UK Camping

Rooms With A View

Posted on February 7, 2018

Rooms With A View

ABOVE: Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast of England, enjoys incredible views over 99 miles of coastline from Portland Bill to Start Point in Devon.

ABOVE: Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast of England.

Guests to the real-life Jurassic Park on the scenic Dorset coast are unlikely to get bored of the scenery in a hurry. Even after the sunset, Golden Cap Holiday Park have some of the most breathtaking views from their popular stargazer tents. Golden Cap Holiday Park has a picturesque location on the Jurassic Coast, just 150 yards from Seatown Beach and surrounded by 2,000 acres of National Trust Land. Ideally situated for walkers, dog owners and families, the park is nestled in a quiet valley next to a stream and is surrounded by footpaths. One of West Dorset Leisure Parks five sites, General Manager Martin Cox advises: “Explore the coast path that runs past the park to reach the top of Golden Cap, the highest cliff on the south coast of England, and enjoy incredible views over 99 miles of coastline from Portland Bill to Start Point in Devon.”

Served by three quality pubs within a 10-minute walk of the park, including the popular and award

ABOVE: Golden Cap was the film location for Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast.

ABOVE: Golden Cap was the film location for Jamie and Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast.

winning 2017 Visit England Tourism Pub of the Year, The Anchor Inn at Seatown, guests have plenty of opportunity to unwind after enjoying the famous landscape. “The 96-mile Jurassic Coast is the UK’s first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site, ranking it alongside the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. The Jurassic Coast is a walk through time with its rocks and fossils revealing 185 million years of the earth’s geological history,” comments Martin.

Golden Cap Holiday Park  01308442139

www.goldencapholidaypark.co.uk

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E-Bike Hire Scheme Launch

Posted on February 7, 2018

E-Bike Hire Scheme Launch

ABOVE: Oyster Park residents are urged to get on their bikes.

ABOVE: Oyster Park residents are urged to get on their bikes.

Luxury holiday homes provider Park Leisure has introduced an exclusive complimentary electric bike hire scheme at its Oyster Bay park. The partnership will see 12 Park Leisurebranded VOLT™ e-bikes available to guests, offering an exciting, environmentally friendly way to explore the surrounding North Cornish countryside. For a personalised touch, the initiative will see each bike named after a local beach in the area, including ‘Crantock’ and ‘Tolcarne’. Holiday home owners will be able to enjoy up to 60 miles of perfectly assisted cycling in one journey, making light work of any adventures, even a ride to Newquay and back. With the extra power provided by an electric motor, the steepest of hills can be tackled with ease, providing riders the opportunity to sit back, relax and take in the beautiful surroundings. The initiative has seen a £22,000 investment from Park Leisure, with Oyster Bay being the fi rst park to trial the bikes. One of Cornwall’s most exclusive holiday home parks, Oyster Bay is just minutes from the beach and offers fi rst-class facilities, as well as some of the most luxurious lodges in Cornwall and beyond.

Kids That Play, Stay

Posted on February 6, 2018

Kids That Play, Stay

ABOVE: Wear out the youngsters with fun play opportunities such as this one from Brean Play.

ABOVE: Wear out the youngsters with fun play opportunities such as this one from Brean Play.

The UK’s notoriously unpredictable weather means that indoor play and amusement facilities can provide an essential ‘get out of a jail’ card for holiday parks. From soft play zones to amusement arcades, parks that offer exciting indoor entertainment are sure to stand out from the crowd. “For our commercial customers we have, for many years, had a mantra ‘kids that play, stay’ because when kids enjoy the play offering, the parents will stay longer and come back more frequently,” advises Mike Black SLKids – a division of Sound Leisure Ltd. “Where you increase the dwell time, you increase the pro rata spend per head,” he adds. David Robinson of World of Leisure agrees but cautions: “The price of play is very important in holiday parks, as a captive audience, who have to pay over and over again during their holiday, will choose to leave the park each day to fi nd their amusement and fun elsewhere, especially if park prices are seen as being too high. “Three to twelve year old children are still the biggest influence on a family holiday destination, and if holiday parks cater for this age group by giving them exciting and fully interactive rides, then they will always enjoy being fully booked,” David continues. “If the weather is inclement, then all our rides can be operated either indoors or outdoors, so no disappointed younger children, whatever the weather.”

