Just as you’d expect during the spring weather and the continuing surge in popularity of the staycation, the UK media is full of caravan news and holiday trends.

Here we take a look behind some of the headlines.

Vehicle charging on UK Caravan and Motorhome Club campsites

The Caravan and Motorhome Club is serious about keeping abreast of the times by facilitating the charging of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids on its caravan sites.

In a press release on the 6^th of April, the Club explained how it is rationalising its charging structure for such facilities with effect from the 5^th of April. A single, flat-rate charge of £9 will be made whenever you plug in an EV or hybrid vehicle for top-up charging overnight.

The Club asks users to be reasonable in their use of charging facilities.

Caravan site could be built near popular Somerset golf course

The owners of Henstridge Golf and Leisure in the Blackmore Vale of South Somerset have applied to the local authority for permission to site up to 45 static caravans adjacent to the golf course, according to Somerset Live on the 27^th of April.

This follows the permission that was granted in February 2018 for up to 60 touring caravans on the site.

While the owners believe that the current application will have no visual or traffic impact on the area – since the site is already visible from public roads – the local authority may have its doubts about allowing caravans to remain permanently on the site and will make its formal decision in the near future.

WFH = Working from Anywhere, ‘workations’ and ‘bleisure’ trends for new work-life balance

The changing work and lifestyles post-pandemic have ushered in a new vocabulary of terms to describe the looser, more laid back choices available thanks to remote working, explains caravan, motorhome, and leisure home manufacturers the Swift Group in a press release on the 27^th of April.

Instead of a daily commute to the office, many people are buying new or second-hand caravans or motorhomes to take to the road and vary the scenery as an alternative to strictly working from home.

Instead, remote workers can today choose to “work from anywhere” and, with their own home office in tow or already onsite, choose “workations” or a spot of “bleisure”.

Little wonder that sales of touring caravans have rocketed – with 23.5% (a total of 17,639) more models sold in 2021 compared with 2020; 12% (14,074) more motorhomes; and 38% (19,624) static caravans.

North Wales caravan park is bought by holiday group

On the 26^th of April, North Wales Live reported an impressive expansion in the family business owned by caravan resort operators SF Parks in the north of the principality.

The family – which already owns three caravan parks in North Wales – has now acquired Sun Valley Caravan Park, Rhuddlan near Rhyl, which currently has 185 holiday homes and offers amenities including a family-friendly clubhouse, fishing lake, and bars on a site extending over 10.8 acres.

This latest acquisition is expected to increase SF Parks’ total static caravan capacity from 1,000 to 1,200 units.

Plans for new 108 static caravan site on Lincolnshire coast near Skegness

The Leicester Mercury on the 24^th of April also carried a story about static caravan holidays.

In this instance, the news headlined plans for a completely new static caravan park – with a capacity for 108 holiday homes – on land in the village of Hogsthorpe, near the seaside resort of Skegness, on the Lincolnshire coast.

Tipped as a potential blessing for tourism in an otherwise economically challenged part of the country, East Lindsey District Council, which is currently considering the planning application has already received a number of objections from residents disgruntled about such holiday development neighbouring their homes.

It’s a land of wide-open spaces. It’s also one of the most sparsely populated counties in the country with lots of rural land. That’ll give you all the peace you could want as you unwind and relax to enjoy mile after sandy mile of windswept beaches, forests, moorland, or rolling hillsides.

