How any day can be a holiday
TRAVEL WRITER RAJ GILL EXPLAINS HOW OWNING A CARAVAN AT ONE OF HAVEN’S PARKS IN NORTHUMBERLAND MEANS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY CAN TAKE YOURSELVES OFF FOR A BREAK WHENEVER YOU FANCY*
We could easily understand why families choose to own a Haven caravan and keep coming back RAJ GILL TRAVEL WRITER
Hands up who’s finding the prospect of getting on a plane post-pandemic so daunting you haven’t had a holiday in months? That’ll be you and me both, then.
It explains why searches for UK holiday homes have gone through the roof recently.
And savvy owners are finding that if you choose one close enough to home, you can grab a weekend away as often as you like, without the stress of passports, paperwork, PCRs or even packing.
One of the best options is to buy a caravan with Haven. Its 38 parks are set in stunning coastal locations and there are new and secondhand choices to suit every budget and family size.
I had a taste of the Haven experience on a weekend break in Berwick with my husband Jugtar, parents Sardar and Manjit and nephews Kamran, 10, and Arran, seven.
Our caravan was roomy, with an open-plan lounge, fireplace, a dining room seating six and a wellequipped kitchen. The sleeping setup was equally generous with two twin bedrooms, a double bedroom, two bathrooms and a standalone toilet. We also had a lovely outdoor deck with garden furniture and a great view of Fisherman’s Bay.
There was clever storage everythis you can leave all the essentials in situ, making it even easier to arrive at a moment’s notice.
We discovered that one of the joys of staying at a Haven park is the programme of activities that are up to half price for owners† and suit all ages and interests. It gives everyone a chance to try something new and bond over a shared experience. There’s a session for everyone, from pottery painting to bungee trampolines, climbing walls and a programme of Ranger activities with outdoorsy experiences like bug hunts and campfire lighting. Plus there’s an indoor and outdoor pool, arcade and the Live Lounge, which hosts a great array of performers.
The boys jumped at the chance to try a Junior Segway experience and we all opted for an archery lesson. Even grandad got the knack of it and we added to the family’s natural competitiveness by making the losers collect supper from the main complex that evening. Grandad and the boys lost, but were happy to stroll to Cook’s Fish & Chips for a takeaway that we ate alfresco on the deck as the sun set. And it was lovely to watch my dad spend quality time with the kids.
Haven Berwick is perfectly situated to explore this lovely stretch of coastline. The gorgeous sandy beach at Fisherman’s Bay is within walking distance, and was deserted. The boys found crabs, shells and lots of beautiful pebbles and had a ball paddling and building sandcastles.
It’s easy to stroll into the historic town too and after hearing that dolphin and seal sightings were a possibility we bought the boys binoculars and sat in the sunshine scouring the bay (unsuccessfully, sadly) for fins. A stroll around the mile-long Elizabethan walls helps you get your bearings, and there are heaps of pubs and restaurants for
when the sea air has worked up a healthy appetite.
It felt a world away from our busy lives in Glasgow and it was great to reconnect as a family on a classic seaside getaway. We could easily understand why families would choose to own a Haven caravan and come back time and again for laughs and lungfuls of sea air.
Own a caravan in one of Haven’s 38 UK parks and spontaneous adven
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tures are yours for the taking. As well as Berwick, Northumberland also has the superb Haven Haggerston Castle. With well-appointed ameni
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ties in each caravan, you’ll enjoy all the comforts of home but with a new local area and attractions to explore. Great activities and hearty restau
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rants mean it’s a breeze to entertain friends and family on park too. For more information on owning your own Haven caravan, visit haven. com/ownership.†