Date of Visit:     July 2024

Overall View

This is a Caravan and Motorhome club members only site. It is situated approximately 3 miles from the market town of Halesworth in the county of Suffolk. It consists of the usual 5 pitches in one field.

Access is recommended from the A12 – please have a look at the Site Arrival Video.  It is advisable not to use the A1120 from Stowmarket due to narrow sections, bridges and villages.

Facilities

The CL site has an Elsan disposal point, clean water tap and the usual refuse and recycling facilities by the entrance gate. The gate is kept padlocked with a security code, given to you upon confirmation of booking.

The site is adults only and dog friendly.   As it is a working farm, dogs must be kept on leads at all times.

Review of Site Pitch

The field on which the five pitches are placed is entirely laid to grass. There are 5 bollards with the usual electric hook-up, 16 amps. These are placed strategically around the edge of the field so as to maximise the sunshine on each of the pitches.

The field is on a slight slope and this is more notable at the top of the field and as a result ramps may be required. However, although we were on pitch one at the top of the field, we did not require ramps.

Apart from the request to park your van in line with the bollard, you were pretty much free to place your van in whichever direction you chose. There are no lined pitch markers.

The only minor issue we had with the field was that the grass could have been mown shorter as it was quite long.

There are sheep and horses in adjacent fields but did not cause any issues.

We were a little concerned about some reviews which stated that the Rookery was particularly disruptive and noisy. However, these people had visited at the height of the nesting season and this may well have contributed to this. During our week long stay we had little or no noise from the Rookery as the birds had long since fledged.

The site has a good number of way marked pathways which you can access from just outside the site entrance. Providing your dog is on its lead you are free to take some beautiful and peaceful walks across the Suffolk countryside.

There was no Wi-Fi on site, however mobile wise Vodafone reports good outdoor coverage up to 4G, O2 report good indoor and outdoor coverage up to 4G, EE said good up to 4G everywhere with 5G possible outdoors. 3 (Smarty) was poor inside the caravan but the roof mounted puck ensured a good enough signal at 4G for streaming catch-up TV.

TV reception was fine, the aerial needing to by tilted vertical for the best signal.

Out and About

The nearest town is Halesworth, about a 10 minute drive from the site. Here you will find the nearest supermarket – a Co-op with attached café and adjacent petrol station.

Public transport wise, there is a railway station here with trains to Lowestoft and Ipswich.  You will find your nearest bus stop from the site in Halesworth too. See HERE for service details

There is a Vet in Halesworth as well.

The nearest caravan and motorhome dealership is Farnham Leisure on the A12 towards Felixstowe. It is possible to acquire most spare parts up to and including a brand new caravan or motor home!

Do and See

The county of Suffolk lies on the East Coast of England pretty much sandwiched between Norfolk to the north and Essex to the South. The county town is Ipswich.

The site we had chosen was pretty central for the whole of the county. It should be noted that there are no official motorways and as a result although distances may be short in length, the time to travel to these destinations can be considerably longer. This should not however put you off from visiting as Suffolk is a beautiful county full of picturesque villages, market towns, characterful pubs and seaside attractions as well.

During our stay we toured around many of the main visitor attractions.

One of our first visits was down to Landguard Point at Felixstowe and you are able to sit and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or tea, light snacks or something more substantial from a viewing cafe. This allows you to watch Felixstowe container port in full swing as the various cranes weave their magical dance unloading and loading the container ships. I am sure people will have seen these ships on the TV screen however, to see them in relative closeness only serves to remind you just how big they are.  Dogs are allowed to sit outside as long as they are on leads and it is accessible with toilets.  https://www.viewpointcafe.co.uk/

Suffolk is well known for picturesque villages and we were certainly spoilt for choice when choosing which villages to go and see. Framlingham has a most beautiful Market Square with lots of independent shops, cafes and various other offerings and on the day we visited the weather was particularly warm and a micro bakery and cafe has opened up in what was obviously a former bank, long since closed. We were able to sit outside in some shade and enjoy our refreshments whilst watching the village go about its daily life.  https://www.framlingham.com/plan-your-visit

Sizewell nuclear power station is based on the coast near the village of Sizewell. We noted as we were nearing the village in the area in question that there is apparently considerable local opposition to the building of Sizewell C. 

