Gold And Grades For Glastonbury Site

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By William Coleman

It has been a great month for a lot of parks and sites across the UK. Award season has highlighted the very best this great land has to offer to tourists from all over the world. I have written about this site before but now there is ever more praise for the site as the site manager received two top student awards and another AA accolade.

Glastonbury’s Old Oaks Touring Park named as England’s top spot for campers, glampers, caravaners and motorhome owners. The second major AA awards for this site this year. Have a read of my previous article where the AA awarded them the rare top holiday award click here

This family run business bested several hundred other sites that were eligible to take the overall Campsite of the Year title in the AA’s 2017/18 Caravan and Camping Awards. This has really made this a stand out must visit site for anyone who is searching for a perfect site to pitch up at, especially if you are visiting the mammoth Glastonbury Festival.

The end of the season had a lot more in store for this top tier site. Tara White who manages the site, along with her husband James, manage the award winning Old Oaks was awarded two top award following her successful graduation this autumn from Bournemouth University with a degree in Tourism Parks Management.

Tara received Best Student Awards from both Bournemouth University and Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester, the two institutes involved in running the degree. It’s easy to see why this site is doing so well with such industry dedication by its management team.

Running the site at such a high standard is a full time job in itself, even if you have a great staff on hand, yet Tara was able to juggle the running of the site and the three year course. Tara was over the moon with delight with the awards.

The AA only give out its highest awards to a small elite group of sites across the UK. The sites go through an intensive set of testing which sets these sites aside the rest the country has to offer.

Guest facilities, services and levels of hospitality are all under the microscope to make sure they reach the high levels expected by the AA. The Old Oaks met all levels with gold standards.

Even still there is more to come for the site. The park has had an amazing 2017 award season winning a five star gold grade from the national tourist board VisitEngland.

The Old Oaks has been in the same family for over 30 years and is a strictly adults only site. The site has more much more than touring pitches. The Old Oaks have now introduced new ways for visitors to make the most of their stay. There are now glamping options for those who want to relax in the tranquil surrounding the site has to offer.

The glamping options include high end luxury shepherds huts with a wide range of comforts. You can get shower rooms, kitchen facilities, sun loungers and a full sized double bed. And if you fancy an extra spot of relaxation ones comes with its very own wood fired hot tub. That will be the one I would be heading for, for journalistic purposes only of course.

This year has been a huge success for the Old Oaks. On top of the wave of awards they have received it has also been the busiest year in the sites history to date which saw visitors from across the UK and abroad.

“Although these awards look at the quality of our park’s facilities, they also put a big emphasis on the standards of hospitality we supply,” said Tara.

“Our aim has always been to create a warm and friendly atmosphere for guests, so it’s great to receive these independent endorsements for our efforts.

“A highlight for me was graduating from my university course which, as it was part-time, required me to put in many hours of study and tutorials whilst co-managing the park.

“But it was a fantastic learning experience from which the business is already benefiting – and the best student awards really came as the icing on the cake!” added Tara.

So this site not only has a fantastic location with fantastic grounds and woodland but it’s also a multi award winning site run by a group who are investing their lives into providing the best levels of staycations possible.

The park is a member of the Best of British group of top-rated independent parks with the highest quality standards, and is described on its website at www.theoldoaks.co.uk

TravelWorld New Site Sneak Peek

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By William Coleman

Our good friends at TravelWorld have given us a little sneak peek at their new dealership site headed our way in 2018. The new site is absolutely massive and is so much more than a showroom.

The new locations will be the place to go for all your touring needs from purchase all the way through to service and aftercare. Do not just take my word for it. Have a look at the CGI video they have shared with us.

There are so many things to look forward to in 2018 from TravelWorld. This new 5 acre site is going to be a 2018 highlight for the industry.

Also check out first hand what they guys at TravelWorld, we got a chance to interview them at this years NEC Caravan & Motorhome Show, Click here

CAMC Report Large Winter Holiday Numbers

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By William Coleman

As I have said many times there really is no excuse to not go camping, caravaning or motorhoming. We even went to the Arctic for a caravan stay. It would seem that I am not the only one who feels this way. The Caravan and Motorhome Club have witnessed record number of tent campers travelling to their sites this autumn and winter, with record breaking booking numbers for January.

2017 has been an amazing year for the UK leisure and tourism industry across the board. It has been the best year ever for The Club when it comes to tent camping. With an increase of 13% on 2016’s numbers. The numbers were also up for the usual summer months of May to September, which were also record breaking.

As you can imagine it is not only the tough camping lot who are braving the winter winds for their winter breaks. The Club have experienced a record November for touring caravans, motorhomes and campervans with an 11% increase in pitch nights from 2016. It seems people cannot get enough of the great services that CAMC provide.

Harvey Alexander, marketing director of the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “Our members love an adventure whatever the time of year and we are here to help and inspire them. Our Sites have fantastic facilities and over 50 of them are open all year round. We also have an extensive five-van site network – Certificated Locations (CLs) – so the range of Sites and CLs enables members to enjoy the best of the UK countryside or explore some of our most vibrant cities throughout the seasons.”

With so much choice and variety available across the UK there really is something for everyone. They have so many locations with so many different variations of landscape and activities. So this winter make the most of your holiday time with the Caravan and Motorhome Club. You can get a membership for two people from just £49 a year.

