MY neighbour wore a puzzled expression when I told her that I had been sledging.

It isn’t the sort of activity you expect people to enjoy on a warm spring day. But she hasn’t been to Xscape, the exciting West Yorkshire entertainment destination that offers winter sports alongside a vast array of other fun pursuits.

I went along with my sister Jill and her 12-year-old son Ned to have a go at three very different activities, sledging, trampolining and crazy golf.

Snozone offers skiers and snowboarders an authentic experience on a real snow slope. It is certainly cold in there, and we were glad of the winter gear which can be hired in advance or on the day. Equipment such as skis, poles, sledges, snowboards and helmets, is included in the price.

Sledging takes place in an area beside the nursery ski slope. Our neat plastic sledges zipped down in seconds, then it was back up to the top. With other sledgers, we linked together to form a chain and slid like a snake down the hill.

Among the group were twin boys visiting from Australia, who had never seen snow before. It was hard to steer the sledge, but after help from the friendly members of staff Evan and Thomas, it was far easier.

Novice skiers usually visit the nursery slopes for the first three sessions, then progress to higher levels. You can watch the more experienced skiers and snowboarders from the adjacent restaurant.

Xscape, in Castleford near Leeds, is vast. It is packed with sport and activity shops, cafes and restaurants. We ate in Ask Italian, a friendly on-site restaurant which offers a varied menu, from popular butterfly king prawns and panzerottini (baked little dough balls) to a selection of delicious stoned-baked pizzas with crispy bases and tasty risottos.

The portions were so large that puddings were out of the question. And we were booked in for a rather energetic activity, which would not have sat well with a melting Eton mess tower or baked chocolate gnocchi filled with Nutella.

Xscape is all about active entertainment. With a real snow slope, a bowling alley, cinema, climbing walls, trampoline park, gym, arcade and golf courses, there really is something for everyone.

A highlight for us was the trampoline park Gravity. My nephew Ned could not contain his excitement as he raced off, leaping from one trampoline to another. They are wall-to-wall, with bouncy rubber slopes to the sides.

Before you start, there’s a safety talk telling people how to avoid injury - trampolines can be dangerous if not used properly.

The staff were so helpful, one amazingly flexible lad showing my sister how to bounce from one slope to another - no easy feat, but for a fit and active 50-year old she tackled it admirably.

I had a go myself, and was not happy when Ned asked me to step onto what looked like a huge inflatable cushion. It caved in and I tumbled down. It was like falling into a marshmallow. He found it hilarious.

Then the lights dimmed and, with the music and floodlights, there was a party atmosphere. It’s a popular place for a party, the staff told me, adding that they also hold parent and toddler, and disability sessions.

Overlooking the trampoline park, Newtons Café and Bar offers a variety of snacks and drinks.

Trampolining is exhausting, and it will not have taken us too much time to work off that hearty meal.

More fun was to come, on the imaginatively-designed Volcano Falls Adventure Golf course, where we putted through Lost World-like scenery, totting up the score along the 18 holes.

Players putt up slopes, down slopes, around rocks and through tunnels to try and achieve the lowest score. The best appear on a board at the entrance. Ned was thrilled to see his among them.

There’s an amusement arcade too, where we were very amused to see one family win a dozen giant chocolate bars on one machine.

When we reluctantly left the attraction, six hours after arriving, we agreed on one thing - we had had a great time and would sleep very well that night.

*Xscape Yorkshire, Colorado Way, Glasshoughton, Castleford WF10 4TA. For opening times and prices visit W: xscape.co.uk; T: 01977 664794