Whilst doing some research on places to visit during our stay, we found the East Anglia Transport Museum. It is a few minutes drive from Lowestoft. Parking is available but is severely limited and even more so for blue badge holders. It is however possible to park in the surrounding area and walk into the museum.

You should allow three to four hours to visit the museum. There are the usual cafe facilities and picnic areas should you wish to bring your own lunch. On any particular day that the museum is open  you can expect to see at least one trolleybus, a selection of electric trams and a narrow gauge railway to one side. It is also possible to view the non running buses and trams in their sheds. Dogs are allowed in the museum and almost of the buses and trams including the train. Access to the train is good, however it is not the case for the buses and trams.

There are also a selection of shops and workshops set up to reflect the period of time that the museum is based on and there are plenty of notice boards which give you the history out of what you are seeing.

Lowestoft is a typical seaside resort. It has a small pier and the usual attractions. There is ample parking, at cost, behind the promenade. Please note that it appears that in most car parks in Suffolk, blue badge holders will have to pay for parking.

There are shopping areas in the main part of town, with the usual facilities for fuel and supermarket.  It’s main claim to fame is that it is the most easterly town in England and has the most easterly railway station.   

Shawsgate Vineyard is a small family run vineyard about 20 minutes from the CL. The owners are very hospitable and tours can be booked in advance. They offer mainly white wine due to the climate, however, there are some light red wines available. Ample parking is available.

Southwold & Aldeburgh – These two villages can be easily combined into one visit.  They are your typical Suffolk village with a few shops, cafes and restaurants including fish and chip shops.  Aldeburgh has a lovely wide high street where the main facilities are.  Some lovely cafes for coffee and cake.  It was interesting to note that they were all on the sun side of the street, so if you wanted shade – on a particularly hot day, it was in short supply.

Southwold is a seaside village with a large car park at one end of the beach.  There is a small pier, free to go on and totally accessible.  The bonus of this pier is that one side is in the shade for most of the day – given the high temperatures during our visit, this was most welcome.  There is also a lovely café/restaurant near the car park and by the Crazy Golf.  It has a large verandah and dogs are most welcome on leads.  Good facilities too except the toilets which are outside the building.  Public toilets are available near the pier entrance.

Beccles – This is a small town, in two parts, the higher end where most of the shops and services are and the lower part by the River Waveney, about a 10 minute stroll down hill, you pass through some very historic areas, old Maltings factories turned into very smart apartments.  At the end of the road, you reach the River and a lovely café with seating outdoors.  There is also an information room to one side which proved very helpful with information leaflets etc during our visit.  Dogs are allowed to sit outside and are most welcome.  Again, there are good facilities and parking for both non and blue badge holders.

Orford Ness & Havergate Island can be seen via a very pleasant boat trip leaving from Orford Quay.  The boat will only take up to about 15 passengers and there are no real facilities on the boat however this actually enhances the experience as the boat owner is able to give a very informative but not intrusive commentary and answer questions you may have. It takes about one hour and is dog friendly. Disabled access is quite challenging however I would advise ringing ahead to see what accommodation they are able to do.

https://www.suffolkrivertrips.com

It was quite eerie to see the old and obviously no longer used atomic testing areas of Orford Ness. For ornithologists, Havergate island is a site of scientific interest to ensure that the bird population is protected.

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/suffolk/orford-ness-national-nature-reserve

During our stay we visited the Queens Head pub, Bramfield, about a 15 minute drive from the site. This was a very pleasant pub with a range of craft beers, mainly in cans, although there were a few hand pulled craft beers. There was a good menu and they positively welcome dogs. On one visit a local community travelling theatre group performed Twelve Night in the rear garden which seemed very well supported. Parking is not plentiful and therefore you may have to park on the road nearby. This did not, despite it being very busy, prove problematic.

Snape Maltings. A visit to this attraction comes highly recommended. The old maltings factory, alongside the River Alde was bought by Benjamin Britten in 1967 and part of it has been turned into a concert venue and theatre. In addition to this several of the buildings house shops of various types, the usual range of cafes and they allow dogs on the grounds quite happily. Accessible facilities for all are readily available.

Boat trips are also available from here.

Summary

A lovely,  quiet CL in gorgeous countryside.  A secure site feeling with helpful hosts.   Its location is a good recommendation and indeed the site was fairly busy during our week’s stay.  We would return to do more exploring.