If that’s already whetted your appetite, let’s take a look at some of the places to visit in your touring caravan:

1. Bamburgh Castle

• whether or not you’re a history buff, castles – even those in ruins – exert a magnetic attraction and you’ll be pleased to know that Northumberland has more than 70 such sites;

• one of the most stunning is the medieval Bamburgh Castle on the coast, with distant views of Lindisfarne and the Farne Islands;

• but that’s not all, with the historic castle providing a majestic backdrop to a glorious sandy beach, Bamburgh has been voted the best seaside destination in the whole of the UK, according to a story in the Guardian newspaper on the 30^th of April 2022;

2. Dark Sky Park

• a first not just for the UK but anywhere in Europe is the area of protected, pollution-free night sky that is the Northumberland International Dark Sky Park;

• two vast, independent areas of national parkland – Northumberland National Park and Kielder Water & Forest Park – spread over almost nearly 1,500 square km of publicly owned countryside;

• it hosts the largest designated site in Europe – awarded gold status by the International Dark Sky Association – where light pollution is minimised to protect the purity of the night skies in what is one of the darkest parts of the British Isles;

• in daylight hours, you can explore the equally vast Kielder Water and Forest Park which is home to another first, the most extensive manmade woodland and reservoir in northern Europe;

3. Hadrian’s Wall

• bordering the glowering skies of that vast wilderness of moor and forest is one of Britain’s most icon national monuments and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site – Hadrian’s Wall;

• also known as the Roman Wall, the surprisingly intact ruins stretch some 73 miles coast to coast, with the remains of countless forts, towers, turrets, and towns that once bordered the wall still visible;

• when it comes to choosing particular highlights, you can take your pick from among many sites along the course of the wall – one of the most stunning settings on a high Northumbrian escarpment near present-day Haydon Bridge is Housesteads Roman Fort where you can still wander its barracks blocks and hospital;

4. Saddle up

• not so much a destination as an activity to enjoy – the quiet lanes, open countryside and expansive beaches of Northumberland offer excellent opportunities for horse riding;

• there are numerous riding schools and stables where you can hire the necessary gear and that can provide teachers, guides, routes, and horses – so you can get an entirely different view of Northumberland from the saddle;

5. Howick Hall Gardens

• for all its desolate moorlands and defences against marauding Picts, Northumberland has its softer side too – and how better to take your relaxation than over that most English of beverages, a cup of Earl Grey tea;

• in the early part of the nineteenth century, Howick Hall was the home of the 2^nd Earl Grey for whom the renowned beverage was first blended;

• once voted Garden of the Year and also listed in the top five of Britain’s coastal gardens by the BBC programme Gardener’s World, Howick Hall Gardens begin every new year with a snowdrop festival in February;

6. Farne Islands

• a short boat trip from the coastal town of Seahouses, the Farne Islands are any birdwatcher’s or naturalist’s idea of heaven;

• there are sea birds aplenty – the comical puffin a special attraction – while dolphins play in the open water and seals laze about on the rocks.

Northumberland offers many treasures. Maybe it’s time you hitched up your ‘van and made for the wide-open spaces of this most northerly county of England.

Overall View

Hebden Bridge CAMC Site is located in the Upper Calder Valley in West Yorkshire.  It is located in the lea of Studley Pike.  It is a level site with 42 Pitches, 36 of which are hardstanding and 6 fully serviced pitches on a terraced basis. It is open March to November.

Please see arrival video HERE for assistance with directions to the site.  Care is required at a couple of points, as stated in the Club Handbook.

Facilities

Each pitch has its own EHU bollard.  There is no facility block at this site, however, service points, including motorhome service points are available throughout the site, plus 6 fully serviced pitches. The site is bordered on one side by the B6138 road but noise was minimal. A stream borders the other side and the bank down to it is quite steep. There is also a dog walk.

There is a well stocked information room with printouts of bus timetables and a few basics are available to purchase in Reception

Review of Site Pitch

The pitches predominantly level.  There are both awning and non-awning pitches.

TV reception is poor, the directional aerial only picking up radio channels, however bollards have a TV hook up point and cables are for sale in Reception if required.

Mobile wise I found the 4G signal from Three to be fine, certainly good enough for streaming using the roof mounted puck. The network coverage maps from the other major service providers suggested similar. 5G is not currently offered by any provider.

Site WiFi is offered however I didn’t use it so can’t comment on it’s quality

Around and about

The Upper Calder Valley is part of textile history which abounds all over this part of the County.  Mytholmroyd is the nearest village/town to Hebden Bridge.

