First Time Campers....

May I just say a huge thank you to Gail for writing this blogpost for us:

Last time I slept in a tent I was around 13 and in the Girl Guides. The tent was ready assembled and apart from a rather unpleasant incident with a toilet tent during a stormy night found the whole experience very exhilarating.

So when our youngest son, aged 7 became a member of the local Sea Scout troop, we decided to join in the fun and get into the outdoorsy scene. Beavers unfortunately aren’t allowed to camp overnight with the Cubs and Scouts but are able to do so at the annual ‘Family Camp’ – the perfect excuse to buy a tent and get out there.

After a little research into tents and other paraphernalia we descended on a local store and bit the bullet. Stuffing the car boot with a large tent (with carpet) and a few extra’s to ensure we were reasonably well equipped. We decided to test it all out the following weekend and decided on an attractive looking site with good facilities (reviews from a couple of websites spoke of friendly staff, very clean shower/toilets and great play area – all of which was true!) Oh and the weather was supposed to be hot and sunny.

We arrived at Robin Hood Caravan Park late Friday afternoon a little nervous of assembling the tent for the first time on a proper site. We had done a quick practice run a couple of days earlier but had lost the will to live when we failed to see how the ‘ring and pin’ system worked. Yes, it is very simple now we know, but wasn’t at the time. So, we checked in and were told to pitch up wherever we liked in the tent field which was great because we found a large space to spread out all our ‘bits’ of tent before the complicated bit.

This is when you truly appreciate those little pop-up beach tents that once let out of their bag, leap into the air, pirouette beautifully and land perfectly formed and ready to use. Not this baby! Oh no, this one had coloured poles that resembled magicians wands and had to be inserted in a specific order. Once in, ‘someone’ then had to scramble through the mountain of tent fabric like an army assault course to be able to support the centre of the tent while the ringy pin thingy’s were forcibly manoeuvred into place. Stupidly, I thought doing the assault course was the better option until I realised that on a hot, humid sunny day, the centre of a zipped up tent wasn’t exactly the best place to spend fifteen minutes, unless you wanted to do the Indian Sweat Lodge thing.

Only a few harsh words were uttered, probably because we were in earshot of other campers but eventually the thing looked like a proper tent. A very big tent! A lovely, spacious, marquee of a tent with carpet. Hubby set off to blow the airbeds up. Now, as we all know, airbeds have a valve to put the air in and it’s usually the very same valve used to squash the air out too. Ha, not our one. Who knew there was a second hole in the thing and a little plug that should be fitted when inflating it. Strangely, it was some time before hubby, sweating like a pig on a spit complained that it was taking ages to blow up. I managed to stifle my laughter (it wasn’t the time or place for a sense of humour!) and suggested he put the second plug in.

Two and a half hours after arriving we were sitting with a cold alcoholic drink outside our new home watching the children play and enjoying the sunshine. It was a beautiful evening especially when at around 10pm and children were still running around squealing, the heavens opened and forced them all into their tents and bed. No need to play ‘hunt the child’ that night!

The only thing wrong with our first camping trip was that it wasn’t long enough. Thank you Robin Hood staff!

Through the kids eyes........

Who are you?


My name is Sophie, I am 7 years old and we live in the house on the caravan park

Do you like living in the middle of a caravan park?

Sometimes I do. Its good because people come and talk to me and my sister. But I don’t like it when Mummy and Daddy have to keep going to reception when I need them in the house and people ring up in the middle of the night to ask if we have room for them to come and stay – it wakes me up. We have movie nights on Friday nights and people keep knocking on our door and interrupting.

There must be some good things - isn’t it nice meeting lots of new people?

Yes because we get to play with other people. Trev and Sue make me laugh and Andy is helping me with my gardening homework. We get lots of Easter eggs from our customers. We can ride our bikes round and round the caravan park.

What is the best bit about living here?

In the holidays we get to go to the park with my grandma and play with the other boys and girls staying here. I helped Grandpa pick the park out of the book. I get very cross when children drop litter on it.

I also like sleeping in the caravans when we are allowed. We get to choose a different one each time and I am hoping that one day we are allowed to sleep in a tent.

I also like it when we can all close the gates.

Whats the worst thing about living here?

I miss my Mummy and Daddy when they are busy. Its also unfair that some children are allowed to stay up because they are on their holidays and I’m not allowed because I live here and have to go to school.

Do Mummy and Daddy let you work with them?

Me and my sister have our work uniforms so we can look like them when we help. We get to do the inventories with Mummy which helps with our counting and me and my sister see who can get the most rubbish in our sacks when we do a litter pick with my Daddy.

I told Mummy we should do an activity pack for the other children like we get when we go to restaurants. She thinks it is a really god idea so I am helping her with that at the moment.

Is it good having Mummy and Daddy to yourselves in the winter?

Yes because we get to go sledging in the tent fields – they can play with us. We can go on our own holidays in the winter. Mummy won’t let me go in a tent though because its too cold in the winter.

Do you want to run a caravan park when you are older?

No I want to be a dancer – but then I can put dance shows on for our guests and I can go on the stage when we go to Grandpas. Amelia can run the caravan park.

Question of the week

Who should be the next person to be questioned and what would you ask?

If I were the owners........