ABOVE: A sure fire winner is this driving school by SLkids.

ABOVE: A sure fire winner is this driving school by World of Rides

World of Rides has been involved with the delivery of battery operated parent and child rides since 1969. “Always buy the best rides and play equipment that you can afford, as cheap equipment will always breakdown during your busiest periods,” advises David Robinson of World of Rides.

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Camping Boost For Happy Kids

Posted on June 24, 2015

Camping Boost For Happy Kids

camping

Camping has a positive impact on children’s lives according to new research by The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Children who camp in the great outdoors at least once a year do better at school and are healthier and happier. Those are the findings of a UK study carried out by the Institute of Education at Plymouth University and The Camping and Caravanning Club.

Parents and children around the UK were asked a series of questions which looked at the educational, psychological and social benefits of the camping experience to children of all ages.

More than four out of five parents thought camping had a positive effect on their children’s school education. 98 per cent of parents said camping makes their kids appreciate and connect with nature; while 93 per cent felt that it provided useful skills for later life.

Sue Waite, associate professor at the Plymouth Institute of Education said: “Interestingly, the parents surveyed believed camping supported the key curriculum subjects of geography, history and science and actually, that stacks up because the most common camping activities were natural – such as rock pooling and nature walks – where children were getting to understand ecosystems and identify lifeforms, respecting nature and the environment.”

 

Record Breaking Start To The Year

Posted on March 25, 2015
record

Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park in Devon is just one of a number of parks that saw a boost on bookings during January and February.

Record Breaking Start To The Year

The UK could be in for a bumper tourist season as 2015 got off to a flying start for holiday parks across the country, with many enjoying record-breaking booking figures in the first few weeks of the year.

It is estimated that around a third of all summer holidays are booked during January and February, with early birds looking to snap up the best deals and accommodation on offer.

One of Devon’s biggest independent holiday parks, Ladram Bay Holiday Park, saw a surge in bookings and figures were up by nearly 50 per cent on this time last year. The award winning park on the Jurassic coast saw bookings rise by 46 per cent in the first full week of January and then by 52 per cent the following week, compared with the same period in 2014. The holiday firm has now launched a recruitment drive to meet the anticipated high demand for the tourist season.

Director of Ladram Bay, Zoe House said: “It’s very busy and that’s great news for us and testament to the enduring appeal of the West Country and the work we are doing to continue to improve the Ladram Bay experience whether people are staying with us in holiday homes, apartments, lodges, motorhomes, caravans or camping.

“2014 was very good for us but this year people seem to be making their decisions earlier and not just for their main summer break.”

Mirroring the trend, another of Devon’s popular parks, Woolacombe Bay Holiday Park reported its biggest ever online booking day on January 31st, representing an increase of 35 per cent on the same day last year. The park has seen high demand Easter since the school holiday period has been condensed into two weeks as opposed to three in 2014 and also for Spring Bank Holiday as more families are now using it for a second holiday to complement a main summer getaway.

Hoseasons also enjoyed a 16 per cent increase in online bookings as demand for domestic holidays reached peak levels in January. Lodge holidays performed particularly well with bookings up 17 per cent, while boating holidays also started the year well up 12 per cent.

New Campaign To Support British Tourism

Posted on May 2, 2014
tourism

It is hoped that the new VisitEngland campaign will boost holiday bookings and support businesses affected by the bad weather earlier in the year. Pic: VisitEngland, Chris J Parker.

New Campaign To Support British Tourism

A new £2million government funded campaign has been launched to support businesses affected by the recent severe weather and to drive holiday bookings in England.

VisitEngland, the country’s national tourist board, has developed a campaign with two distinct elements - events focused on providing business support and a tactical marketing campaign called ‘Spot On England’, aimed at boosting bookings.

While tourism businesses in the main have been unaffected by the severe weather conditions, and the resounding message from industry has been ‘business as usual’, recent research by VisitEngland shows that 10% of consumers say that have been put off taking a trip to affected areas.

To combat this negative perception VisitEngland has launched a dedicated marketing campaign in the UK as well as in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, called ‘Spot on England’. The campaign will promote England with great value offers to inspire holiday bookings. In addition, VisitEngland is partnering with a number of destinations to organise events around the country where tourism businesses can gain free access to experts on building design, communications, social media, marketing and legal issues to ensure greater resilience against severe weather conditions in the future.