There is a Sainsbury’s Local there around a 15-20 minute walk from the site, parking is limited.

A bit further along the road towards Hebden Bridge is a Co-Op with filling station. This is your closest filling station to the site however I found the cheapest to be Asda on the outskirts of Halifax.

Mytholmroyd railway station is about a 15 minute walk from the site – parking available – with trains to Halifax, Bradford, Leeds and York in one direction and Chester, Manchester and Blackpool the other. Westbound trains also stop at Hebden Bridge.

Buses stop a few metres from the site entrance and run between Huddersfield and Hebden Bridge – timetables in the Information Room.

You can walk to Hebden Bridge along the canal – it takes around fifty minutes, or walk to the station and take the train – which takes three minutes. I did just that, doing a Treasure Trail which started and ended at the station. There are plenty of independent shops and eateries in which to splash the cash and refuel. It has a very relaxed laid back atmosphere.

Just up from Hebden Bridge and about a twelve minute drive from the site is the National Trust managed Hardcastle Crags, a beautiful valley once described as the Switzerland Of Yorkshire. The leaflet and information boards detail several walks of various lengths ranging from easy to challenging, the centrepiece being Gibson Mill where you can get drinks and snacks. There is an accessible trail to the mill but just be aware of the concrete gulleys at various intervals. Footwear with a decent grip is essential for all but the accessible track.

A little further afield is the Bankfield Museum in Halifax. In my view this is well worth a visit – there is a diverse range of artefacts  and it helps tell of the history of the area. Parking is available and it’s free to enter. There is a cafe on site too. Worth combining with a visit to the aforementioned Asda if you need fuel too.

Also in Halifax is the Piece Hall and I pre-booked a one hour guided tour which proved to be well worth it, making the visit much more enjoyable and informative. You will learn not only about Piece Hall and it’s various functions over the years but also about the wider area. The group was small and the guide knowledgeable and friendly. Tours do not always take place everyday so it’s worth checking online.

Also very nearby is the Calderdale Industrial Museum and an ideal car park for both is the Woolshops Shopping Centre car park.

A mile from Halifax you will find Shibden Hall, home for many years of Anne Lister, the subject of the recent BBC Drama ‘Gentleman Jack’.

One attraction that I will most certainly visit next time is the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway running between Keighley to the north and Oxenhope to the south which is the nearest station to the site – about a twenty minute drive away. Keighley is also on the mainline so you could combine the two.

Transdev also provide a bus service from Hebden Bridge station to most station stops giving you the opportunity to leave the car or motorhome on site.

You may also want to consider a cruise on the Rochdale Canal. Hebden Bridge Cruises offer trips on a traditional narrow boat. There are options for cruises with Sunday lunch, afternoon tea and evening meals too. The wharf is located by the Subbing Wharf pub giving the opportunity for a pre or post cruise libation.

Cinema goers may wish to check out the Hebden Bridge Picture House for a variety of films and occasional Live Arts screenings.

Summary

A handily located little site – not the easiest to get to but well worth the effort. Comprehensive transport links give you the option to leave your vehicle on site and explore the many attractions on offer. It’s a small site so you may need to book well in advance at busier times.

Overall View

Englethwaite Hall CAMC site is located close to the M6(J42); 7 miles south of Carlisle.  As such it is often cited as being very convenient for those people travelling to and from Scotland.  This is, however, to miss a particularly pleasant area and location apart from an overnight stopping off point.  Please see arrival video HERE  Please note you must follow the directions as per the handbook and video as other roads are unsuitable for towing caravans.

This site came about, in 1969 after the demolition of the ruins of Englethwaite Hall, built in late 1800’s and then became an artillery hospital in 1916 until its eventual closure in 1919 whereupon it fell into ruin.    There is an interesting photo display in the information room and further information can be found on line.  The entrance pathway can still be seen from pitch 50 and it is possible to walk down this to the fully secured on-site dog walk.

