The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Farm diversification scheme pitched at holiday market
SILVERDYKE CARAVAN Park, a farm diversification near Anstruther, is the brainchild of Gwen and Kirsty Peddie.
The seeds for the idea were first sown in 2003.
A considerable investment of time and effort later and the plans of mother and daughter have reached fruition, with the business opening on October 1 this year.
The park occupies 16 acres of peripheral arable land at the Peddies’ 500-acre Connceres Farm.
An elevated outlook only 200 meters from the shore affords views of the Isle of May and an aspect of the East Neuk coastline up towards Caiplie.
The Peddies anticipate the park will be completed over five phases, with the first phase now finalised.
At the conclusion of all the phases, Silverdyke will have the capacity for 130 static caravans or lodges, in addition to further touring pitches.
The current 31 touring pitches have all been created on individual hard standings with their own drinking water and electrical supplies and waste-water drainage facilities.
Each touring pitch has ample room for motor homes or twin-axle caravans, as well as car parking and awnings which are included in one set charge per night.
An advisory Visit Scotland inspection of the facilities at Silverdyke predicted the site will fall in the four or five-star bracket.
The reception block, built by the Peddies during the summer, has male and female shower blocks and toilets and features under-floor heating. There is a family shower room and disabled suite which encompasses its own shower, sink, toilet and baby changing facilities.
The block also offers a laundry and a dish-washing area.
It also has a fully equipped games room offering free air hockey, darts, pool and power plate for fitness. It has Wi-Fi too. Gwen said the sites are well spaced out with generous distances between each, giving everyone a more quiet and relaxing holiday space.
“Each cluster is also being landscaped with lawn and grassy areas as well as carefully planted with attractive shrubs and small trees.
“We fully intend to grow our facilities with any demand, and with this in mind we also have a kids’ play area in the pipeline,” she added.
Silverdyke sits on Fife’s costal pathway, with Anstruther close at hand, and St Andrews 10 miles to the north.
The park is dog friendly, although dogs should be kept on a lead whilst they are on the campsite.
Touring pitches for caravans closed for the winter on November 5.
Silverdyke reopens again for tourers on March 1.
Static caravans can be brought to the site almost all year round.
“We will accept seasonal tourers,” added Gwen.
“But we plan to keep this to a maximum of eight at any time, so they will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis,” she added.
“We are already operating a waiting list for this.”
Silverdyke also has a holiday home available for hire from March 1, sleeping a maximum of six people.
“We’ve come a long way since we first drew up plans for a holiday park nine years ago,” said Gwen.
“But it took until June two years ago to receive the final green light from the council in terms of planning permission, and it has been all go since then.
“Progression wasn’t helped by the terrible rain we had on the farm this year,” she said.
“Social media and word of mouth have been a brilliant benefit to us to keep people up to date also.
“It has been daunting — but we have been thrilled with the level of interest we have received from people interested in coming to stay with us.”
The park lies on the southern fringes of the Peddies’ 500-acre farm at Connceres, where Gwen’s husband Andy has now been rejoined by their son Craig, who recently returned from studying at Harper Adam.
The boys are kept busy growing barley, wheat and oil seed rape on their arable acreage, alongside 22 suckler cows and finishing the progeny of 250 outdoor sows.
Gwen hopes the park will provide additional farm income and build a solid future for Kirsty, a qualified occupational therapist, who is not long home from travelling in New Zealand and Australia.