Cornwall Best Of British

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By William Coleman

Cornwall is known for a lot of things, ice cream, cream teas, great beaches and its surfing capital Newquay. Which was the host this November for a gathering of holiday park owners who are working to produce the highest quality of British holidays.

Each year the member of the Best of British parks group meet at Hendra Holiday park, in the first week of the off season. On the agender this year was a review of BoB’s 2017 activity, which saw a gathering of independent family run parks reach a record breaking number of new customers. 2017 has proven to be a massive success for the UK holiday industry across the board.

Using a successful digital marketing campaign to spread to word had lead to a large number of bookings and enquiries from holidaymakers who were looking for high quality getaways and top end park experiences.

This was also the perfect opportunity for BoB to meet and welcome the new additional park members of the group. The BoB also ushered in a new chairman for the consortium.

The conference was also an opportunity for BoB to welcome additional new park members to the group – and to usher in a new chairman for the consortium. After eight years at the helm, Claire Flower of Beverley Holidays in Paignton, Devon, handed over the chains of office to Richard Legg of Hidden Valley Park near Ilfracombe.

Claire received a vote of heartfelt thanks from members for the lead she has taken in positioning BoB as the UK’s best-recognised and most trusted quality holiday brand.

Richard, whose family has owned Hidden Valley since 2010, said that the group’s strength lay in its shared values of providing the highest standards of hospitality and customer care.

He said he now looked forward to helping members further reinforce the loyalty which customers have to the group, and to reaching out to new markets.

The two-day conference also heard from a number of specialist speakers on different ways in which they could help promote and market their businesses in the digital era.

Following the presentations, members enjoyed a tour of Hendra Holiday Park which was this year named as Holiday Park of the Year for Cornwall and for South West England.

The family-run business, which has a host of attractions including an award-winning pools complex, provides a wide range of accommodation to rent plus touring pitches.

More details about the Best of British and its members can be found at www.Bob.org.uk.

Mid Wales Coastline Excels in Bathing Water Survey

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By William Coleman

It is very hard to find someone who has anything but positive things to say about Wales. The strong reputation that the Mid Wales coastline has for its high quality of bathing water and sandy beaches have been endorsed in the latest survey results.

The large amount of beaches in the UK have reached high ratings of excellent or good, as 99% of designated bathing waters surveyed along the Welsh coast have met the very strict European standards. I have been in the sea all round the UK and have had a lot of different experiences while having a dip. The Welsh shorelines have amazing beaches and very fresh clear waters.

In the northern limb of the Cambrian Coast in Mid Wales, both Harlech and Llandanwg received an excellent rating and the beaches have achieved the Green Coast Award from Keep Wales Tidy.

Tony Bywater, chairman of caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure, who owns Min-y-Don Holiday and Touring Park and Castle View Holiday Park in Harlech and Llandanwg Holiday Park, welcomed the latest bathing water results: “We are very proud that we have three holiday parks within walking distance of probably one of the best beaches in Europe,” he said. “The fantastic, sandy beach is one of the main reasons why Harlech and Llandanwg are so popular with visitors.” Said Tony.

The praise does not stop there, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths is also delighted with the results. “Wales has some of the most beautiful coastline which attracts thousands of visitors every year.

“Maintaining our bathing waters to these high standards is essential if we are to continue selling Wales as a holiday destination.”

Each year thousands of tourist from all round the globe flock to the Cambrian Coast during the summer season. The beaches are a beacon for watersport enthusiasts, dog walkers, sunbathers and families throughout the year.
Llandanwg has a sandy beach at the southern end of Tremadog Bay within the Snowdonia National Park. Backed by a small estuary with St Tanwg, a small 13th century church, hidden in the dunes, the car park is located next to the beach, allowing easy access for people with limited mobility. There is also the Y Maes beach café and public toilets.

There is also quite a large wind surfing crowd who have found this beach to be a golden spot to surf, along with kayaking and sailing enthusiasts. For those who like a spot of angling the local catches include dogfish, bass, flatfish and mackerel. Once you have done spot of surfing and fished for your dinner you can pop to the nearby Shell Island which is accessible by a low-tide causeway, with a beach, dunes and amazing variety of shells to pick through.

As well as a perfect beach setting the area is surrounded by a variety of wild flowers and breathtaking view which much of the land owned by the national trust.

Not that anyone needed another reason to get themselves to Wales, but here is another perfect reason. Come summer time I will be spending a lot of time in Wales taking in all the beaches and scenery.