Facilities

The site does not have a facilities block but there are a number of fully serviced pitches. 

There is a comprehensive Information Room situated on site.  The wardens sell some limited basics.

There are a number of conveniently placed service points including a drive over motorhome point.

The site is divided into several pitching areas including some pleasant cul-de-sacs.

There is also a small storage area for both caravans and motorhomes.

Review of Site Pitch

Pitches are generally level and spacious, as you would expect on a CAMCS site.  Please note that some of the bollards are a distance from certain pitches.

Very pleasant views can be found from a number of pitches and it is possible to pitch front in if you so choose. It should be noted that pitches 6-9, 30 and 31 may flood in heavy rain. I was on pitch 7 and there was a small amount of pooling on the left after a heavy downfall overnight. The pitch was otherwise fine with no ramp required and offered some views over the countryside.

Radio reception was good, likewise TV with a directional aerial and the on board booster.

Site WiFi is available however I was advised it is limited and does not cover the whole site – a map in reception shows the coverage – centred around the reception and a couple of chairs are provided on the grass nearby.

Mobile network wise I found Three to be good using an outside aerial, easily streaming iPlayer and ITV Hub. Coverage was not so good using the phone inside the ‘van however. The Vodafone coverage checker suggests similar results. EE was fine indoors and out and the coverage checker for O2 suggests the same.

Around and about

The nearest supermarket, Asda and its fuel station is found just off J44 of the M6 and is part of an out-of-town retail park. At the time of typing (April 2022) This was the cheapest.

There are plenty of opportunities for walkers and right next to the site is High Stand Wood. There are plenty of options, from just a quick walk with the dog to a much longer trek. I did a circular walk of half an hour or so – probably accessible when dry but it was quite muddy in the more exposed areas after the recent rain.

There are a couple of pubs in Armathwaite, about 4 miles drive from the site.  The Fox and Pheasant is a very traditional pub/hotel which has won a number of awards.  It is dog and child friendly and there is a pool room.  Armathwaite also has its own railway station and is on the Settle to Carlisle line.  There is a very small car park on the Carlisle bound side of the railway.

The 90-minute or so ride to Settle takes you through some of the most beautiful countryside Britain has to offer. There are Steam specials but also a regular mainline service several times a day. Noting the limited parking at Armathwaite I chose to board at Carlisle – even on a wet Wednesday outside of school holidays it was quite busy. There are many and much cheaper options than parking in the station car park, some only a few minutes walk away.

Settle is a pretty town to mooch around with many independent shops but the stop for the famous Ribblehead Viaduct was very popular too. The train continues to Leeds if you fancy some time in the city.

Carlisle is the nearest town and home to the nearest West Coast Mainline Railway Station.  Carlisle is a border town and is worth a visit – buildings are made of stone and there is also a lot of history there.   www.discovercarlisle.co.uk The area around the cathedral is particularly appealing.

Carlisle Castle, part of English Heritage, is well worth a visit. There is an awful lot of history here and the guides were only to willing to impart their knowledge. The Carlisle Museum of Military Life is on site too and your entry includes admission to their fascinating display.

There is only disabled parking on site but the Castle Car Park is only five minutes walk away and charges seemed reasonable – and free at weekends.

Just slightly north of Carlisle is the world famous Gretna Green.  The whole area now takes pretty much a day to visit.  There is an out of town retail section, the same all over the country.  About half a mile further north on the same road is the olde worlde Gretna Green and wedding anvil of historical and folklore.  On that site there are several shops, selling liqueurs – whisky in particular.  Specialist food stores and restaurants/cafes abound.  There is the actual smithy and anvil itself – it is not always possible to gain entry to that building if a ceremony is ongoing.  There is also a Scottish clothes shop and kilts and all accessories can be obtained.  There are also kilts and clothing for ladies.  It is often possible to see a traditional bagpipe musician playing and he is more than willing to pose for photos if asked nicely!

