With the children happily occupied at Duinrell, it was tempting to stay put, but we did fit in some enjoyable trips, including a day on the beach at the nearby resort of Scheveningen and of course to Amsterdam itself.

We took a riverboat tour to appreciate the delights of this historic and charming city, afterwards meandering through its bustling streets and chic shopping areas.

The beauty of Duinrell as a base is that you can visit Amsterdam and its cultural attractions without the children dragging their heels, because they know they’re only a short drive away from high-octane entertainment.

On our final evening we headed for the ruggedly beautiful Wassenaar beach, a few minutes’ drive from the park, soaking up the last rays of the sun.

The holiday at Duinrell had been one giant ride of attractions – and we all agreed we were not quite ready to get off.