pollinators

BEST ADULT-ONLY DESTINATION IN SOUTH EAST

Posted on February 9, 2026

THE PARK PROVIDES A NUMBER OF GLAMPING options, hopefully soon to be joined by luxury safari tents

Two Hoots Glamping Site, near Winchester, has been named the Best Adult-Only Site in South East England at this year’s Camping and Glamping Awards. The accolade recognises parks that offer high-quality, peaceful experiences for adults seeking a tranquil escape.

Judges praised owners Shaun and Michele Ascough for providing guests with a “truly great experience” in stunning surroundings. Set in Brighton, close to the South Downs National Park, Two Hoots occupies five acres of countryside rich in wildlife, from hares and red squirrels to deer, pheasants, red kites, glowworms, and pollinators in the park’s wildlife meadow.

Shaun Ascough said the award was a fitting end to a busy year welcoming guests from across the UK and Europe. “There are many superb parks catering to families, but our focus is on peaceful surroundings for adults,” he said. “We attract visitors who want to relax, enjoy the countryside, and leave the stresses of everyday life behind.”

The park has built a loyal following of teachers, childcare professionals, young professionals in campervans, and mature couples. Plans are underway to expand with new luxury safari-style holiday homes. Two Hoots is the only South East England member of the Tranquil Parks consortium and is affiliated with the Holiday and Residential Parks Association. Shaun added: “Our aim has always been to create memorable experiences in an away-from-it-all setting, and this award shows we are on the right track.”

CELEBRATING HAMPSHIRE’S TOURISM STARS

Posted on May 16, 2024

Winchester MP Steve Brine has marked this spring’s English Tourism Week with a visit to a family’s wildlife-friendly glamping park near the village of Bighton near Winchester in Hampshire. Mr Brine was the guest of Two Hoots Glamping Site where he was welcomed by Shaun Ascough and his wife Michele who say they put sustainability at the top of their business agenda.

The couple acquired the park three years ago as their “dream project” after spending a career in property development both in the UK and South Africa. Now, they told the MP, their ambition is to embark on a new holiday park development of super-luxury accommodation which will include eco-lodges with a minimal carbon footprint.

Mr Brine was shown around the five-acre grounds which, said Shaun Ascough, are a ‘wildlife wonderland’ for a host of different animal, bird and plant species. The hilltop site, where guests can enjoy panoramic views across the Hampshire countryside, includes hare, red squirrels, deer, pheasants, red kites and even glowworms among its residents.

The MP was also shown an oak-frame barn which the family is converting as their new home, and which will use solar power and an air source heat pump to generate much of its own energy.

EV charging points for guests with electric cars are hoped to be installed soon, and the couple – who have three grown-up children – will be creating extra wildlife habitats around the park. There is also a wildflower meadow with many different native blooms which, said Shaun, provide vital foraging for honey bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT FOR LANCS PARK

Posted on October 25, 2023

BUZZ OF EXCITEMENT FOR LANCS PARK

AN INTERPRETED NATURE DISCOVERY trail on the park allows youngsters to make many wildlife discoveries

Honey bees and butterflies have helped a family Lancaster holiday park to wing its way into the finals of this year’s Lancashire Tourism Awards. Moss Wood Caravan Park in the village of Cockerham has been nominated in the “ethical, responsible and sustainable” category for its successful efforts to protect the natural world.

Now the final hurdles for the park will be a “mystery shop” from an industry professional, and a face-to-face interview with the awards’ judging panel. The winner will be revealed at next February’s glittering awards ceremony of the Lancashire Tourism Awards in Blackburn, attended by tourism professional from across the region.

Moss Wood, which is owned by the Wild family, has already had its environmental policies and green tourism credentials put under close scrutiny in the competition. Judges noted that the park recently became home to its second colony of 80,000 honey bees after installing two traditional timber hives in its grounds.

Their thriving future is assured thanks to the many high nectar-bearing blooms at Moss Wood, including a 3000 square-foot wildflower wilderness planted by the park. The bees share their food sources with a wide range of butterflies and other pollinators, and there are plans to harvest the honey for sale in the park’s shop.

The park also encourages holiday guests and members of the local community, especially children, to engage with nature and to protect wildlife. Available for them to explore is a 1.5km nature discovery trail, and two spring-fed lakes which act as a magnet for birdlife, dragonflies, water fowl and a host of other different aquatic species.