If you’re looking into caravan ownership, then you’re not alone. The UK is home to more static caravan owners than anywhere else in Europe and if we’re not buying them, we’re holidaying in them. Caravan parks are usually situated along the English, Scottish and Welsh coasts with their views being their main point of beauty and most of us love to wake up and open the curtains to beautiful sea views, green landscapes and a serene setting. This is a major perk to any caravan site – the location – it’s their main selling point. Look in any park brochure and you will see words like ‘situated amongst the beautiful Welsh mountains’, ’hidden away in the idyllic North Wales countryside’ or ‘located on the serenely stunning shores’.
Location, Location, Location….
We all want our static caravans for individual reasons and if yours is to get away from it all and simply relax then being amongst the beautiful Welsh mountains is great. However, do you love Wifi? Phone signal? Being close to amenities? If so, then a static caravan by a mountain range, beautiful as it is, may not be suitable for a long-term location. Luckily, there are many caravan parks that offer this, near to the coast and within travelling distance of many of the mountain walks, you’d like to take.
How far away is your perfect park?
Apart from personal taste, you also need to consider the distance. If you live in the Scottish highlands then no matter how much you love the sounds of a park sitting snugly in the Devonshire hills, it’s not going to be practical. You would be driving hundreds of miles each round trip and this would soon take the enjoyment out of your holiday home. On the other hand, if you do live in the Scottish Highlands, would you really want your static caravan there also? Holidays are about getting away from it, they’re about something new, so if you’re driving a mere few miles to your caravan you may be losing some of the factors that owning a static caravan are all about. It’s about compromise. For the best option, find a caravan park that’s not too far away that the journey is uncomfortable, but not so close to home that there’s little point in going.
Who’s in your travelling party?
Consider your family and their needs. If you are a couple, in your retirement years then the thought of spending time on a park that’s centred around children may not be the most fun. It could be loud, stressful and take a lot of the relaxation factor away to be sharing the site restaurant and amenities with teary tots. However, if you own teary tots then a park that caters for them will be a preferable option to save boredom – and more tears! For those in their golden years, there are many parks that are specifically for this age group, with eligibility criteria of 50 or 55 and over. This could be perfect unless you have grandchildren or younger family members that you’d like to come and stay – this type of sites main focal point is no children, so bending the rules would be rare.
Before you make any decision, it’s worthwhile personally visiting a small selection of preferred sites as you may find one you adored the look of in the brochure isn’t all it seems. You could also find that one you were unsure of could be just perfect.
Good luck in finding the right Caravan Park for you!