Posts tagged with "White Cross Bay"

The David Bellamy Awards and what they mean to us

Every year each of our parks are independently assessed by experts from the David Bellamy Conservation Award scheme on behalf of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association. It is one of the longest running green tourism awards in the UK and Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards are given out to recognise the work the parks do to protect the environment.

We’re delighted to report that now seven of our nine parks have managed to achieve Gold Award status, the top accolade awarded by the scheme and we will continue to invest in our parks to ensure that we maintain these high standards in future years. Protecting the environment and overall corporate social responsibility is an important part of our day to day business at South Lakeland Parks and is intrinsic in our values as a responsible company.

Our two parks with Bronze Awards, Regent and Ocean Edge have made great strides in recent years as has been highlighted by the positive acknowledgments of the scheme’s assessors. Ongoing investment in landscaping, tree planting and gardening as well as aesthetical improvements such as picnic benches and external decorating have taken place during the Winter.

But there is a lot more to the Conservation Award scheme than just looking after the greenery of the Parks. The assessors also review our progress on energy, water and use of other resources; reducing, reusing and recycling of waste and what we do to support our local communities.

As Mr Bellamy says: “The best holiday parks are mini nature reserves and are helping to drive Britain’s green tourism revolution.” So you can relax in your homes safe in the knowledge that South Lakeland Parks remain committed to being at the forefront of environmental and sustainability excellence.

Here is what our assessors said on their last inspections:
Fallbarrow Holiday Park
“The entrance area at Fallbarrow is particularly attractive and there always appears a great change when entering, between the hustle and bustle outside and the relative peace and calm inside. The working together of all concerned has evolved the park to the high standard that it is. This is a credit to all concerned.”
Result: Gold Award

Gatebeck Holiday Park
“Gatebeck is an extremely pleasant and environmentally friendly park. It is extremely well screened and there is much evidence of strong links with the local community. There is plenty of evidence of the activities of mammals, birds and insects within the area of the park together with a splendid array of wild flowers. Gatebeck residents over the years all say the same thing – the peace, the wildlife and the way the park is run contributes greatly to their wellbeing and enjoyment.”
Result: Gold Award

Hawthorne Holiday Park
“Tucked away down a sleepy lane in the Lancashire countryside Hawthorne Park is a little oasis for its customers. It is secluded, well hidden and has almost no impact on the local landscape. The park has benefitted from significant investment over the past 12 months with new sewage systems, a new play area and the surfacing of access roads. All of these have improved the park significantly.”
Result: Gold Award

Marina Holiday Park
“Marina is an attractive park located by the Lancaster canal close to the village of Galgate. It has the feel of a self contained community with strong familiarity amongst customers and staff. The park is extremely well screened and low level lighting ensures minimal light pollution. Traffic control is excellent and there is a general feel of peace and quiet on the park. Very attractive floral displays create an excellent first impression.”
Result: Gold Award

Limefitt Holiday Park
“Limefitt has changed quite dramatically over the years yet retained its character – a park set in superb Lakeland valley scenery, keeping its old buildings and of course its position alongside the fast flowing Troutbeck. The overhaul of waste and recycling arrangements has taken place and been so successful that the amount of unrecycled items has been significantly reduced. The park now recycles used printer cartridges and any old mobile phones – this to support the Roy Castle Cancer Foundation.”
Result: Gold Award

Todber Holiday Park
“Huge improvements have been made at Todber since the last assessment. The Park should be commended for their achievements. The development on the higher levels is stunning. Some great work has been undertaken since the last assessment with some valuable planting schemes of native species of hedges which have added great aesthetic and conservation value to park.”
Result: Gold Award

White Cross Bay Leisure Park
“It was encouraging to see the improvements that have taken place at White Cross Bay in recent years. The park has matured and there was and continues to be, an obvious desire to do everything possible to improve the place for the benefit of the environment and park users. From the park entrance to lakeside shore, thanks to the planning and work undertaken, much of White Cross Bay is green and inviting; a good deal of planting up has taken place.”
Result: Gold Award

Regent Leisure Park
“Regent Park is a popular holiday home park which has had a number of physical improvements since the last assessment. New landscaping has greatly enhanced the park and an excellent reception area with stunning floral displays makes visitors welcome on arrival.”
Result: Bronze Award

Ocean Edge Leisure Park
“Ocean Edge has seen some investment since the last assessment with touring caravans stopped in favour of holiday homes and with that change has come favourable improvements in landscaping. The park’s prime coastal views and the wildlife are a valuable asset and the park has really begun to improve physically.”
Result: Bronze Award

 

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There are so many things to see and do in the Lake District that sometimes you could be spoilt for choice. In an effort to help you make up your mind, We are planning to highlight some of the attractions near some of our parks. For this issue we dispatched Matt Hartnett and Heather Clough off to Brockhole, the Lake District Visitor Centre.