Where’s the tallest building in the world? You might find it difficult to believe but for 200 years or more that honour fell to the British city of Lincoln and its magnificent cathedral. The height of that fame was toppled by a storm that destroyed the spire in 1549. Fortunately, then – as now – there is a whole lot more to the city than just its striking cathedral.

So let’s take a tour of just some of the things you’ll find to do and see in the fair city of Lincoln today.

The Collection

There’s probably no better way of getting your bearings than visiting what is known as The Collection – now renamed as the Lincoln Museum, itself a skilful amalgamation of the City and County Museum and the Usher Gallery.

The museum opened as recently as 2005 and already houses an award-winning archaeological collection. This includes priceless artefacts spanning the area’s rich history the Stone, Bronze, and Iron Ages, followed by the Roman, Saxon, Viking, and Medieval eras.

The museum sits alongside the rather older Usher Gallery that opened in 1927 and displays the collection of artworks by Turner, Lowry, Grayson Perry, and the likes, together with a unique array of clocks, watches, ceramics, and silverware.

Bishop’s Palace

Nestled alongside the stunning cathedral, it might be easy to overlook the gem of Medieval English architecture that is the Bishop’s Palace.

As you wander through the medieval ruins and explore the palace’s beautiful gardens, you can be transported back in time and imagine what life was like for the bishops who once resided here.

In its now tranquil precincts, you can reflect on the fact that this was the administrative hub for the biggest diocese in medieval England. It stretched from the River Humber to the north down to the Thames in the south and its architecture reflected enormous power and wealth.

Lincoln Castle

Also within the Cathedral Quarter, Lincoln Castle has dominated the city’s skyline for close to a thousand years. After his success on the battlefield in 1066, William the Conqueror issued instructions for building the castle at Lincoln in a bid to quell uprisings in the rebellious north of the country.

Deep underground, safely guarded in its special vault, Lincoln Castle houses one of the most important documents in the world. Here you can view an original of the Magna Carta of 1215 and learn about its historic importance as part of the bedrock of English democracy.

Steep Hill

Your time within the Cathedral Quarter will have convinced you of Lincoln’s historic role in British history. Now might be the time to take a stunning overview of the cityscape as you scale Steep Hill.

Just as the name suggests, it’s a bit of a climb, but you’ll be rewarded with some of the finest views of the city from the top – an effort that’s likely to prove more than worthwhile.

You can take the climb at your own leisurely pace, diverted by the many tearooms, restaurants, and independent shops that line the cobbled route.

Brayford waterfront

For a pause in your sightseeing tour of Lincoln, there is probably no more fascinating and restful a place than the historic Brayford waterfront. Once the largest inland harbour in England – the Pool, as it was then known – Brayford waterfront has been transformed into the place to be seen for its restaurants, cafes, bars, and entertainment venues.

As you relax with your favourite beverage in hand, you can gaze across the tranquil waters of the Pool to the sparkling new edifice that is the University of Lincoln campus.

Ellis Mill

The city’s hilltop was a favoured place for windmills – and Ellis Mill is one of the surviving nine mills that once towered over this part of the town.

You can visit Ellis Mill – it is managed by Lincolnshire County Council and an enthusiastic band of volunteers – and see for yourself how corn from the surrounding farmlands was ground into flour.

Ellis Mill itself dates back to 1798. But it is believed that a windmill stood on this site from at least the middle of the seventeenth century.

Summary

If you’ve not visited the city before, you’ll be sure to find that Lincoln offers a wealth of things to do and see.

Summer has finally paid a welcome visit. Take a moment or two to relax in the shade, therefore, and catch up on some of the latest UK caravan and motorhome news headlines.

Campers and caravanners warned to take carbon monoxide seriously

The Welsh newspaper Nation/Cymru on the 23^rd of July carried an appeal for caravanners and campers to pay attention to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The dangers are especially prevalent when insufficient care is taken when using or failing to maintain camping equipment. Safety advice includes the following:

• never use a barbeque inside your tent, or under the awning (or inside ) your caravan or motorhome;

• don’t use any kind of fuel-burning appliance to heat your tent or under an awning;

• don’t use a diesel, petrol, or gas-fired generator inside your caravan, motorhome, or tent; and

• remember to pack a portable carbon monoxide detector with you on any camping or caravanning trip.