Love reading that comment in the reviews people leave about the park on various websites. To be fair, we do learn alot from reading them but the latest one states “ If I were the owners I would also offer vacant electrical pitches whether for one or two nights, not just the minimum three” presumably referring to the three night minimum stay we have over the Bank Holidays. However, we have been fully booked for all three nights of all Bank Holidays since we implemented the restrictions into our terms and conditions so I’m not really sure that we will be putting this reviewer’s ideas into practise.

We do have some guests that will book, and pay, for all three nights yet only stay for 2 - so as the owner of the park we will be keeping our 3 night minimum booking policy for Bank Holidays. Oooooh and just a little reminder we’ve only got one pitch available for the Summer Bank Holiday in 2010 and have already taken bookings for Spring Bank Holiday in 2011.

The only other minimum stay restriction we have for tents with electric is for the Castle Howard Proms weekend – its 2 nights then and we have already filled those 2 nights. We don’t have restrictions on tents using electric hook-ups at any other times.

A Holiday at Home

Living on a caravan park, it’s inevitable that our kids are going to want to stay in one of our caravans at some point. They see everyone come and spend their holidays here – but it’s their home – not their holiday.


It’s the final Saturday of the school half-term holidays and everyone was going home – we had one of our brand new caravans available so we promised they could sleep in one.

Excitement was an understatement – they were up early Saturday morning packing their bags ready for their “holiday”. Naturally packing by a four year old isn’t a good thing – but we went with it – if she hadn’t packed something she needed it wasn’t going to be a problem – we were at home afterall!! So, Troy the Teddy Bear and a Curly Wurly were all she really needed!?! The bags stayed at the front door while we got on with the Saturday routine – changeover day, ballet lessons etc.

After tea they turned into “guests” – they trundled off to reception with their suitcases and sleeping bag – I wandered after them with the things they really needed (and a bottle of wine for myself). Daddy continued his job in reception, giving the girls their key and the map of how to get to the caravan. Sophie (aged 7) was in charge of the key and Amelia (aged 4) was in charge of the map and getting them to the right caravan – didn’t take too long and soon they were choosing their beds, unpacking their bags and relaxing in the front of the TV.

They were having the time of their lives and I was making notes about how we could improve our services for the guests – now I was one. Fans are at the top of the list – I was always worried about being too cold in the caravans and last night we were all sweating buckets so now I’m finding ways of keeping the guests cool.

The midnight feast was eaten by 9pm, we texted Daddy to bring us more supplies – the things we’d forgotten (not a service available to all guests – sorry) and he joined us on our holiday. Getting the kids to sleep was a nightmare – too hot and too excited. They played Musical Beds for about an hour and were threatened with going home once or twice but they fell asleep........eventually.

A few more rounds of musical beds went on during the night so when I woke up at 7.30am (had to turn back into Park Manager at 9am) there was no one in the bedroom with me. Have a look where I found them..............Note to caravan manufacturers - who needs bedrooms!

We didn't take breakfast with us - we had that back at home - its only 30 seconds away so it didn't take long to get back. Not sure that any of the guests saw us while we were on our holidays - goodness knows what they would have thought. The kids had a great time - after a really busy half term holiday for Mummy and Daddy it was really nice for us all to spend some precious family time together. And secretly, I had a lovely night - despite a lack of sleep - and I've got some really positive ideas that I plan to make reality over the coming weeks. Then we'll do it all again......

Friday, 4th June - Quick Update - Introducing Question of the Week

Up with birds this morning – well not quite – up with whoever wanted to book a tent pitch at 6.30am and managed to wake the whole house up by doing so. Someone was obviously keen to book their pitch (we’re full – oops)
I haven’t kept up with this blog as often as I’d hoped because things have been busy. The phone hasn’t stopped, internet bookings are coming in thick and fast and we have been ensuring we keep the park looking as fab as always but now I know people actually read it I’ll try a bit harder to keep you up to date.

In recent weeks we have had 2 fantastic Bank Holiday weekends – so the weather wasn’t fantastic but everyone seemed to have a great time while they were here. We got some really good comments in reception and people seemed really keen to tell us what they would do with the park if they ran it – some of them absolutely ludicrous but others were really constructive and we will definitely take some of them on board – keep those comments coming in.

We have also received our grading from Visit England – proud to announce we are still 5 stars. As soon as that car pulls up and I recognise the inspector my stomach does a back flip. I know that we are worth everyone of our stars but every year is the same – I find it so stressful. Our guests reassure us of what a great job we do but it’s only the inspector that can confirm it for me.

I don’t want to be the only one that writes this blog and currently have one guest writing an article for it and my little girl wants a turn but we want feedback from you as well so, here is my:

Question of the Week

My one question to you would be, if you have a really bad time somewhere – feel as though you need to complain you would probably put it in writing? Yes? Well I would. But, if you have had a really enjoyable time somewhere – are you as quick to put it in writing? I’m not. Every year, when looking at the awards we can be nominated for we are always asked for customer letters/emails. Don’t get me wrong – I have loved receiving bouquets of flowers, boxes of chocolates, bottles of wine and even a Dutch fruit loaf from some Dutch customers we helped but we need emails, letters and cards and I’m not sure how we can do that. Any ideas?