They report: “We arrived by car and the first things we immediately noticed were the wonderful scenic views and the beautiful gardens which stretch right down to the shores of Windermere. Further investigation quickly revealed that there is loads to do.

There is an adventure playground, a new crazy golf area and 20 acres of garden and woodland to admire and explore. Boat hire is available for a trip around the lake and a new pier.

Inside the imposing house there are always exhibitions to enjoy and to inspire. We enjoyed Rugged Reflections, History of the Lakes as well as touch screen computer games. There is a café which serves good food, most of which has been freshly prepared and locally sourced. There is also a wide range of cakes and sandwiches on sale.



We enjoyed a refreshing cup of tea on the terrace enjoying the splendid views and later we found a bench where we had our picnic with the sun on our backs. Nearby children were enjoying the adventure playground.

Whilst we travelled to Brockhole by car, owners can walk from Limefitt, White Cross Bay and Fallbarrow. Entry to the house, grounds and lakeshore is free. There is free WiFi, but parking charges apply.

Brockhole is a not-for-profit attraction run by the Lake District National Park Authority. All profits go towards its upkeep. There are various events throughout the year so it is best to visit http://www.brockhole.co.uk/ Whats on to see what is on.

The visitor centre is open all year round (except Christmas Day) and opens at 10am till 5pm while the gardens open 8am to 6pm.

We will definitely be going back as there is so much more to explore.

The Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole is located just off the A591 between Windermere and Ambleside. 015394 46601 www.lakedistrict.gov.uk

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Review by Matt Hartnett,
South Lakeland Parks website Co-ordinator

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Park Life the Magazine for Owners at South Lakeland Parks ...

It may have flown by but we at South Lakeland Parks have come a long way in 6 years. With the 3rd edition of 'Park Life'  now ready this is what can be found in our latest edition of Park Life;

- Owners' Inbox - Competition, letters, Owner feeback
- New Developments for 2012
- David Bellamy Awards - What they mean to us.
- Charity News
- Exclusive Owner Events
- Attraction Review - Blackpool Tower
- Manufacture's review - ABI Seashore
- Owners Discount Vouchers - with great savings on local attractions.
- What's On
- Plus much more

So to view the magazine CLICK HERE

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This is a very short walk but one which should never be rushed. It should be done in the summer and at that time you will see plenty.
This stroll begins in the centre of Windermere close to the A591 and below the Windermere Hotel, the bus stop, Booths Supermarket and the railway station. There are plenty of places to eat but Orrest Head on a nice day is the perfect place for a good picnic.

Map OS L96 or OL7
Grid reference: 412 989
Length of walk: 1.5 miles
Time: You could do it in an hour but you may want to take a little longer than that.

Route
1 - Find a sign on the road seen from the parking area indicating Orrest Head. This is only a few yards and bears left into lovely woodlands. Follow the track through the woods and continue to a junction and turn right. At this time of the year, the woodland flowers, trees and birdsong are at their very best and on the day of my visit I watched pied flycatchers catching insects in flight and taking beakfulls to their nests to feed their young.
Here is a lane with a stony floor and contained between walls which must be very old as they are covered in moss as well as plants such as ferns, herb robert and ivy-leaved toad flax.

The route now bears left and here you begin the climb towards Elleray Bank.

2 - Look out here to see what is left of a kitchen garden which once fed the inhabitants of the estate of Elleray House. The mix of native and introduced plants are open areas close to woodland has proved ideal for butterflies and on the day of my visit I watched several species including Comma, Peacock and Red Admiral. On hot days photographing butterflies is hard work but early in the morning it is easy. Butterflies are cold blooded and in the early morning they spread their wings wide on the surface of flowers and let the sunlight warm them up.

3 - Rhododenrons thrive in this area and follow the meandering path up towards Elleray Bank. There are splendid views down to the left and the route then begins to level out and leaves the trees, dominated by Scots Pine and enters a lovely little lane. Follow this lane until a kissing gate is reached.



