News from our parks October 2024
There has been so much news to share from our adult only touring and glamping parks this month, that we haven’t been able to fit it in an email newsletter! We have therefore decided to give you the news in full here. This way we can do the parks’ news justice and make it easier for you to refer back to.
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Top photo: a misty October morning at Red Kite Touring Park, Powys, Wales
Christmas is coming
Overbrook Caravan Park still has some availability for the Thornton le Dale Christmas Light Weekend (5-9 December). This really is a ‘chocolate box vilage’ and it’s only a 10 minute walk from the park. The village is not only famous for winning awards and featuring on calendars, it now has the TV programme ‘Bangers & Cash’ filmed there! You’ll find plenty of shops and places to eat, as well as bus services to Scarborough, Whitby and Leeds.
This park, which is popular among the campervanning community as well as tourers, closes for the season after Christmas and New Year on 5 January.
Waterrow Touring Park is open for Christmas and New Year. Waterrow is a quiet hamlet in the Somerset countryside near the Devon border. The closest town is Wiveliscombe. There’s a lot happening in the local area throughout autumn and winter, such as the famously spectacular Somerset carnivals, and there’s a comprehenive update of local events on the park’s What’s On page.
If you’re looking for a Christmas and/or New Year location, Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park will be filled with festive fun. Sparkling lighting illuminates the park, while guests take delight in decorating their own units and pitches, making it a real Christmas wonderland. The owners of the best decorated unit win a free weekend in the new year! If cooking Christmas dinner doesn’t appeal, there’s a choice of festive pubs and restaurants nearby to suite every taste and budget. (It’s wise to book early to avoid disppointment.)
If you’d like to celebrate in style, you’ll find the two luxury lodges at Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park are warm, cosy, tastefully equipped and lavishly decorated, making the perfect treat for Christmas or New Year.
New winter offers
Daisy Bank Caravan Park, which is open all year round, has launched some new winter offers. This peaceful park is on the Welsh side of the Shropshire Hills AONB near Montgomery.
- Winter seasonals are available for 3 months or more between October 2024 and March 2025. £170 per month for stays of up to 10 nights in any one month on a serviced pitch. Awnings can stay up. (Metered electic – pay for what you use.)
- Midweek Storage deals mean you can stay on 2 consecutive weekends, leaving your caravan and awning in situ between visits at just £2 per night for midweek storage.
- Extended Winter stays are ideal if you are moving house, having the kitchen done or other work on your home. Stay for 20+ nights for £14 -£16 per night (depending on the area of the park) the price is for a hardstanding fully serviced pitch for 1 unit and 2 adults. Call 01588 620471 enquiries@daisy-bank.co.uk.
With Wolds View Country Park‘s winter offer you can stay for just £20 per night (plus electric) Monday to Thursday until the end of February 2025, exluding the Christmas and New Year period. Call 01472 851099 to book your stay. Wolds View is just outside Caistor in Lincolnshire.
At Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park you can book 3 consecutive midweek nights on a touring pitch of in a lodge and save 10%. The offer is valid on stays up to 19 December, so you could visit the Bath Christmas Market and the Bristol German Christmas Market too (1 November – 23 December).
Green Acres Caravan Park near Carlisle in Cumbria has an October/March offer giving a 10% discount when booking 5 nights or more. (The park is closed from November to February.)
Parkland Caravan Camping & Glamping Site November Special – Standard Touring pitch with electric only £180.00 for 7 nights.( 03.11.24 – 05.12.24)
See our SPECIAL OFFERS page for more.
Latest awards
Success for New Lodge Farm at the 2024 NNBN Awards
Congratulations to Simon and Sarah Singlehurst at New Lodge Farm on winning the Enterprise award at this year’s North Northants Business Awards. Simon said “Thanks must go to all our fabulous staff, and our lotal and growing customer base, for making everything we do worthy of such recognition.”
Based between Bulwick and Laxton in North Northamptonshire, the business remains a working livestock farm which has been caringly developed into a highly respected provider of leisure services with an award winning farm shop, butchery, cafe/restaurant, swim spa and, of course, a 5 star, exclusively adult touring, camping and glamping village. Sarah said “We have worked particularly hard to ensure that the products and services provided to our customers, whether it be visiting our farm shop and cafe, or our touring site for a staycation, provide the best possible experience and I think this is reflected in the business winning this award as as well as the masses of positive feedback we receive.
New Lodge Farm is now moving into the festive period where the cafe and shop are particularly busy offering hoegrown, local produce and food. The campsite closes for the season on 27 October.
Congratulations to these park teams for increasing or retaining their high ratings this year
Fantastic news from Parkland Caravan Camping & Glamping Site in South Devon – the park was upgraded to 5 Star Platinum following their last AA inspection which gave them a score of 95%. Congratulations to all the tearm. The AA Inspector noted the new guest lounge, the Cowshed, the new reception and enhanced arrival procedure, the planned winter enhancements and the Platinum grading was now appropriate well deserved.
Trethem Mill Touring Park on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall has not only retained the 5 Star Gold Camping and Touring Park rating, but is also now part of the Walkers and Pets Welcome schemes.
This year, Blue rose Country Park near Brandesburton in East Yorkshire has gone from 4 to 5 stars with the AA. They have also retained 5 stars from VisitEngland.
Brookside Country Park in Lincolnshire has retained its VisitEngland 5 star rating.
South Wales Touring Park has again been awarded 5 stars from Visit Wales.