Ready Camp Bag Another Top Award

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By William Coleman

It’s hard not to be tempted into spending a lot of time, no matter what time of year we are in, in the glamping world. There are so many options and variations that will suit the needs of any holiday maker. I can certainly see myself in a clear dome pod with my own personal hot tub to relax in and watch the world go by. Ready Camp have seen the needs of the many and have now been awarded the ‘Best holiday rental for families’ award.

Ready Camp, who are the official glamping network of The Camping and Caravanning Club, won this prestigious title at the 2017 Family Traveller Awards just last week. The glamping champion had fierce competition from big brands including AirBnB, Forest Holidays and Villa Plus.

The award show, which is now in its third year, is a dedicated ceremony honouring the best travel companies working in the family travel and tourism industry. This years event was attended by more than 200 and hosted by TV personality Alice Beer.

Since the shows inception in 2015 the number of parks and sites who have added glamping to their holiday, with Ready Camp, has grown to 39 Camping and Caravanning Club sites. A number that is going to expand ahead of next years camping season.

Bob Hill, Sites Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “Ready Camp offers all the fun of camping with the convenience of a pre-pitched luxury safari-style tent and comfy beds. We launched Ready Campin 2015 with glamping tents on 17 Camping and Caravanning Club Sites and its rapid growth is testament to the wide appeal of our product.

“It has proven to be massively popular with families who have children and this award represents a fantastic achievement that reflects the hard work of everyone involved in developing and delivering the holiday experience that Ready Camp has to offer.”

In total, the Family Traveller Awards 2017 attracted 2,600 nominees of which 240 were shortlisted, with 45,000 public votes cast and 20 winners.

For more information visit www.readycamp.co.uk.

To view details of all category winner at the Family Traveller Awards 2017 visit www.familytraveller.com/awards/.

Cumbria Park Bright Ideas For Fundraising

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By William Coleman

Coming up with effective fundraising ideas are pretty much a full time job in itself. But this Cumbrian holiday park has created a great new way of raising money this autumn. The idea used some vibrant colours to bring the masses.

The staff at Holgates holiday park raised over £2,000 this autumn for two great charities. Pinks and purples were the theme used for the money raising efforts for Breast Cancer Awareness and Pancreatic Cancer UK.

The colourful couple of months saw team members organise a wide range of different fundraising activities all themed around the colours of the two charities. In the first effort the park’s staff turned up to work dressed in bright pink and decorated the park’s reception to match the staff which ran across a whole weekend of fundraising support for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Once that weekends success was over the second money raising leg started. The second effort saw the staff switch from pink to purple for national awareness day, highlighting Pancreatic Cancer UK.

The staff went to a lot more effort than a colourful wardrobe change. Once they were suited and booted in the right bright colours, the staff took part in a series of charity challenges to help top of the fundraising pot.

These activities included a sponsored hike around the local beauty spot Arnside Knott, still full embracing the pink and purple themed dress code. On top of that there was also a bake sale of homemade treats and goodies.

Many of the 150 staff at Holgates’ six holiday parks – including its flagship Silverdale park – gave up their time to help raise money for the local branches of the two charities.

One of them, Pancreatic Cancer UK, has been adopted as the Holgate group’s designated charity of the year, and has a special significance for the business.

That’s because Frank Holgate, the father of Michael Holgate who steers the group today, passed away from the disease almost three years ago.

Frank was an early pioneer of holiday parks in the Lake District, and his original business – Silverdale park – marked its sixtieth anniversary last year.

Fundraising, said Michael Holgate, has long been a tradition within the company:

“Many of the most amazing ideas for helping good causes have come directly from our staff, and we’re always delighted to give them our backing,” he said.

“They deserve a huge pat on the back for the time and energy invested in planning and putting the events into action, each of which has come up trumps.

“Their enthusiasm also encourages other members of the community and holidaymakers to get involved, such as with our sponsored walk in autumn.

“Now we’re challenging everyone to come up with more charity money-raisers for the festive period, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store!” added Michael.

Local organisers of both charities helped during the recent rounds of fundraising have sent their thanks to everyone concerned at the parks.

We are seeing a lot more sites and parks across the UK stepping up to spread awareness and raise money for charities. Every little helps when it comes to giving to charity. With so many of us using these holiday parks the word is really getting out there. Well done guys, an amazing effort.

CAMC Gets Get In The Spirit Of Christmas With FestiveFriday

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By William Coleman

With Christmas almost upon now is the time to take full advantage of all the offers available. In the true spirit of Christmas The Caravan and Motorhome Club are launching their new innovative #FestiveFriday competition.