Further safety tips about the dangers of carbon monoxide can be found on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website.

Broad Lane Leisure calls in administrators

A well-known supplier and retailer of caravans, campervans, and motorhomes, Broad Lane Leisure, has faced such serious financial difficulties that the company is now in administration and in the hands of receivers, reported the BBC last month.

Challenging trading conditions – prompted by a steady decline in demand for the company’s products – eventually proved too much for the West Midlands firm that was founded more than 50 years ago in 1971.

As the Alcester-based, family-run business closed its doors for business, administrators forecast the loss of some 34 jobs.

Optional fee introduced for caravans and motorhomes on the NC500

Many cities and tourist boards throughout Europe have recently highlighted the burden of over-tourism. The latest – possibly surprising – example has been revealed by the Highlands Council of Scotland, revealed the Caravan Times recently. The Council is responsible for the increasingly popular tourist route the NC500.

The 516-mile circular route through some of the most stunning regions of the Highlands starts and ends at Inverness Castle and the numbers using it have grown spectacularly in recent years.

In an attempt to regulate those numbers the Highlands Council has introduced an experimental – and as yet, voluntary – toll for drivers of the NC500. Known as the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme, a £40 pass grants drivers the use of the route for up to 7 days. The funds collected will go towards improving and maintaining public toilets, wastewater drainage, and environmental protection.

At the moment, the charge is voluntary and optional – although the Highland Council hopes the majority of drivers will recognise their responsibility and contribute to the scheme.

£1M+ investment into Steamer Quay Club Campsite in Totnes

The Totnes Times on the 26^th of July featured a visit by the Mayor of Totnes to work on a £1.2 million redevelopment project of the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s site in the South Devon valley of the River Dart.

The redeveloped Steamer Quay Club Campsite is scheduled to open on the 1^st of October and will feature 46 new serviced pitches (for caravans without awnings), a refurbished toilet and shower block, and all-new electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

The Steamer Quay Club Campsite will be open the year around and is expected to generate as much as an additional annual £1.3 million for local businesses from holidaymakers.

The east of England holds a wealth of things to do and see. Whether you’re interested in history, art, renowned English cities, royal estates, coastal walks, or natural landscapes, the east of England offers something for practically everyone.

So let’s take a glimpse of just some of those sights and activities.

Constable country

Here’s a corner of England that offers a timeless embrace of so much that is great in its art and natural beauty. Just as the name suggests, Constable country is a natural beauty captured in the paintings of an idyllic rural England by John Constable.

You will instantly recognise some of the most iconic vistas of the English countryside the moment you enter the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) that is Dedham Vale, spanning the border between Suffolk and Essex. Along the way, make sure to visit the village of East Bergholt – where Constable was born – and the watermill on the River Stour, Flatford Mill, which inspired one of Constable’s most recognised works.

Sudbury

It must be something in the water they drink in Suffolk because there’s yet another village that gave birth to a renowned English painter – the village of Sudbury, the birthplace of Thomas Gainsborough.

Not only can you visit the charming village, though, but also the very house in which the artist was baptised on the 14^th of May 1827 – the Independent Meeting House which you can find on Friars Street and which has been developed by the charitable trust that owns it as a museum and centre for all things to do with Gainsborough.

Sandringham

There’s nowhere quite like the royal estate of Sandringham in Norfolk.

The royal residence of Sandringham House is set in more than 600 acres of parkland which you can explore along well-maintained trails by bicycle or on foot, with or without man’s best friend (but remember to keep your pet on a short lead in more heavily populated area of the park).

The House, its Gardens, and St Mary Magdalene Church are open to the public daily from the 23^rd of March until the 11^th of October – except for the period between the 19^th of July and the 1^st of August.

Holkham beach

Even the beach at Holkham on the Norfolk coast has a royal connection. It is here that a certain Princess Victoria – later to become the long-lived monarch – came in 1835. She was so taken with this escape to nature that she and later generations not only stayed at Holkham Hall but also picnicked in a royal beach hut (said to be a particular favourite of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother).

You are entirely free to roam the endless expanse of unspoilt golden sands before retiring for a spot of shade from the sun or shelter from the wind in the pine forests that back the dunes.

Cambridge

It might have been little more than a day trip, but you can say you went to the University of Cambridge – you could even try your hand at aping student life there by punting along the River Cam.