4 - Pass through this gate and climb for a short distance to reach the summit of Orrest Head. Look for an inscribed stone dated to 1902 and celebrating the fact that the Heywood family gave the area to the people of Windermere. I would add that it is not just a treat for the people of Windermere but for all of us because here is one of the best views in the whole of Cumbria. All this in just over a mile from the town centre which can easily be reached by public transport. I always picnic here and enjoy a view over the whole of Windermere water and on a clear day, Morecambe Bay can be seen as well as the Langdale Pikes, Scafell Pike, Coniston Old Man and many of our hills and mountains.

5 - From the Orrest Head view I am always reluctant to start the descent leading to the starting point, but there is still much to see, but Elleray Woods has other gems on offer. Apart from a picnic I always carry a little flower book because the variety of plants here is wide and attracts birds and butterflies. A little hand lens and a light pair of binoculars always com in handy. An obvious track leads to the road and the starting point.

Most of us use our cars to reach the starting point for walks, but it is good that this one can be reached by both bus and train.

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.

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You’re shore to have a great time in the Lakes

It’s hard to imagine tranquil White Cross Bay was home to the top-secret manufacture of Sunderland flying boat bombers back in World War Two. 

The MoD moved the plant from Kent on the basis that the shores of Lake Windermere were as off the beaten track as it was possible to get.  These days, you don’t need a high-security pass to get in and wooden lodges have replaced the Flying Boat Factory. 

In fact, all that remains of a largely forgotten part of the war effort is the long concrete slipway leading into Britain’s largest lake, from which you can now launch your own boat.  But the awesome Lakeland scenery is pretty much unchanged, as stunning now as when the war effort was moved here in 1941.  Or for that matter, when William Wordsworth was wandering lonely as a cloud back in the early 1800s.  White Cross Bay today is home to a laid-back and well-kept holiday park with more than 40 available to rent.

It’s a few minutes from the tourist hustle and bustle of Windermere town centre, but very peaceful, when the only noise you will hear, is the sound of children (mine included) roaming around the park on their bikes.

We are staying in a three-bedroom superior lodge, complete with a large patio and a fully equipped kitchen area and lounge.  My wife and I and our three kids had so much space that my wife summoned a friend and her three children to come and join us for the day.

If your idea of holiday parks is round-the-clock entertainment and children’s shows, then White Cross Bay might not be for you.  But our kids loved it, especially since they could maraud about on two wheels without having to worry about traffic.  There is a bar, shop and restaurant on site and a quiz night once a week and the occasional singer.  The food is reasonably priced pub grub, handy if you can’t be bothered cooking.  The complex has a decent-size indoor pool (go early if it’s raining as it does get busy) and a gym.

But the main attraction here, aside from top-notch lodges, is the great out-doors which White Cross Bay is well placed for exploring.  We took the kids up Loughrigg Fell which is a 10-minute drive around the lake at Ambleside.  With great views from the 1,000ft summit, you feel like you’re on the top of the world.  There is a well-signposted path, so you really don’t need to be a mountaineer or to have fancy walking gear to get up there.  We did it in trainers and wellies and it only took an hour or so to get to the top.  To our mild surprise, the kids loved it….. especially the decent!

As you’d expect there are watersports centres dotted along the lake but after getting quotes of up to £20 per child and adult to go kayaking for an hour, we opted for more manageable £11 per hour for a two-seater kayak at the Youth Hostel at Waterside.  We took to the water in our life jackets and followed a route across the lake in brilliant sunshine up along the River Rothay which leads into the northern end of Windermere.  Even though it was hard work at times in the wind, it was great fun.

But the biggest test of any UK holiday is how well it copes when it rains, which of course it does in the Lake District – often, in buckets.  Fortunately there is plenty to do in the area around White Cross Bay.  There is an indoor play area for younger kids in Ambleside and two brilliant, old-school, cinemas one in Ambleside and one in Bowness.  Watching Mr Popper’s Penguins on a tiny screen in a room not much bigger than a large lounge at the Royalty cinema simply made the evening all the more enjoyable.  Unsurprisingly it was a sell-out – the audience seemed to be a sea of anoraks drying out from the wet weather outside – though it has to be said, our children were quite happy to splash in wearing their wellies and macs.  Almost as happy as when they were having their nightly scrap about who was sleeping where in the lodge ….

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Sunday Mirror Homes & Holidays Supplement – issued 5th February 2012 by Stephen Martin

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