In order to enter, members will simply need to answer a question via the online entry form and the winner will be announced the following Friday. There is a range of prizes up for grabs this festive season including a Paris city break tour; £150 Cotswold Outdoor gift voucher; training course offering advice on manoeuvring, hitching and towing safely; glamping holiday; one year’s membership with five Site night vouchers and much more. There is something for everyone this December with the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s #FestiveFriday offers!

Members will get the chance to win one of three prizes provided by the Club and partners, every Friday on the 1, 8, 15 and 22 December. Entrants can only enter the competition once. Terms conditions and prize restrictions apply, see the website below for full details. For those wishing to become a member now is the perfect time to join. With membership starting from just £49 per year for two people, take advantage of a whole range of offers, products and services available with the Club.

So if you fancy your chance of winning a fantastic Christmas treat be sure to enter this competition.

For more information visit: www.camc.com/festivefriday (does not go live until 1 December) or call 01342 318 813

Interview With Tiny Eco Homes UK

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By William Coleman

Earlier on this month I made my way to the Birmingham NEC for the Holiday Park Innovations show having a look round to see what excitings things people have in store for the 2018 holiday season. There was one thing that really stuck out to me and I had to find out more. Tiny Eco Homes UK had the most impressive touring home/glamping/towing innovation I had seen in quite some time. So I decided to have a catch up with the company director Chris March to find out more about his creation.

Hi Chris, thank you for taking the time to speak with me. How did you come up with the idea of the Tiny ECO Home?

liked the idea of having a caravan to live and travel in but didn’t find them very homely or practical for living in so decided I would build a mobile house that has all the home comforts and more.

How many sizes do the homes come in?

Road legal mobile tiny homes are 8ft wide and we build up to 23ft in length. We can also build static homes which are on mobile chassis that can be built 12ft wide to 32ft in length.

Yes the majority of our projects are built to plans that our customers have drawn up.

We saw you at the NEC this month, how was the public reaction the your product?

We always draw a huge crowd wherever we go, everyone can’t believe the space inside and the level of quality of the finish in our homes.

How do you power the homes if it is not connected on site?

As standard the homes come with a mains hook up point, we offer a fully off grid package where our homes come fitted with solar panels and a battery bank which provides mains power throughout the home.

What is the most fun build you’ve had?

We enjoy every build as we are all ways working on new designs.

These seem ideal for both static and mobile. Have you sold any to people or couples who will use them for static living?

Most people just park the home up and use it on a permanent site to be lived in full time.

How do these come delivered, flat pack or pre-built?

We proved homes in every stage from just a rolling chassis to a fully built home.

How much input would a customer have in the design of these homes?

We really like the customer to get involved with the build. We even have customers come to stay with us so they can even get stuck in throughout the building process

Where can we find more about your company and product?

You can visit us at our website www.mobilehouses.co.uk

As you can see by the images and what Chris has said these homes are totally bespoke to your needs and can suit so many purposes. I think this may be added to my Christmas list.

Yorkshire Site Run On Green Energy

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By William Coleman

Green energy is becoming increasingly more available throughout the UK and a lot of individuals are companies are seeing the merit of switching over. This North Yorkshire site have taken full advantage of the green energy and now power 100% of their park the green way.

Moor Lodge Caravan Park are now fully off the electricity grid and are one of the only parks in the UK generating 100% of its own power. Everything on site from the kettle to fridges are powered by energy produced from woodchips from sustainable forest timber.

It doesn’t stop there, the electricity that is produced at the site is also fed back into the national grid which helps reduce the need for fossil based fuels. The super-efficient gasification boiler than the site used is able to produce a good amount of energy for the site, so much so that they are able to share it.

The park is currently run by third generation director James Brown. The park has been family run and under the ownership of the same family for over 60 years. His family have always been very conscious of protecting the surrounding area which unspoiled and beautiful.

This perfectly located park provides 70+ privately owned holiday homes as well as touring pitches. All of which are situated with the 30 acre grounds which also include an ancient woodland, a must see for anyone visiting.

“We have always tried to ensure that our business has a minimal impact on the natural environment, and to do all we can to encourage the abundant animal and plant life,” said James.

“Now, thanks to our new boiler, the park leaves virtually no carbon footprint, and even produces enough extra clean energy to export to the UK’s national electricity supplies.

