Grab a slice of the fun at a year-round holiday hotspot
THERE’S no avoiding it – the autumn and winter months in Britain are invariably wet. And today heralds the start of what is statistically the country’s wettest month.
So where do you go if you want a holiday home that you can use at the tail end of the year in the confidence that you’re unlikely to be hemmed in by rain?
One answer is Essex, one of the country’s driest counties and the home of Britain’s driest place – the village of St Osyth, near the resort of Clacton-on-Sea.
Parkdean Resorts has holidayhome-ownership opportunities at seven parks in Essex: Valley Farm, Weeley Bridge and Highfield Grange in and around Clacton-on-Sea itself; Naze Marine at Walton-on-the-Naze; Martello Beach near St Osyth; Coopers Beach on Mersea Island; and Waterside at St Lawrence Bay.
John Waterworth, chief executive of Parkdean Resorts, says: ‘Essex is one of the most picturesque parts of the country, with Constable Country and the stunning south-east coast within arm’s reach of all our parks in the county.’
Parkdean offers what it calls ‘ownership experience days’ for people interested in buying a holiday home on one of its parks.
Families can take the opportunity to spend a day at their desired location, with access to all the facilities and a complimentary lunch, and can meet an adviser to discuss their requirements and the various accommodation options.
Another area noted for its clement climate is the ‘English Riviera’ in Devon. Dartmoor – to the west of towns such as Torquay and Paignton – bears the brunt of the weather that the prevailing winds throw at the area, leaving the east-facing coastal towns often bathing in warm sunshine.
Overlooking the Riviera is South West Holiday Parks’ Coast View at Shaldon. There are a number of types of lodges available here: the Seascape Lodge, for £199,000, measures 42ft by 14ft and has two bedrooms and two bathrooms as well as central heating, double glazing, LCD TVs, a double parking space, decking and sea views.
The larger cedar-clad Lookout Lodge costs £425,000.
Haulfryn Holiday Parks also has homes close to the Riviera, at Devon Hills and Orchard Park. And at the south-west tip of England – benefiting from exposure to the warming Gulf Stream that keeps winter frosts to a minimum – is Haulfryn’s Praa Sands, near Penzance.
The sunniest county in Britain is West Sussex, with sunshine totals highest near the coast. The town of Bognor Regis often has the highest in mainland England.
Medmerry Park is only seven miles from Bognor and has options to lease holiday homes for as little as £4,000 for three years. Leases rise to 25 years at a cost of £37,000.