Are you planning your summer holiday for 2019? Have you ever stayed in a caravan in the UK? I grew up with caravan holidays, and there are so many happy memories from my childhood. Back then we used to stay in my grandparents’ caravans in North Wales, occasionally staying on other caravan parks, including on the South Coast of England. Two years ago, we took our children to stay in a privately owned caravan in Dorset. Being a young family, and struggling along on a single income, we couldn’t afford a lavish holiday, and even the package deals from companies such as Haven were too expensive. But we managed to book a caravan on a Haven caravan park, enjoying their holiday homes, their facilities, and the surrounding area.

We chose Poole in Dorset for a family holiday, and stayed in a caravan in Rockley Park. The caravan park is very big, but it includes some lovely, family-friendly facilities, including an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, evening entertainment, children’s activity clubs, onsite bar, restaurant, chip shop and convenience store, and a launderette, which came in very useful for me as we were potty training our youngest daughter at that time. The journey from Cheshire to Dorset was a long one, but it was a straight run down the motorway, so we didn’t get lost, and we arrived in Poole very excited to explore. Rockley Park has its own private beach with gorgeous soft sand, a shallow bay which is perfect for young children, and a sailing club for the more adventurous holidaymakers. We spent at least one full day on that beach, sunbathing, building sandcastles, paddling in the sea, and enjoying a picnic.

One reason for our visit to Poole was so that we could take our children to Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Theme Park. Both our girls are still huge fans of Peppa Pig, and they want to return to the theme park again. My husband and I left the grandparents and dog at Rockley Park, and took the children off to explore for the day. I have to say, Paulton’s Theme Park is well worth a visit. Yes, it is expensive, but if you budget carefully, it is affordable. The place is easy to find, parking is accessible, and there is a lot to see and do, even just within Peppa Pig World. We came away feeling very happy with our day out, and very impressed with the customer service and organisation.

Finally, I can recommend Rockley Park as a good location for a dog-friendly holiday. We took our dog for walks along the beach in the mornings and evenings when it was quiet, he could stay in the caravan without much additional cost, and we took him almost everywhere with us. There is a dog-friendly beach in Bournemouth, our dog came on a harbour cruise in Poole, and we took him to the isle of Portland, visiting the English Heritage castle and the lighthouse. So much to see and do, we shall have to return sometime for another holiday!

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