David Dalziel took a step into the unknown as he and his family travelled to the Cotswolds for a caravan holiday
I have to begin by being completely honest with you. I have never been a fan of caravan holidays – despite having never been on one. So when the offer of a week at a caravan park in the Cotswolds came up, I had to think twice about it.
Thankfully, however, I chose to accept the offer, and I am pleased to confirm that any reservations I might have had about such holidays were misplaced.
I took my wife and two young children down to the south-west of England for a week-long stay at Hoburne Cotswold, a holiday park near Cirencester in Gloucestershire.
As I mentioned, I wasn’t really sure what to expect and was slightly trepidatious about staying for so long in a caravan. However, this was no ordinary caravan. This was a 12ft-wide Platinum three-bedroom caravan complete with central heating, double glazing, dishwasher, two flat-screen TVs, iPod docking station, power shower and so much more.
The accommodation was modern, comfortable and spotless, so there’s not really much more you could wish for.
It was a stone’s throw from the main hub of the park yet still very peaceful. We sat out on the decking in the evening watching the wildlife pass us by and the lovely sunsets through the swaying trees.
But away from the caravan, things were just as impressive. On a holiday with two young children, you need entertainment on hand and you need lots of it.
To give you an idea of how much there is to do at the park, I can tell you that my son and I did not leave the Hoburne resort once the entire week. He was over the moon with all the activities available to him and he certainly made the most of them.
And dad was equally as happy as everything was so cheap.
Most days began with a round of crazy golf which was only £1 each for as many holes as we wanted. Charlie, my six-year-old, loved the free play park too. And the swimming cost nothing either – both indoor and out. The novelty of swimming outdoors in Britain can’t be ignored and we took a dip outside a few times.
The indoor pool was a real hit as it has a tremendous water slide. On our first visit, Charlie would only brave the slide with me or his mum. But after a couple of tandem trips, he was ready to fly solo and there was no stopping him after that.
Needless to say, our baby daughter, Beth, was in her element splashing around both pools too, and could not get enough of the big slide either. So we spent many an hour having fun and getting wrinkly in the two pools.
Away from the swimming, there were pedalos for hire on the little lake which Charlie absolutely loved. Again, they were very reasonably priced and we took two or three outings on the water, much to the young captain’s delight.
You’ll be aware of a theme developing here – who says the Scots are tight – but the little arcade offered tremendous value for money. I’m guessing the prices haven’t increased since some of these machines were invented, and Charlie and I enjoyed playing some games for 30 pence a time that in Aberdeen would have cost one or two pounds per shot.
A number of the machines gave out tokens as rewards. Most of the time, it would take you a good few years to save enough tokens to win anything decent, but wee Charlie cleaned up with two jackpots in one afternoon and was delighted to be able to claim some fun prizes at the arcade shop. As I said, fantastic value.
There is entertainment on every day for the young ones with the Sammy Seahorse kids club. Charlie spent a morning 10-pin bowling and he always enjoyed the games and music. But the biggest thrill for him came when CBeebies presenter Alex Winters spent a couple of days at the park entertaining the children.
Alex was there as part of the Hoburne entertainment team and went down a storm with the little ones. And Charlie even got the chance to have his picture taken with him (and Sammy of course) and the framed photo is now hanging proudly on his bedroom wall.
The entertainment continued in the evening as well with fun and games for the kids and bingo and cabaret acts for the adults. A stand-out moment for Charlie was when he won the prize for being the “craziest dancer” one evening and was taken on stage – the same stage that, on our first night, he said he wouldn’t go on. He certainly grew in confidence as the week went on and really felt at home. So much so that he was happy to display his crazy dancing to a hall full of people in order to win one of the hallowed Hoburne beach balls. Now that is a video he’ll probably end up being embarrassed with on his wedding day.
For us parents, there was plenty to enjoy away from all the kids activities, albeit when they are having a good time it means we can relax and enjoy ourselves too. There were lovely woodland walks to go on and we enjoyed spotting countless rabbits and ducks around the park.
My wife did venture into Cirencester one day and spent a morning wandering around quaint little independent shops and cafes. She loved the rustic feel of the town and raved about it on her return.
For the most part, though, we were happy to stay local. The food on offer at the restaurant was surprisingly good and we ate out a number of times. We also had the freedom to cook for ourselves at the caravan and enjoyed a barbecue in the evening sun on one occasion.
Whatever pace you want to go at, Hoburne Cotswold can cater for you. I’m certainly glad I put my pre-conceived ideas to one side and took my maiden caravan holiday. And I can say with some certainty that it won’t be my last.
Travel facts
Hoburne Holiday Parks is a family owned and run company dating back to 1912 and has seven coastal and countryside parks across Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, the Cotswolds and Cornwall.
Short breaks at Hoburne Cotswold start from £130 in a two-bed caravan in 2015. Short breaks in a three-bed Platinum caravan start from £293.
Visit www.hoburne.com or call 01425 282358 for more details and to book.