A visit to Cambridge offers so much more than a peek into the lives of its illustrious students. Towards the end of July, for instance, there is the Cambridge Folk Festival – one of the longest-running annual festivals in the world – countless museums and galleries, theatres, cinemas, and shopping in the outdoor Market Square.

Ipswich

Ipswich in Suffolk is the town that brings the past right up to the present in an appealing blend of the historic and modern.

This charming combination is probably nowhere better expressed than Ipswich Waterfront. Here, modern restaurants and cool bars jostle with historic buildings that help to paint the 1,500 years or more of the maritime and agricultural heritage that makes it one of England’s oldest towns.

Whether you explore the town on foot or from one of the many boat tours along the River Orwell, Ipswich offers a unique blend of England’s past and a glimpse of its still vibrant future.

This is more like it! After a fairly damp and chilly start to this year’s caravanning season, (at the time of writing!) the weather seems to have taken a turn for the better with many parts of the country welcoming temperatures in the upper twenties.

So, find a little bit of shade for your cosy camping chair and catch up with some of the following news headlines.

Transformational Tourism Award win for Ribble Valley holiday park

Ribble Valley Holiday Park – once known as Rimington Leisure Park – has won the prestigious Transformational Tourism Award.

The Lancashire camping site – for touring and static caravans, cabins, and glamping pods – put its back to the wheel during the challenging period of closures forced on it by the Covid pandemic . The work paid off in many areas and resulted in the holiday park winning the award announced in the Caravan Times recently.

Thanks to expansion and extensive upgrading, the capacity of all types of holiday homes has doubled, pathways and roads have been resurfaced, a new play area for children was built, a dog-walking sector was created, and the park’s bar area extended. All the while, the holiday park continued to deliver the “exceptional customer service” recognised by the award.

Caravan owners warned breaking new laws could lead to £2,500 fine

With the caravanning season now in full swing, the Daily Mirror on the 19^th of June reminded caravan owners to check that they are street-legal whenever they take to the roads. Failure to pay sufficient attention to three major – but frequently overlooked – aspects of towing with a caravan could end up with you facing steep fines, points on your licence, or worse:

Driving licence

• if you passed your driving test after 1997, you are qualified to tow a caravan if the car you are using and the trailer itself together weigh up to 3,500kg;

• calculate that combined weight carefully if you want to avoid a potential fine of up to £2,500;

• if you passed your driving test before 1997, the combined weight of the vehicle and caravan may be up to 8.25 tonnes;

Lights

• perhaps because you use them much less often than those on your car, the lights on your caravan can sometimes get overlooked;

• that could be an expensive oversight since defective lights on your trailer could earn you a fine of up to £2,500, three points on your licence, or a driving ban;

Tyres

• the tread depth of the tyres on your caravan is also at least as critical as your car – faulty tyres can also land you with a £2,500 fine and three points on your licence.

Cheshire: Plans for caravan and camping site in Bosley recommended for refusal

A planning application for a caravan and camping site at Bosley seems unlikely to be met with approval, according to a story in the Northwich and Winsford Guardian on the 24^th of June.

Responding to an application to establish a site of 74 caravan and camping pitches on a site bounded by two major A roads, planning officers have commented that:

• the scale of the proposed site is out of proportion to its setting and location;

• it would have a detrimental impact on the character of the surrounding countryside; and

• there appears to be little evidence of any demand for the proposed caravan and camping site.

UK Camping and Caravanning Market Report 2024

The publication of the UK Camping and Caravanning Market Report for 2024 contains a wealth of encouraging signs for the industry.

For example, it found that in the past three years, 47% of all adults in Britain enjoyed at least one caravanning or camping holiday. Mintel – the report’s authors – estimate that the domestic market achieved earnings of some £2.1 billion in 2023.

There appear to be a host of reasons why people like to camp:

• the health-conscious see it as a way to improve their overall wellbeing;

• those wanting to develop a first-hand relationship with nature praise the benefits of camping and caravanning; and

• those anxious about their finances find that camping and caravanning is a budget-conscious solution to their holiday planning.

Given these positive foundations, the report predicts that further innovations in the industry will make caravanning and camping even more comfortable, convenient, and cost-effective – so, boosting still further the positive nature of the market.