“Moor Lodge has long attracted holiday home buyers and touring guests with a keen interest in the natural world, and they are as excited as we are with what’s been achieved.

“We always try and use goods and service suppliers from within the region, and so we were also delighted to be able to find a local source for our woodchips.

“This is one of those rare situations where it really is a win-win all round!” added James.

Moor Lodge are firing on all cylinders with the efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. Not only are they self sustaining with their electricity but they also supply themselves with heat. The boiler has a function that supplies heat for hot water and central heating.

The system has required an investment by the park of £400,000 – but James says that, over time, the cost is likely to be offset with renewable heat incentive payments from the government.

With all these self sufficient features at the site they are also gearing up to develop a number of new luxury lodges for sale with the eco friendly features to minimise the energy use.

Although Moor Lodge is positioned within a charming rural village, the park is located not far from the spa town of Harrogate, and only five miles away from Leeds City Centre.

It is also within easy reach of popular visitor destinations such as Harewood House, Fountains Abbey and York.

There is more information about the park and its facilities at www.moorlodgecaravanpark.co.uk

With so many more sites doing their best to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and shrink their carbon footprint it will be interesting to see how quickly this new green concept catches on. The more companies that get on board the better things will get for the Great British countryside.

Auto Trail Imala 732 Sneak Peek

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By William Coleman

It is shaping up to be an impressive 2018 Auto-Trail. They have a lot of new and exciting announcements coming up over the next few weeks leading up to the Christmas season.

Auto-Trail are getting ready to introduce the world to the new Imala 732. Auto-Tail have given us this video ahead of the full video article to share with you guys. Stay tuned for the full video coming very soon.

Imala Cornish Coast Teaser Trailer

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By William Coleman

Earlier this year we sent our very own Alessi out with celebrity cook and campervan enthusiast Martin Dorey in the Auto-Trail Imala to see if they could live off the land. See how easy it is to get fresh seafood and the finest veg available along the coast of Cornwall.

Check out our trailer ahead of the release of the full video. And stay tuned for a lot more exciting Imala content over the next few weeks

New Forest Park Win Tourism Award

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By William Coleman

The Dorset Tourism Awards took place earlier this month and made the staff and family owners of Shamba Holiday near the New Forest extremely happy honouring them for all their hard work and commitment to their guests.

Shamba Holiday Park, which is a five star caravan and camping site near Ringwood, was named by judges as the winner of the silver award in the parks category, in what was a very closely fought competition for the top spot.

The glamorous event where the Shamba site was crowning was announced took place at a ceremony held at The Lighthouse in Poole on 16 November and was attended by hundreds of Dorset tourism businesses.

Anne and Martin Gray stepped up to receive the award on behalf of the park. Anne and Martin’s family have own the park and is managed by their son who has been running it for over 20 years.

The win bring with it more than just a new level of prestige. Those who win the award get fast tracked to the South West Tourism Excellence Awards next February, and could go on to compete in the national VisitEngland finals of April 2018. So this win mean a lot to the park and could lead to a very impressive 2018 for them.

This years award win, which scores of Dorset’s park were eligible for, find itself next to placed next to one of many accolades that the family park has won over the years. Which include a top five pennant accolade from the AA and the DAvid Bellamy Conservation Award at its maximum gold level.

Their success does not stop there. Last summer the company bagged a top platinum accolade, by judges from the Loo of the Year Awards, for their swish amenity building.

However, Andrew Gray said that Shamba’s latest award from Dorset Tourism has a special significance for the business: “These awards put a strong emphasis on the hospitality and quality of service provided for holiday guests, and these has always been high on our list of priorities,” he said.

“Our aim is to provide first-class surroundings for visitors, and to exceed expectations by creating a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere for people to enjoy their stays.

“This is often mentioned in our customer reviews, so naturally we are delighted that the Dorset Tourism judges were also impressed with what they have found here.

“A big share of the credit for this award must go to our team of staff who help us maintain our high standards, and do a great job of making our guests feel at home,” added Andrew

The site is open all year round and provides a wealth of facilities for families venturing to Dorset to make the most of its countryside and beaches. The site also boasts a 40 foot swimming pool with a retractable roof for when the sun in out in all its glory.

Once you’ve spent the day relaxing by the pool you can dance the night away in their modern clubhouse with professional entertainment and year round activities for all ages. Not to mention the bar, cafe-restaurant, shop and relaxation areas.

Shamba is a member of the Best of British group, a consortium of independent parks providing some of the highest quality standards and levels of hospitality in the UK.