The numbers speak for themselves when it comes to winter touring. There was a time when going away during the colder times of the year would be met with laughter and jokes. Now it seems to be the go to activity during the winter. I feel that some of the view you get during the winter can trump any of the summer. Frosty morning, low morning sun shining through the trees and an open clear winter sky with all the stars, unbeatable.

Caravan And Camping Clubs Winter Guide

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By William Coleman

We have had a few frosty mornings over the past couple of weeks which can only mean one thing, winter is almost upon us. I have given my personal thoughts and ideas on what to do to prepare for the off season. Now that we edge ever closer to winter and the Christmas season the Camping and Caravanning Club’s expert Technical Team have produced a three step guide to motorhome and caravan owners.

Step one: ‘Winter touring’ comprises two Data Sheets with easy-to-follow guidance on how to ensure caravans and motorhomes are roadworthy and well-protected against the worst of winter conditions so the joys of winter camping can be explored to their fullest.

Another Club Data Sheet called ‘Winter care for your caravan’ includes important information about overwintering a caravan or motorhome and addresses key considerations, such as where owners can store their units, how to protect the body work and the all-important draining of water systems.

Step two: ‘Getting ready for the new season’ gives campers an advantage when it comes to a glitch-free start to next year’s camping season. With Data Sheets available on servicing, getting ready for the road and tyre care, all potential obstacles to a speedy start to the season are addressed, with suggestions on how to overcome any issues.

The Data Sheet covering ‘Servicing’ includes information on owner-checks and maintenance, plus advice on which dealerships or workshops to approach when booking a service.

Step three: ‘The finer points’ comprises Data Sheets on leisure batteries and tyre care, and includes a useful buyer’s guide.
Ian Hewlett, the Club’s Technical Manager, said: “There are several things caravanners and motorhomers can do to make the most of winter, be that touring through the season or putting a unit into storage so less time is then needed to be spent in spring before the first camping trip.

“Club Data Sheets have been written with campers in mind – we cut through the jargon with easy-to-understand advice that helps people with a range of subjects such as buying a leisure battery, booking in a service or sorting out storage for their pride and joy.”

To view the full set of Club Data Sheets and follow the three-step plan visit: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/datasheets Tips on preparing awnings and tents for storage are also available.

The Club has 17 campsites that are open year-round to cater for campers who want to carry on touring throughout the winter. To find out more about the Club’s year-round campsites visit: www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/year-round-sites

CAMC Ferry Meadows Site Visit

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By William Coleman

With the ‘season’ behind us we all look for ways to make the most out of the winter. Why spend all that money on motorhomes, caravans and other leisure vehicles to not use them during the winter season. Last week, on an extremely cold morning, I ventured up the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Ferry Meadows site to see first hand what The Club can provide during the big chill.

The first thing that I noticed was just how busy the site was. It was not at full capacity but it was not far off. Having a walk round and taking in the perfectly frosty site I would guess that 75-80% of the park was full. A good example of people making the most of their touring homes during the winter.

Like most CAMC holiday parks it was in great condition and clearly very well kept. Each pitch had its edges expertly cut in with a very generous amount of space between each pitches.

The onsite facilities were very clean, warm and inviting. For those who like to take advantage of the onsite showers could take the short walk in the cold to the enter the warm cosey wash area, from chilly to warm within a few steps.

For those taking the children or grandchildren away there is a new play area that has recently been added. There are multiple zones to suit any age from the toddlers to the teenagers. The area has everything a youngster could ask for like climbing equipment, tunnels, ropes and bridges to charge over. On top of that there are spaces for balls games.

The site sits on an ideal location on an open country park with lots of wildlife. Whilst having a walk round I saw rabbits, birds of prey and even an owl, perched on top of a tree on the hunt, at around 5pm. There are lakes that can be fished, steam trains, cycling and walking trails plus every sporting facility you can imagine. The country park have 2 golf coasts and even Watersport Centre for sailing and windsurfing.

Having seen the owl I also noticed that the country park that the site sits on has bird hides, located by the river, for you to actually try some bird spotting in ideal locations. So if you like to see the wildlife of this great land.

If you venture out and about there is so much to do and see as you are a stone’s throw from the town centre.

All in all I would highly recommend this site. If you are in search of a quiet seclusion with lots to do and see then this is one to look out for.

Auto Trail Introduce The Imala 732

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FBy William Coleman

We at CaravanTimes have the absolute pleasure of introducing the brand new Auto-Trail Imala 732. Auto-Trail have even given us a feature video showing off the 732 in all its glory. Auto-Trail show how great this motorhome can be when you take it on an adventure with the family.

The Imala 732 is the first of the award winning Imala range to have a transverse island bed, which was a leading factor in the home winning the Practical Motorhome’s Best Family Motorhome.

The innovative layout of the interior provides a lot more space for the practical and relaxation times. All this space at 3500kg, which means you can drive the 732 with whatever licence you have. The Imala 732 also comes with new rear panel and light clusters.

Built using Auto-Trail’s fully bonded construction technique, the Imala 732 is a robust and reliable motorhome which offers the luxurious touring experience that you’ve come to know and love.

With 4 travelling seats and 4 berths in the Lo-line model, with an additional double bed in the Hi-Line options, this is perfect for family getaways or couples who like a great spaced leisure vehicle.

The perfectly places show room and kitchen are located in the centre of this Imala, which creates a great natural divide between the sleeping and living areas.

Do not just take my word for it. Watch Auto-Trail’s video to see the Imala 732 in all its glory. I think my list to Santa has just grown substantially.

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.