paw-fect SUPER SITES
A selection of ideal campsites for holidays with your pet, that are sure to get a wag of approval
1
MEADOW LAKES HOLIDAY PARK
Hewas Water, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 7JG T 01726 882540
W meadow-lakes.co.uk
OPEN 31 March – 2 November
The holiday philosophy at Meadow Lakes is that time away should be about being together, a more relaxed pace, and enjoying the outdoors. It believes that every member of the family should be able to go away on holiday, and that includes pets, too!
Set in the Cornish countryside, with the coast and many top
attractions nearby, Meadow Lakes welcomes up to two dogs per pitch and has a large dog exercise field, with countryside views to boot! To keep the human members of the family happy, there are four fishing lakes, a heated outdoor pool, paddling pool, a café, play areas, tennis courts, and even a pets’ corner with Shetland ponies, chickens, donkeys and guinea pigs.
Touring pitches on site are either grass or paved hardstandings, which can accommodate units up to 12m. The facilities include toilets and showers, private bathrooms, a launderette and a shop.
2 ROSS PARK
The Old Barn, Ipplepen, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 5TT
T 01803 812983 W rossparkcaravanpark.co.uk
OPEN 28 March – 15 October
With a top location in south Devon, between the English Riviera town of Torquay and the Dartmoor National Park, this is a great spot for doggy holidays.
Ross Park benefits from individually landscaped pitches, with planted hedgerows and borders between the pitches. You can choose between Premier pitches which are hardstandings with your own water tap, waste point and electric hook-up, or deluxe pitches. Facilities include toilets and showers, dishwashing, a launderette and also accessible facilities.
For dogs there is a large exercise area, a hot water shower and even a hairdryer. There’s also a tropical conservatory where dogs are welcome, too.
3 AUCHENLARIE HOLIDAY PARK
Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland DG7 2EX T 01556 506200 W swalwellholidaygroup.co.uk OPEN 11 February – 31 October
For a Scottish adventure head to Auchenlarie Holiday Park on the Dumfries and Galloway coast in southern Scotland.
The site has direct access to a small sheltered beach and a slipway for launching watercraft. Within 30 minutes’ drive are three visitor centres in the Galloway Forest Park, where you and your four-legged friend can walk many forest trails while enjoying loch and mountain views. The forest is also a designated Dark Sky Park – ideal for stargazing.
Touring and tent pitches at Auchenlarie are spread over three fields, on grass or hardstanding. Some pitches overlook the Solway Coast, some are situated alongside a river, and others have views to the hills. There’s plenty on site for all needs – toilets, showers, a launderette, a shop, dog walk and a play area. The leisure complex houses an indoor pool, sauna, soft play, gym, arcade, a restaurant and takeaway, plus a sports bar where dogs are welcome.
4 RUTLAND CARAVAN & CAMPING Greetham, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7FN T 01572 813520 W rutlandcaravanandcamping.co.uk OPEN All year
This is a Caravan and Motorhome Club Affiliated Site in a rural location with both adults-only and family-friendly pitching areas. All pitches are serviced with water, drainage and electric. The site provides a dog shower and a woodland walk, along with an indoor pool and small shop. A short walk takes you to Greetham village with its post office and selection of pubs.
Rutland may be England’s smallest county but there’s plenty for you and your pet to explore here. Rutland Water is not far away, which offers walking, watersports and wildlife galore, situated around a reservoir with the pretty Normanton Church at its centre. Also nearby are Barnsdale Gardens and the stately homes of Burghley House and Belvoir Castle. Dogs on leads are welcome in the parkland of Burghley and in the gardens and grounds of Belvoir.
5 SMYTHAM HOLIDAY PARK
Little Torrington, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PU T 01805 622110 W smytham.co.uk
OPEN 10 March – 31 October
Nestled in a valley in north Devon, Smytham Holiday Park is perfect for dogs (and owners) who love a good walk, thanks to the site’s direct access onto the Tarka Trail. Incorporating England’s longest, traffic-free walking and cycling paths, the trail is 180 miles long in total, running through north Devon and
Exmoor, and is inspired by the route travelled by Tarka the Otter in the novel by Henry Williamson.
Smytham Holiday Park is a relaxing affair, but with plenty on site to entertain those who want a little more to do than relax and unwind. There’s an outdoor pool, a games room, play area, a family-friendly bar, a shop, and a dog exercise paddock. Pitches on site are a choice of hardstanding, all-weather or grass with electric hook-up, with the option to upgrade to a ‘posh’ pitch with the addition of fresh water, grey water disposal and a picnic bench, or even to choose an ‘en suite’ pitch which also has its own private toilet, shower and sink in a cedar-clad cabin.