Two Mills Touring Park in Norfolk has kept its 5 star rating from Visit England.
Green Acres Caravan Park in Cumbria has again received the 5 Star Gold award from the AA for this season.
You are warmly invited to
Upcoming events at or near our parks
Blue Rose Country Park will be hosting its Fancy Dress Halloween Party on Saturday 26 October in the park’s function room with a bar, bingo and raffle, plus live music from Lily McKai. This year the Christmas party will be on Saturday 7 December with entertainment from Sarah Payton. This always books up fast!
Red Kite Touring Park in Powys still had availability for its annual Bonfire Night at the time of writing. It will be held on Saturday 2 November (2 night minimum stay) and includes hot soup and a bread roll next to the bonfire with a short ‘quiet’ fireworks display at 6pm. Although not silent, the fireworks have half the decibel rating of normal fireworks and have all the wow, without the bangs that can be so upsetting for pets at the park and nearby. All Red Kite events raise funds for charity and this year the proceeds will go to Early Years Wales, who support pre-school children for inclusive opportunities and represent over 700 childcare providers. The park is open until 3 January.
Brookside Country Park is just two miles from Normanby Hall, a beuatiful Regency mansion now open to the public. It’s also home to a herds of Red and Fallow deer, and winter feeding starts in November, which visitors can watch. Throughout December there is more deer feeding and festive events. See Normanby Hall events for dates and details.
South Wales Touring Park is close to Llandeilo where the Festival of the Senses takes place from 15 to 17 November. It’s a popular free festival that celebrates shopping, entertainment, and the pre-Christmas season. To make a booking call the park on 01554 820420.
There’s so much going on near Two Mills Touring Park in Norfolk, there are too many events to list here. Of particular interest are the Norfolk Festive Gift and Food show at the Norfolk showground over the weekend 8-10 November. There are also firework displays taking place and a number of Christmas events. The park team will be happy to give you details.
Upcoming band nights at Back of Beyond Touring Camping & Glamping Park in Dorset include evenings with local singer Peter Burns starting on 2 November. The Blue Tides are on 9 November and 29 December, and the Otis Jay Blues Band are on 14 December. See the park’s events page for full details.
Did you know that the infamous Guy Fawkes was born in York? His birthplace is now historic inn. Book a ghost walk around the city to hear all the gruesome details about his shenanigans and those of other ne’er-do-wells! The bus into the city leaves York Caravan Park entrance every half hour and runs until late.
Parkland Caravan Camping & Glamping Site in South Devon have sent in details of the Salcombe Field of Light a large-scale art installation by Bruce Munro in aid of the RNLI, which is on until 10 January. This art installation spans 35,000 squre metres with 20,000 stemmed lights illuminating the Devon hillside while slowly and subtley changing colour.
Stay at Bath Chew Valley Caravan Park for a visit to one of the country’s premier Christmas markets in Bath. Over 170 festively decorated chalets will fill Abbey Square and the aurrounding city streets from Thursday 28 November to 15 December. Christmas light shows adorn much of the city centre and its exciting shopping malls, while music adds to a truly festive atmosphere.
Park news and winter upgrades
Hywel from South Wales Touring Park near Llanelli is pleased to announce that the super-fast fibre optic connection is now in place. This means guests can now enjoy fast Wi-Fi free of charge. Next month they will be installing more solar panels and battery packs to the shower and toilet block and installing new showers with an air source heat pump to warm the water, along with a system to increase the water pressure. Guests will be informed when these upgrades are happening as the showers may be offline for a few days while they are taking place. During January and February the park will be open, but the facilities will be closed as they are planning to redecorate them.
This winter more land drains will be going into the camping area at Back of Beyond Touring Camping & Glamping Park in Dorset. They will also be converting an additional 9 hardstanding astroturf electric pitches into fully serviced pitches. With more guests going to the wildlife lakes area of the park for mindfulness, yoga and relaxation, they are looking at building a new deck in this area.
Rare sights and good times
There was quite a stir near Two Mills Touring Park when birdwatchers spotted this rare Eurasian Hoopoe. Apparently there are less than 100 sightings per year and normally far to the south of North Norfolk! “Crowds of twitchers were photographing the bird from dawn till dusk” said Tommy from Two Mills, who took this photograph of them. We are grateful to local wildlife photographer Steve Lines for the photo of the Hoopoe.
If you stayed at Yr Helyg/The Willow Caravan & Camping Park near Abersoch in North Wales this year, you may have met the new wardens Jayne and Stuart. To thank them for their contribution this season, park owners Eleri and Hywel invited them on a team building day exploring the Llyn Peninsula and Bardsey Island with a picnic and Prosecco. It was a beautiful day and they all had a lovely time. Eleri is pleased to announce that the wardens will be returning for the 2025 season.
Blue Rose Country Park in the East Riding of Yorkshire held a MacMillan Coffee Morning at the end of September in the onsite function room. They raised an amazing £783 for the cancer care charity! What a brilliant effort.
It was incredible to see the Northern Lights over so much of the country recently. Green Acres Caravan Park in Cumbria sent us this excellent picture of the phenomenon.
The Somers Wood Caravan Park team were pleased to welcome some units with a difference recently – a cute Barefoot caravan, a very floral campervan and a couple enjoying the view from the rear of their motorhome. Somers Wood is in the village of Meriden, just a short drive from the NEC.
And last but not least, here are some guests at Old Oaks Touring Camping & Glamping Park near Glastonbury in Somerset enjoying the autumn sunshine and the dog pond.