Slightly further south, about a 30-40 minute car drive on the M6 you reach J40 and the turning for Penrith.  This gives you access to the North Lake District, Ullswater being the first lake, Derwentwater by Keswick and Bassenthwaite being the third.

This is more fully described in the Troutbeck Head CAMCS Review which can be found on Cover4Caravans website.

While the M6 is likely quicker the A6 is a much nicer drive – I found it to be light on traffic and any passengers will enjoy the views of the lovely countryside.

Summary

A superb little site for those that don’t need facilities blocks. Access is straightforward, it is pretty and well kept. There is plenty do do around and about and whilst it is understandably a popular stopping off point for those heading north or south the area is definitely worth a few nights of your time.

Freedom from the domestic travel and socialising restrictions of the pandemic continues to boost enthusiasm for staycations – and for caravanning and camping in particular.

From commercial initiatives to publications, and from applications to extend facilities to a boom in demand for touring and camping sites, there’s probably never been a more exciting time to own a caravan.

Exciting future for camping in the Forest

The forests of England and Scotland have long proved especially popular with campers. Forestry England and Forestry and Land Scotland have now joined forces with the Camping and Caravanning Club to buy a controlling share in the latter’s Camping in the Forest (CiTF) brand.

The forestry organisations will ultimately take over the running and management of camping and caravanning in their respective countries – although the Camping and Caravanning Club will continue to run the relevant sites throughout the remainder of this year so that there is a seamless transition from one set of owners to the other.

Covid: Latest updates on Caravan and Motorhome Club UK campsites

In its latest update on the measures it has taken to keep visitors safe during the Covid pandemic, on the 29^th of March the Caravan and Motorhome Club confirmed that it will keep in place basic health precautions – even though all formal regulations were lifted throughout England in February.

Specifically, visitors to the Club’s sites in England and Wales are encouraged to continue wearing masks and to exercise social distancing in reception offices and other communal areas.

New book shows beautiful ‘rolling homes’ created for a life on the open road

An American publication, The Modern Caravan, was previewed in the Daily Mail newspaper on the 28^th of March.

The lavishly illustrated coffee-table book briefly charts the history of the caravan but focuses on some of the most luxurious, unusual, and eye-catching “rolling homes” from around the world.

Unsurprisingly, the majority of examples come from the United States and feature makeovers and restorations of some of the classic ‘vans such as the Airstream and Spartan. From some of the photographs published in the newspaper, it is evident that no expense has been spared in transforming some of these older examples of homes on wheels.

Planning application to extend Percy Wood caravan site in Northumberland rejected

A golf club and country retreat in Northumberland has had an application rejected to extend space for an additional sixty static caravans, reported the BBC on the 26^th of March.

The application by Percy Wood Golf and Country Retreat in Swarland, a village just to the south of Alnwick, in Northumberland, would have increased the number of static caravans on the site to more than four hundred.

This drew vociferous opposition from many nearby residents who argued that an increase in the number of such holiday homes would exacerbate the sewage, drainage, and flooding problems already suffered in Swarland and its environs.

Although there had been an official welcome for the projected boost to tourism in the area, other councillors pointed to the “village of two settlements” that had resulted in conflicts between housing and caravans.

Huge demand predicted for caravan and camping holidays in Wales

Holiday visitors to Wales are most likely to opt for caravan or camping self-catering accommodation, according to a story by Travel Daily News on the 29^th of March.

Camping and caravanning account for 34% of all overnight stays in the principality, says the article, which also quoted figures showing that there were 113,130 bookings for campsite pitches in the year from March 20201 to March 2022. This represents a 137% increase on the 47,826 bookings that were taken in the previous 12 months.

Responding to news that the Welsh government was considering reducing the main school summer holidays from six weeks to three – in order to spread out more holidays throughout the year – the journal predicted an early rush of new bookings to fit in with any reduced holiday window.