6 LONGNOR WOOD HOLIDAY PARK
Longnor, Staffordshire SK17 0NG T 01298 83648 W longnorwood.co.uk
OPEN 1 March – 10 January
Offering a dog-friendly holiday for adults only, Longnor Wood Holiday Park is set in a countryside location surrounded by meadows and rolling fields – in fact, the view from the four-acre dog exercise area is something else! The site is surrounded by the Peak District National Park which is ideal for walking, and if you fancy a wander around some pretty towns, the market town of Bakewell, and the spa town of Buxton with its Georgian and Victorian architecture, are both within 30 minutes’ drive.
The site has 47 hardstanding touring pitches – a choice of fully serviced with electric hook-up, grey water drain, and fresh water point, or standard pitches come with just electric. The facilities on site include a heated amenities block, a washing machine and dryer, shop, boules court and putting green, and a dog wash.
7 CEFN CAE CAMPING
Cefn Y Cae, Rowen, Conwy LL32 8YU T 01492 650011 W campinginnorthwales.co.uk OPEN 20 March – 30 October
Cefn Cae Camping is situated just three miles from the historic walled town of Conwy on the north Wales coast, which is ideal for any dogs that love a run on the beach or to swim in the sea. Set on a 300-acre family farm in the picturesque village of Rowen, the campsite is also just within the boundaries of the Snowdonia National Park, which offers lots of walking routes to discover, plus the challenge to scale the heights of stunning Snowdon.
If you’d prefer to explore more locally, there are many walks starting from the campsite, varying in duration, from 40 minutes to three hours.
The touring pitches are situated on grass with electric hook-up. Facilities include toilets, showers, an indoor washing-up area and a laundry room. A short walk from site is Conwy Water Gardens with the famous Dutch Pancake House (dogs are welcome at the outside seating), and a pub is 200 yards away.
8 HEREFORD CAMPING & CARAVANNING CLUB SITE The Millpond, Little Tarrington, Hereford, Herefordshire HR1 4JA
T 01432 890243 W campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk OPEN 18 March – 6 November
With the Malvern Hills and Forest of Dean only a short drive away, the Hereford Club site is perfect for the great outdoors. The market town of Hereford, with its black and white buildings and pedestrianised streets, also makes for a lovely place to stretch the legs while exploring. As an added bonus, quite uniquely, dogs are welcome in both the grounds and house of historic Eastnor Castle, just a 20-minute drive from site. Dog refreshments stops are located regularly around the grounds and there is an arboretum and lakeside trail to enjoy, too.
The Hereford Club site is set in 24 acres, with its very own fishing lake. There also an on-site licensed shop, and a tailored walking route for dogs that covers the majority of the campsite. Pitches are available on grass or hardstanding with electric hook-up. Facilities comprise toilets, showers, a family shower room, dishwashing area and washing machines.
9
FEN FARM CARAVAN SITE
Moore Lane, East Mersea, Mersea Island, Essex CO5 8FE T 01206 383275 W fenfarm.co.uk
OPENF 18 March – 29 October
Set on the east of Mersea Island, a tidal island to the south of Colchester in Essex – twice every 24 hours there is a high tide which sometimes covers the access road (tide times can be found online). Fen Farm is in a rural location, with a path leading down to a dog-friendly beach and close to Cudmore Grove Country Park. At low tide you can walk along the beach from the site to access the country park where there is lots of wildlife and plenty of walking routes. Fen Farm itself also has dog walks on site, including a wildflower and conservation area.
There are pitches with electric on the campsite and there’s no charge for dogs, with a maximum of three per pitch allowed. Toilets and showers, a washing-up area, a laundry room, a family shower room, a wheelchair-accessible toilet and shower and shop are all on site. For children there is a play area and ball games field.
10 ST IVES BAY BEACH RESORT 73 Loggans Road, Upton Towans, Hayle, Cornwall TR27 5BH
T 03301 277345 W awayresorts.co.uk
OPEN 1 April – 31 October
If you want a coastal holiday of epic proportions with your dog, then this is it! As the name might suggest, the setting of St Ives Bay Beach Resort is right next to three miles of sandy beach between Hayle and Gwithian in west Cornwall. The holiday park is newly dog-friendly, with dogs welcome on the beach anytime from January-June and SeptemberDecember and before 10am and after 5pm in July and August.
When you can tear yourself away from the gorgeous beach, on site there is crazy golf, a tennis court, an indoor and outdoor pool, a play area, two bars, a restaurant, plus activities and entertainment.
The touring area of the resort has grass pitches with electric hook-up and fully serviced pitches also come with water point and grey water drainage. The facilities comprise toilets and showers, a launderette, dishwashing area and a shop.