There is more information about the park at www.shambaholidays.co.uk

Special Green Award For Family Park

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By William Coleman

With award season having just finished we are seeing all the great accolades that have been awarded to sites all across the UK. A family run site has done something amazing work to bag an elite green award for their site.

Moss Wood have been getting youngsters involved in wildlife discoveries which has earned the site a very rare environmental award. A great pioneering step for this holiday park to keep the youth interested in nature.

The family owned site is located in the village of Cokerham can now put the Special Distinction from botany expert David Bellamy in their trophy case follow his annual conservation award. This green achievement means that the park is one of just 15 elite sites to be awarded this accolade, out of around 3,000.

Bellamy was especially impressed with a hugely successful nature discovery day help this summer at the park. He also had high praise for what the site were doing, an amazing outdoor classroom where local children and holiday guests can connect with the magic of the natural world.”

The event was a great success with a large attendance of youngsters and families taking part in the nature hunt around rural Lancashire’s abundant flora and fauna. There is so much youngsters and adults can learn about the wild of the British countryside, and Moss Wood are keen on teaching.

There were loads of activities for everyone to get involved in such as expert led pond dipping in the park’s wildlife lake. Where children had a great time exploring their nets to see all sorts of critters from the water. Then there was the constructing of bird boxes and bug hotels.

Guests were also able to explore a recently opened 1.5km nature discovery trail, and a 3000 square-foot wildflower wilderness attracting honey bees and butterflies.

Environmental initiatives such as these have resulted in Moss Wood winning the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for twenty consecutive years.

However, says the park’s Henry Wild, this year’s Special Distinction has been a source of particular pride for his family and staff:

“We’ve always tried to make Moss Wood a perfect fit to the beautiful and unspoiled countryside in which we are fortunate enough to be located,” said Henry.

“The park attracts people with a keen interest in wildlife, and we enjoy doing all we can to help both guests and the local community to be involved with our conservation work.

“For children especially, taking part in activities such as pond dipping is a fantastic way to become inspired by nature and to share in its wonderful secrets,” he added.

Moss Wood provides holiday homes to buy as well as pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes. There is more information about the park at www.mosswood.co.uk

It’s great to see so much attention being paid to nature by parks across the UK. If you believe in climate change or not there is obvious signs of damage being done to woodlands across Britain, and the world. So every little bit of support mother nature can get is more than welcome in my books.

Scottish Glamping Champion

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By William Coleman

Glamping is the new leisure industry craze that is sweeping the globe. Something that I initially thought was a joke created by ITV for the Only Way Is Essex is slowly becoming one of my favourite retreats. Now with winter almost upon it its have an even bigger appeal. Now sites are being nationally recognised for their glamping facilities and winning prestigious awards.

Lomond Woods Holiday Park, which is a family owned site, has been crowned Scotland’s premier glamping following a great win at a major tourism award scheme. Members of the family owned business proudly stepped forward to receive the honour at the finals of the 2017 Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards.

The idyllic site is based a quick walk away from the banks of Loch Lomond somewhere I have personally visited and I can safely say that it’s stunning. Surrounded by mountains, vast stretches of lakes and countryside views. The five star park attracts visitors from all over the world. If you have visited the site and the surrounding area it’s clear to see why this area gets so much attention.

Lomond Woods Holiday Park provides a great range of glamping accommodation. The judges of the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards marked the site out as an ideal venue for couples and families visiting the popular region. Alongside the glamping huts there are also luxury lodges, some with their own personal hot tub for those nights that need to be spent under the stars, as well as pitches for touring guests.

Lomond Woods is one of five top-rated parks in northern and central Scotland owned by the Wood family who first started out in business 35 years ago

Paula Smith, Park Manager at Lomond Woods Holiday Park said that everyone at the park was over the moon at its new accolade:

“Everyone has worked extremely hard over the last year to grow our glamping offering, and to ensure we provide customers with a variety of glamping options to suit every style.

“Our category had some very strong competition from other excellent parks in Scotland, so we are even more thrilled to have taken the overall accolade.

“We would like to thank our loyal customers who nominated us and to the award organisers for an absolutely fantastic evening,” said Paula.

Now in its second year, the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards highlight businesses making outstanding contributions to the country’s tourism industry.

Earlier in the year, the public were invited to vote for their favourite Scottish holiday experiences across 17 different categories – and more than 35,000 votes were cast.

There is more information about Lomond Woods Holiday Park and the other parks in membership of Wood Leisure at www.woodleisure.co.uk